Many children growing up in the Soviet Union before World War II knew the meaning of deprivation and dread. But for the son of an “enemy of the people,” those apprehensions were especially compounded. When the secret police came for his father in 1938, ten-year-old Anatole Konstantin saw his family plunged into a morass of fear. His memoir of growing up in Stalinist Russia re-creates in vivid detail the daily trials of people trapped in this regime before and during the repressive years of World War II—and the equally horrific struggles of refugees after that conflict. Evicted from their home, their property confiscated, and eventually forced to leave their town, Anatole’s family experienced the fate of millions of Soviet citizens whose loved ones fell victim to Stalin’s purges. His mother, Raya, resorted to digging peat, stacking bricks, and even bootlegging to support herself and her two children. How she managed to hold her family together in a rapidly deteriorating society—and how young Anatole survived the horrors of marginalization and war—form a story more compelling than any novel. Looking back on those years from adulthood, Konstantin reflects on both his formal education under harsh conditions and his growing awareness of the contradictions between propaganda and reality. He tells of life in the small Ukrainian town of Khmelnik just before World War II and of how some of its citizens collaborated with the German occupation, lending new insight into the fate of Ukrainian Jews and Nazi corruption of local officials. And in recounting his experiences as a refugee, he offers a new look at everyday life in early postwar Poland and Germany, as well as one of the few firsthand accounts of life in postwar Displaced Persons camps. A Red Boyhood takes readers inside Stalinist Russia to experience the grim realities of repression—both under a Soviet regime and German occupation. A moving story of desperate people in desperate times, it brings to life the harsh realities of the twentieth century for young and old readers alike.

In A Red Boyhood -- Growing up Under Stalin, we followed a child's perilous journey of survival through war-torn Eastern Europe, Nazi occupation and, as the son of an "enemy of the state" Soviet repression. What happened to that boy, his brave and resolute mother, and his little brother at war's end? Now, the journey continues with Anatole Konstantin's love letter to America in his new memoir, Through the Eyes of an Immigrant. As a "displaced person," young Anatole arrives in New York in 1949 in pursuit of achieving the American Dream. Often elusive though that dream may be, we cheer as he overcomes, with humor and optimism, the obstacles and challenges of assimilation. Through his personal experience of having endured the harsh realities of living in a totalitarian state, we see mid-century world and American events through his discerning observations to gain new understanding of how Soviet propaganda ensnared a generation of American intellectuals to becoming sympathetic to the cause of Communism. With an array of characters, Through the Eyes of an Immigrant will have you laughing, and at times, marveling at how a young man's persistence, talent, hard work, love of family and a little bit of luck can make a dream come true."

PDC continues to invest heavily in employee training and state-of-the-art CNC machining centers, in accordance with our Full Vertical Integration philosophy. Maintaining tight control of processes, quality and schedules, PDC continues to serve our growing family of customers.

PDC’s expansion with the completion of a 10,000-sqare foot addition, including a new assembly floor and a third floor of offices overlooking Long Island Sound and the Norwalk Islands. The subsequent Great Recession of 2008 was weathered by investing in R&D, keeping the core technical team together, realizing efficiencies -- emerging with new products and in position for continued success.

PDC continued to grow, moving the machine shop across Sheehan Avenue in rented space and expanding the assembly floor within the main building. PDC machining operations remained there for 12 years, through 2008.

Under Neal’s guidance and Anatole’s oversight, a strong Management Team was put in place with leaders from every discipline within the company. This marked the transition of PDC from a purely entrepreneurial enterprise to a professional organization, ensuring longevity and stability for both employees and PDC customers.

Gary Tantimonico joined PDC as Marketing Manager and grew with the company through Sales and into the vital role of Vice President. All PDC managers now report to Gary, whose guiding hand keeps Operations, Sales and Aftermarket Service on their proper course. The first PDC Steam Shrink Tunnel was introduced.

Having outgrown Hermanny Court and the other support buildings, PDC contracted to purchase a new 17,000 sq. ft. building in South Norwalk at 8 Sheehan Avenue. Finished to suit PDC needs, it included offices, engineering, a large machine shop and assembly area.

The R- Series was introduced; a line of mandrel style shrink sleeving machines that do not employ fragile spinning knives used throughout the industry, but rather PDC’s long-lived perforation and separation technology with blades lasting months rather than day between sharpenings, reducing downtime and maintenance.

The F-Series was introduced; a line of machines for neckbanding tapered and straight-walled containers in food and dairy environments.