Wiktor Wise
Smith Corona, previously known as L.C. Smith & Bros., is a company that has played a significant role in the history of the typewriter. The company was established by the Smith brothers, who initially worked in the gun manufacturing business before pivoting to typewriters in the 1880s. After World War II, Smith Corona produced the world's first portable electric typewriter, and in 1956, they introduced a nineteen-pound portable electric typewriter that cost just under $200. In 1958, Smith Corona merged with Marchant Calculators to form Smith-Corona-Marchant (SCM). SCM continued to innovate, releasing various models of electric typewriters, such as the well-known SCM Galaxie in 1960. However, the company faced challenges in the 1980s due to competition from imported typewriters and the rise of personal computers for word processing. Despite adapting their product line, SCM was taken over by Hanson Plc in 1986, and the typewriter business eventually collapsed in the mid-1980s.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First SCM electric typewriter made | 1960 |
| Company name | Smith-Corona-Marchant (SCM) |
| Type of typewriter | Portable |
| Weight | 19 pounds |
| Cost | $200 |
| Target market | Small businesses and home typists |
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What You'll Learn
SCM Secretarial 250 Office Electric
The SCM Secretarial 250 Office Electric typewriter was manufactured by Smith Corona, a company that was once a large US typewriter and mechanical calculator manufacturer. Smith Corona expanded aggressively during the 1960s to become a broad-based industrial conglomerate with products extending to paints, foods, and paper.
The SCM Secretarial 250 was part of Smith Corona's electric office series from the 1960s to the early 1970s. It featured an integrated power return ("Power-Space") and a half-space key. The typewriter was constructed with solid metal and minimal plastic, making it a well-manufactured and reliable machine. It is regarded as a nice, solid electric typewriter that types and prints very well.
Smith Corona was formed in 1926 when L.C. Smith & Bros. merged with the Corona Typewriter Company. The company's durable office typewriters and popular portable machines helped it maintain profitability even during the Great Depression. During World War II, Smith Corona contributed to the war effort by producing critical goods such as rifles, ammunition, and cipher machines.
In the post-war period, Smith Corona played a significant role in the electric typewriter craze by producing the world's first portable electric typewriter. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the company continued to innovate in communication technology. By the mid-1960s, SCM had become a major supplier to the office equipment market, offering photocopiers, typewriters, and calculating machines.
However, the typewriter business faced significant challenges in the 1980s due to the digital revolution and PC-based word processing. Smith Corona adapted by manufacturing word processing typewriters, but the company's typewriter manufacturing operations eventually moved to Mexico in 1995.
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Smith Corona's first electric typewriter
Smith Corona, once a large US typewriter manufacturer, has a long history of reconfigurations and name changes. The company was founded by the Smith brothers, who initially worked in the gun manufacturing business. In 1886, one of Smith's employees, Alexander T. Brown, created the Smith Premier typewriter, the first to print both upper and lower-case letters. Recognizing the financial potential of typewriters, Smith sold the shotgun factory in 1889 and established the Smith Premier Typewriter Company.
In 1926, L.C. Smith & Bros. merged with the Corona Typewriter Company. The new firm combined L.C. Smith's durable office typewriters with Corona's popular portable machines, making the company an industry leader. During World War II, Smith Corona contributed to the war effort by producing critical goods, including rifles and Hagelin-style cypher machines.
After the war, Smith Corona produced the world's first portable electric typewriter, ushering in the electric typewriter craze. In January 1955, the company introduced an electric office typewriter, and in October 1956, they launched a portable electric typewriter weighing almost nineteen pounds and costing just under $200. This new portable typewriter was marketed towards small businesses and home typists.
In 1958, Smith Corona acquired British Typewriters, Ltd. of West Bromwich, England, further expanding its presence in the typewriter market. In the same year, Smith Corona, Inc. merged with Marchant Calculators to form Smith-Corona-Marchant (SCM), diversifying its product offerings and increasing its competitiveness in the market.
SCM continued to innovate and expand its business in the following decades, acquiring companies and entering new markets. However, the typewriter market began to face competition from less expensive imported typewriters and the digital revolution in the 1970s and 1980s, respectively. Smith Corona adapted by manufacturing word processing typewriters and later entered the industrial ribbon and label market. Today, the company no longer manufactures typewriters but focuses on labels and ribbons for printers.
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SCM Galaxie, Sterling, Super-Sterling and Deville
The SCM Galaxie, also known as the Sterling, Super-Sterling and the Deville, was designed by Chase and Stevens in 1960. This design marked the beginning of the US-made Smith-Corona “Series 6” typewriter, which was available in both manual and electric models. The Super-Sterling was also produced as the Smith Corona "Eighty-Eight" Secretarial model.
The SCM Galaxie was Smith Corona's first foray into electric typewriters, a market they entered after World War II. During the war, the company contributed to the war effort by producing bomb fuses, rifles, ammunition, and Hagelin-style portable cipher machines. They also continued to produce typewriters. The first electric portables hit the market and proved popular with consumers.
In 1956, Smith Corona purchased the Kleinschmidt Corporation, and in 1958, they acquired British Typewriters, Ltd. of West Bromwich, England, a company that made small portable typewriters. In 1960, they invented the typewriter power carriage return, and in 1962, they changed their corporate name to SCM Corporation.
By the mid-1960s, SCM had become a major supplier to the office equipment market, offering photocopiers, typewriters, and calculating machines. They continued to innovate and expand their product line, but by the mid-1980s, the typewriter market was facing competition from less expensive imported typewriters and the digital revolution. Personal computers were widely used for word processing, and SCM launched its first portable word processor in 1985. However, these efforts were insufficient to stop the decline of the typewriter market, and in 1986, SCM was taken over by Hanson Plc.
Today, Smith Corona no longer manufactures typewriters or calculators, but they remain in the industrial ribbon and label market, manufacturing large quantities of barcode and shipping labels and thermal ribbons for thermal transfer printers.
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SCM's acquisition of St. Louis Microstatic Company
In 1961, SCM acquired the St. Louis Microstatic Company. This merger gave rise to the Model 33 Electrostatic Copier, which went on sale in April 1962. By the mid-1960s, SCM had become a major supplier to the office equipment market, offering photocopiers, typewriters, and calculating machines.
SCM's acquisition of the St. Louis Microstatic Company was part of its broader expansion strategy during the 1960s. The company, originally known as Smith Corona, sought to diversify its product offerings and expand its market reach. In 1956, Smith Corona purchased the Kleinschmidt Corporation, and in 1958, it acquired British Typewriters, Ltd. and merged with Marchant Calculator, forming Smith-Corona-Marchant (SCM). These acquisitions allowed SCM to enter new markets and gain a stronger foothold in the office technology sector.
The acquisition of St. Louis Microstatic Company was a significant step in SCM's evolution. It marked their entry into the copier market and demonstrated their commitment to innovation and diversification. By the mid-1960s, SCM had firmly established itself as a key player in the office equipment market, providing a range of products that catered to the evolving needs of businesses.
The merger with St. Louis Microstatic Company also reflected the changing landscape of the typewriter industry. As the market became increasingly competitive with the emergence of less expensive imported typewriters, SCM recognized the importance of expanding its product portfolio. By acquiring St. Louis Microstatic Company, SCM not only enhanced its product offerings but also demonstrated its adaptability and willingness to embrace new technologies.
However, despite SCM's efforts to adapt and diversify, the company faced challenges in the following decades. The typewriter market declined in the 1980s due to the digital revolution and the widespread adoption of personal computers for word processing. SCM launched its first portable word processor in 1985, but it struggled to compete with the rapidly evolving technology. Ultimately, SCM was taken over by Hanson Plc in 1986, marking a new chapter in the company's history.
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SCM's takeover and bankruptcy
Smith Corona, formerly known as SCM, was once a large US typewriter and mechanical calculator manufacturer. In 1956, Smith Corona purchased the Kleinschmidt Corporation, followed by Marchant Calculator in 1958, changing its corporate name to Smith-Corona Marchant Inc (SCM). SCM expanded aggressively during the 1960s, acquiring several companies and becoming a broad-based industrial conglomerate with products ranging from office equipment to paints, foods, and paper.
However, SCM faced challenges in the 1970s and 1980s due to increasing competition and technological advancements. The calculator market collapsed with the advent of inexpensive electronic calculators, and the typewriter market declined due to competition from less expensive imported typewriters and the rise of personal computers for word processing.
As a result, SCM became vulnerable to a takeover. In 1986, SCM was acquired by Hanson Plc, which disposed of several SCM divisions, including the headquarters building in New York City.
Following the takeover, SCM continued to face difficulties. In 1995, the company moved its remaining typewriter manufacturing operations from Cortland to Mexico and announced job cuts due to declining sales. Subsequently, the company declared bankruptcy. After emerging from bankruptcy, Smith Corona shifted its focus away from typewriters and towards the industrial ribbon and label market.
Today, Smith Corona no longer manufactures typewriters or calculators but has leveraged its expertise in ribbons and thermal technologies to establish itself in the thermal label market, supplying large quantities of barcode and shipping labels, as well as thermal ribbons used in thermal transfer printers.
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Frequently asked questions
The SCM electric typewriter was first made in 1955.
The first SCM electric typewriter cost just under $200.
The first portable SCM electric typewriter weighed almost 19 pounds.
