The A. B. Dick Company (later stylized as ABDick) was a major American manufacturer of copy machines and office supplies in the late 19th century and 20th centuries.
Albert Blake Dick, Founder Albert Blake Dick Jr., second president A. B. Dick III, third president Karl Van Tassel, president John C. Stetson, president Ed Suchma final president and CEO
The company was founded in 1883[1] in Chicago as a lumber company by Albert Blake Dick (1856 – 1934). It soon expanded into office supplies and, after licensing key autographic printing patents from Thomas Edison, became the world's largest manufacturer of mimeograph equipment (Albert Dick coined the word "mimeograph").[3] The company introduced the Model 0 Flatbed Duplicator in 1887.[4] Later on, the flatbed duplicators were replaced by devices using a rotating cylinder with automatic ink feed. Basic models were hand-cranked while more elaborate machines used an electric motor.[4]
The company had a new headquarters built in 1926, the building at 728 West Jackson now called Haberdasher Square Lofts, and remained there until their move to suburban Niles in 1949.[5]
AB Dick model 350 and 360 small duplicator presses, paired with Itek Graphix plate makers, were instrumental in the beginnings of instant or "quick" printing shops that proliferated between the 1960s and 1980s. These early plate makers first used paper plates and later used polyester plates made by Mitsubishi. They revolutionized plate making for small press printers with the introduction of digital plate makers in the early 1990s. A. B. Dick also produced machines using the competing spirit duplicator technology. Starting in the 1960s, xerography began to overtake A. B. Dick's older mimeograph technology.[2]
In 1979, the company was acquired by the British General Electric Company (not to be confused with the American company General Electric).[2] In the early 1980s, following this acquisition, A. B. Dick was involved with GEC Computers in the design of the ill-fated GEC Series 63minicomputer.[7]
In 1988, the company acquired Itek Graphix, a leading manufacturer of plate-makers for duplicators (small format offset presses). By the late 1990s, A. B. Dick was a division of the Nesco company of Cleveland.[2]
The company filed for bankruptcy in 2004, and its assets were acquired by Presstek, a manufacturer of prepress products.[8] Presstek sold its ABDick division to Mark Andy, Inc. in 2013. Mark Andy continues to market products under the ABDick brand.
Referencesedit
^ ab"Men of Affairs". Chicago Evening Post. 1906. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
^ abcdMark R. Wilson, with Stephen R. Porter and Janice L. Reiff. "Dick (A. B.) Co". Encyclopedia of Chicago. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
^Owen, David (2004). Copies in Seconds: How a Lone Inventor and an Unknown Company Created the Biggest Communication Breakthrough Since Gutenberg—Chester Carlson and the Birth of the Xerox Machine. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 44.
^ abRandy Alfred (August 8, 2008). "Aug. 8, 1876: Run This Off on the Mimeo". Wired. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
^"History". Haberdasher Square Lofts. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
^"John C. Stetson". Official United States Air Force Website. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
^Lavington, Simon (2011). "14.5 — The GEC Series 63: A Very Difficult Project". Moving Targets — Elliott-Automation and the Dawn of the Computer Age in Britain, 1947-67. Springer. ISBN978-1-84882-932-9.
^A.B. Dick files Ch. 11, names buyer, Chicago Business, Rita Chang, July 13, 2004.
Further readingedit
Buck, Glen. Fifty Years 1884-1934, A. B. Dick Company. Chicago: Lakeside Press, 1934. (with drawings by Rockwell Kent and photographs by Torkel Korling.)
External linksedit
A. B. Dick Company History at FundingUniverse.com (mirrored at answers.com)
January 01, 1970
dick, company, later, stylized, abdick, major, american, manufacturer, copy, machines, office, supplies, late, 19th, century, 20th, centuries, company, typedefunctindustrygraphic, arts, equipmentfoundedchicago, illinois, united, states, 1883, founderalbert, bl. The A B Dick Company later stylized as ABDick was a major American manufacturer of copy machines and office supplies in the late 19th century and 20th centuries A B Dick CompanyCompany typeDefunctIndustryGraphic Arts EquipmentFoundedChicago Illinois United States 1883 1 FounderAlbert Blake DickDefunctJuly 2004HeadquartersNiles Illinois United StatesKey peopleAlbert Blake Dick Founder Albert Blake Dick Jr second presidentA B Dick III third president Karl Van Tassel presidentJohn C Stetson presidentEd Suchma final president and CEORevenue 268 62 million 1998 est Number of employeesabout 900 mid 1930s 2 about 1 200 in 1996Websitehttp www abdick com Contents 1 Founding and growth 2 End of independent existence 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksFounding and growth editThe company was founded in 1883 1 in Chicago as a lumber company by Albert Blake Dick 1856 1934 It soon expanded into office supplies and after licensing key autographic printing patents from Thomas Edison became the world s largest manufacturer of mimeograph equipment Albert Dick coined the word mimeograph 3 The company introduced the Model 0 Flatbed Duplicator in 1887 4 Later on the flatbed duplicators were replaced by devices using a rotating cylinder with automatic ink feed Basic models were hand cranked while more elaborate machines used an electric motor 4 The company had a new headquarters built in 1926 the building at 728 West Jackson now called Haberdasher Square Lofts and remained there until their move to suburban Niles in 1949 5 AB Dick model 350 and 360 small duplicator presses paired with Itek Graphix plate makers were instrumental in the beginnings of instant or quick printing shops that proliferated between the 1960s and 1980s These early plate makers first used paper plates and later used polyester plates made by Mitsubishi They revolutionized plate making for small press printers with the introduction of digital plate makers in the early 1990s A B Dick also produced machines using the competing spirit duplicator technology Starting in the 1960s xerography began to overtake A B Dick s older mimeograph technology 2 John C Stetson was president of A B Dick when he was appointed Secretary of the Air Force in 1978 6 End of independent existence editIn 1979 the company was acquired by the British General Electric Company not to be confused with the American company General Electric 2 In the early 1980s following this acquisition A B Dick was involved with GEC Computers in the design of the ill fated GEC Series 63 minicomputer 7 In 1988 the company acquired Itek Graphix a leading manufacturer of plate makers for duplicators small format offset presses By the late 1990s A B Dick was a division of the Nesco company of Cleveland 2 The company filed for bankruptcy in 2004 and its assets were acquired by Presstek a manufacturer of prepress products 8 Presstek sold its ABDick division to Mark Andy Inc in 2013 Mark Andy continues to market products under the ABDick brand References edit a b Men of Affairs Chicago Evening Post 1906 Retrieved August 11 2011 a b c d Mark R Wilson with Stephen R Porter and Janice L Reiff Dick A B Co Encyclopedia of Chicago Retrieved August 11 2011 Owen David 2004 Copies in Seconds How a Lone Inventor and an Unknown Company Created the Biggest Communication Breakthrough Since Gutenberg Chester Carlson and the Birth of the Xerox Machine New York Simon amp Schuster p 44 a b Randy Alfred August 8 2008 Aug 8 1876 Run This Off on the Mimeo Wired Retrieved August 11 2011 History Haberdasher Square Lofts Retrieved August 11 2011 John C Stetson Official United States Air Force Website Retrieved May 5 2015 Lavington Simon 2011 14 5 The GEC Series 63 A Very Difficult Project Moving Targets Elliott Automation and the Dawn of the Computer Age in Britain 1947 67 Springer ISBN 978 1 84882 932 9 A B Dick files Ch 11 names buyer Chicago Business Rita Chang July 13 2004 Further reading editBuck Glen Fifty Years 1884 1934 A B Dick Company Chicago Lakeside Press 1934 with drawings by Rockwell Kent and photographs by Torkel Korling External links editA B Dick Company History at FundingUniverse com mirrored at answers com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title A B Dick Company amp oldid 1223241264, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
