Stanbury Uniforms, Reading Buccaneers Announce Partnership
Stanbury Uniforms and the Reading Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps announced today that the two organizations have entered into a partnership agreement, under which the Buccaneers will become the first all-age Endorsing Artist drum corps of Stanbury, who will provide support to the Buccaneers and a redesigned uniform for the 2012 season. The partnership further deepens a relationship the two organizations began in 2004.
“We’re thrilled that Stanbury is making such a significant investment in the all-age drum and bugle corps activity, and we’re honored that they’ve chosen the Buccaneers to do so,” said Buccaneers Corps Director James C. Gruber. “In 2004, we first approached Stanbury about providing new uniforms for the corps, which we debuted in 2005. It’s been a fantastic experience ever since. The quality and durability of the product has been exceptional, and the customer service of the entire Stanbury team has been of the highest order. The look we’ve had for the past seven seasons has become iconic of the Buccaneers, and we’re really looking forward to building on that look for 2012 and beyond. We’re thrilled with the design Brent Becker has put together for us and can’t wait to see it hit the field.”
According to Stanbury Design Artist Brent Becker, his main objective is to give the corps a refreshed appearance without sacrificing the corps’ iconic look. “Change may be the hot-button word for this decade, but believe me, when you see this amazing new design, you will see the Reading Buccaneers,” he said. “Consideration was made to develop an appealing streamlined appearance without breaking the bank design-wise. The corps’ demographic has shifted in recent years and this change reflects not only a more athletic, youth-oriented fit, but is necessitated by the continued growth of a highly successful all-age corps. Look for new and eye-catching materials in the uniform that retain the Buccaneers’ trademark blues with fresh, dazzling, and perhaps unexpected textures.”
2012 Buccaneers Uniform Sketch
With this agreement, the Buccaneers are the first all-age corps to join a very short list of endorsing artist corps in the Stanbury family, joining such legendary corps as Santa Clara Vanguard, Bluecoats, Blue Stars and Madison Scouts.
For Stanbury Chief Executive Officer Gary Roberts, the Buccaneers partnership is a joining of organizations with similar visions. “Since joining forces in 2005, we at Stanbury have come to not only enjoy the amazing performances the Bucs bring to audiences, but have come to enjoy great friendships with their members, staff and management,” he said. “The Reading Buccaneers are a class act on many levels. We are so proud to be chosen to design and produce a uniform that lives up to the lofty standards the Buccaneers continue to aspire to year after year. Since the very first Drum Corps Associates championships in 1965, the Buccaneers have set the standard for quality performance on the drum corps field. Today they continue to not only remain true to the standards they first set 47 years ago, but are also truly fresh, cutting-edge and relevant in today’s sophisticated world of outdoor marching arts. Stanbury Uniforms set their high standards for quality when we opened our doors over 90 years ago and today are proud to keep our standards of quality intact while offering fresh, cutting-edge and truly custom-designed uniforms for marching groups of all types. We like to think the Reading Buccaneers offer a mirror-image testimony to what Stanbury Uniforms stands for, and we are very proud to help make sure the Buccaneers continue to look as great as they sound.”
Production of the new uniforms is underway. The Buccaneers plan to unveil them at the corps’ first competition in Wildwood, New Jersey on Saturday, June 16.
Stanbury Uniforms is the leading manufacturer of band uniforms in the United States. Founded in 1917 in Kansas City, Missouri by Will Stanbury and his father to manufacture police, fire and military uniforms, the company was reestablished in 1947 to manufacture custom-made marching band uniforms. In 1993, Stanbury became an employee-owned company. With ownership participated in by all employees, the company embarked on a significant increase in sales. The “personal touch” offered by the employee owners gives Stanbury a unique position in the industry. The company maintains factories in Brookfield and Milan, Missouri.
Founded in 1957, the mission of the Reading Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps is to provide men and women of all ages a unique and enriching educational experience in the performing arts in which they develop as individuals and as performers. The Buccaneers were founding members of Drum Corps Associates and won the first-ever DCA World Championships in 1965 and won nine additional titles since. For more information, visit www.readingbuccaneers.org.
