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1882 - 2007
125 Years of Organizing Excellence |
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At a time when organizing and storage options for business documents were limited to cubbyholes, shelves and wooden boxes, it must have been an awesome relief when Globe-Weis introduced file drawers.
The idea of storing papers vertically between indexed dividers was so radical, that companies had to send their workers to special schools so they could be taught this new “Modern Filing and Indexing”.
Thankfully, there are many well-designed products available today to help businesses succeed. Globe-Weis is proud to continue to bring the best of these to market.
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Globe-Weis products are sold through
independent office product dealers nationwide. |
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Timeline of Change & Challenge
1882 The Globe Files Company was incorporated in Ohio, founded with $60,000 in capital stock. Globe Files entered “office products” industry just as it begins a phenomenally fast growth period.
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- Total capital in the office appliance manufacturing firms alone increased by 2700% between 1879 and 1919 (calculated from U.S. Bureau of the Census Historical Statistics 411).
- U.S. businesses were finally beginning to thrive and regain confidence after the severe financial panic of 1873.
- Telephones and typewriters were starting to become more commonplace, increasing the ease of communications.
- As businesses began expanding to serve larger geographic areas, more standardized methods for record keeping and information sharing became necessary. Until then, most business records were handwritten, bound in ledger books, and stored on shelves or in cubbyholes.
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1893 The Wernieke Company was established in Minneapolis. Soon after, they invented and introduced the “Elastic Bookcase.” This allowed businesses and homeowners to equipped their offices with modular units that could be configured and added-to as needed.
1898 The
Globe Files Company introduced its patented “Globe System
of Filing Papers” to hold papers in a “vertical” position,
the very method used in filing cabinets today.
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 At that point, there were 5 companies producing
typewriters (all using different patents). Scientific American estimated
that a total of 50,000 had been manufactured
already.
As a result, information could be recorded 3x faster than
handwriting. The use of loose sheet paper increased, along
with the need for filing systems to handle it. In order to help businesses
understand the new "modern method of filing," Globe
Files began to
hold special training sessions. Advertising copy encouraged businesses
to buy cabinets from Globe Files (and Globe-Wernicke) by promising
to ". . .thus solve the problems of vexatious delays in
Filing and Finding papers. . . "
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1899 Globe Company purchased the Wernieke Company and renames itself Globe-Wernieke Company.
1911 - 1921 Globe-Wernieke aggressively expanded its branch offices through the United States and Europe during this decade.
1932 Globe-Wernieke forced into receivership as a result of The Great Depression and industry price wars.
A year later (1933), the average wage had dropped to 60% less than in 1929 and unemployment had skyrocketed to 25%. |
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The U.S. economy bottomed out at $40 billion, dropping from almost $90 billion in the late 1920’s.
One third of Americans were below the poverty line.
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1934 Globe-Wernieke emerged from receivership.
1942 90% of the largest Globe-Wernieke manufacturing facility in Norwood, OH, was dedicated to wartime production of wing flaps, troop seats, nacelle door and tail cones for airplanes, and furniture for ships.
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1951 Globe-Wernieke introduced “Techniplan,” an office partition system recognized as the forerunner of today’s open-plan, modular office systems (cubicles). Office workers have been thrilled ever since
1963 Globe-Wernieke bought the Weis Manufacturing Company and changed the name to Globe-Weis Systems Company.
1966 Globe-Weis merged with Sheller Corporation and changed name to Sheller-Globe.
1973 Sheller-Globe acquired and added Red Rope Industries (along with the Accordion expanding line and EzyIndex products) to their Globe-Weis division.
1987 American Trading and Production Company purchased Jostens Business Products Division and Globe-Weis separately and combined their operations under the new company name – ATAPCO Office Product Group.
2000 Cardinal Brands, Inc. was formed through a merger of existing office products businesses.
- Globe-Weis became a trademark and brand of Cardinal Brands
- Other brands include Adams business forms, Cardinal binders and Generations scrapbook supplies.
- Company headquarters is set up in Lawrence, Kansas
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Source materials included:
Company Archives
Education World, The Educator’s Best Friend, www.education-world.com
The Timetables of History – A Horizontal Linkage of People and Events, Bernard Grun, Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1963 |
