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Kalamazoo

R

reallyyouthful

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Does anyone have any memories of Kalamazoo? They made office equipment, and were based just outside Northfield. Also Druetts Film distributors.
 
I remember Kalamazoo Office supplies especially the sheets for the Banda machines back in the late l950 s. Their products were very well presented with good quality cardboard boxes, well designed copy and special tissue paper linings inside. Good memories of their products.
 
My Mums father worked as a Litho artist in 1930 at Kalamazoo in Birmingham.
Does anyone know what his job may have entailed and does anyone out there remember Leonard Wicks, or know his family? He married again after splitting up with Mums mother, but Mum failed to find him again, after losing info after seeing him in the 1950's.
He was also a good artist, maybe someone out there may have some of his drawings/paintings?
He also played piano for dance bands around Birmingham, possibly in the 30's to 60's?
We know he will have passed away now, but would love to find out more about him, where he worked and any possible living family.

Thank you x
 
Hi,
My Grandfather worked at Kalamazoo in about 1930, he was a lithoartist.
Would you have any idea what this entailed and where the factory was?
Cant find any info of the place for around this time.
thank you!
 
tali,

I worked in PC repair, printer engineer/team leader in the 90's. Manager was Gurdev (spelt?). If your sister was Zab(?) worked on PC's) say hello from me.

Ray
 
Wasn't there a Kalamazoo in Ward End somewhere? May have been around the Fox and Goose area, can't remember exactly where.
 
The name certainly brings back memories, when I started at Royal Mail in
1953 most of the duties wwere morning deliverys, and if you wanted any over
time, you used come back after lunch.One the best overtime jobs was
going round with the collection drivers in the afternoon, one run only had
three calls, Cadburys, Kalamazoo, and Austin Motors Longbridge,
Oh happy days, all for £6 a week. Bernard:cool:
 
My late mother worked in the wages office for 15+ years, I worked there one summer holiday @ 1970 on work experience in the time & motion office, offices are still based just off Bristol Road South, Northfield.
 
So, Kalamazoo in Northfield is still there! My Grandad Leonard Wicks used to live in St. Pauls rd, and before he married my Gran, she lived in Bristol Rd.

It would be nice if someone remembered the families living there......
Phoebe and Richard Peat, Phyllis, Irene, Edith,,,,,, Leonard... 1930's to 50's.
 
I worked at Kalamazoo 1965-66 Wilf Kauffman was the forman in my department, i worked on riviting machine and hand press.I remember a new coffee bar
opening there and we would go to eat lunch and dance to the jukebox. I can remember the works mag coming out at the time and my workmate and myself
were pictured on the front of it dancing. My uncle Joe Wheeler was groundsman there for many years.
 
BrummieJayne said:
sounds a great time...... do you remember anyone called Leonard Wicks working there?[/QUOTE

Hi Brummie Jayne.

Please excuse me i am new to this. I dont remember the name Leonard wicks i am always better with faces , there were so many
really nice people there. I have recently got to know two sisters at my art class who worked in the packing called Betty and
Millie, they worked there a lot longer than me.
My mate Mary Butler also worked there in the offices, and i can remember the blind man with his guide dog who i think worked on the switchboard.
I originally worked at Longbridge Laundry just over the bridge. they called a meeting to tell us that coming up to the christmas rush we all had
to work overtime till 8pm at night right up to christmas. Jobs were so easy to get then (early 1960's) so four of us went across to the Kalamazoo
in our dinner hour on the Friday,asked for a job and got one just like that. we went back to the laundry after dinner and gave our notice in and
started at the Kalamazoo the following monday. Eighteen months later i went to work for the GPO and worked on Birmingham telegrams where
i stayed, married a telegraph delivery lad and worked there until i had my first son.
Click to expand...
 
what a lovely story and lovely memories! I will show my mom this to read, she will love it..... When you next go to your art class, please do ask if they can remember a chap called Leonard wicks, he was a lithograph artist for Kalamazoo.
Im an artist myself i think my grandad must have passed that down to me!
Thank you so much for your message, it was lovely to read,

take care x
 
I worked in various offices which used Kalamazoo systems. The ones I remember were the lever arch type systems in the 1970s. But I think Kalamazoo were experts in producing all sorts of office systems. The system I remember was one we used at Britannic Assurance which could house all the larger size policy documents. I always thought what a great name for a company. I remember a label (about 4" x 5") inside the files which said they were based in Northfield. Is that right? Viv.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
I think it was an American company, but the British Branch was in Bristol road south, next Longbridge police station. I remember they had this big new state of the art building built around 1970. It was very energy efficient and, as I remember it (it was over 50 years ago), the heat produced by lighting , machines and body heat meant it it did not require any additional heating. However they did have a problem with the miners strike, when they had to shut down everything, in getting things back in sync .
 
Thanks Mike. I have a very vague feeling that it was a long, two storey building, with lots of windows and painted a blue-grey colour. Should have realised it might have had American connections from the name! Going to have a look on Streetview to see if the building's still there. Viv.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
There's nothing I can see on Streetview but here's a photo. A bit more than two storey's, but almost certain it had blue-grey paintwork. Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1406194208.770772.jpg


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Have a Cousin Anne or Ann Fry she worked at Kalamazoo in the 1970/1980 she married Ian who also worked at kalamazoo alas do not no surname, anyone know of her as we lost touch so long ago, not a falling out but a drift .
 
I went for a test (pre-interview) there a few years back and it turns out there are two companies now. One produces specialist stationery and the other software. I can't remember what the difference in the names was but they both used to be Kalamazoo. I don't know if I passed the test but I didn't get the interview. I think my great failing in the interview was that I didn't realise that the test was in American until too late.
 
I understand the firm was started to produce an office system that had been seen in Kalamazoo, USA. Hence the company name. The Moreland's started the company. My grandfather was Ray Newman who had been batman to Tommy Moreland during WW1 and was subsequently given a job as a lithographic printer. He later became "Father of the Chapel " and was a knocker - upper until he retired in the 60's. My father, Kenny Arthur, was also a lithographic printer there until he retired 1989. I also worked there as a student in the 70's during my vacation. I seem to remember the workforce had 51% of the shares which was allocated based upon service.
 
Thanks for your reply Alan.
But how were the 'Metal Signals' used?
Were they from the 50s 60s eras?
David.
 
A lot of water has passed beneath the bridge since the mid 1970's so my recall is not too great about the 'metal' system. I do remember using (whether it was Kalamazoo I am not sure) a filing system with coloured clips, denoting needs and priorities. The Kalamazoo ledger was a loose leaf, two page (in and out monies) which was simple to use. Cheque writing was from a loose page, pressed over lugs on the outgoing page. The advantage was that the cheque payment details were pre carbonated and there was no need to write up more entries. I used the system for the company of which I was company secretary. I am sure others here have used the system and have fuller memories about it.
 
The name Kalamazoo always fascinated me, and its strange that the business has not had more mention on the Forum. The influence of the brand name has endured even to the present day. For a little of the history see the Australian branch...

https://www.kalamazoo.com.au/history/

From 1994...”the project (paperless offices) did quite well at first. Why? Well, I think it was because we had been around for so long and our name was so memorable that we had got ourselves a tranche of unswervingly loyal customers. As long as we didn't do anything too obviously silly, they would buy whatever we made....”

https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/uk-kalamazoo-papers-cracks/article/409500#PBPSlyH2GIiktEfr.99

But where did the term “metal signals” come from?
 
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