Since 1910: A Brief History of Marchant Calculators

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Walter Kassebohm
Executive Vice President and General Manager of Marchant
Calculators and Vice President, Smith-Corona Marchant Inc.

By the late '30's, Marchant had expanded from the first
factory to this group of factory and office buildings.

Changing of the Guard

At the close of 1957, Edgar B. Jessup retired after almost a quarter century as president and general manager. He was succeeded as chief executive by Walter Kassebholm, who advanced from the post of Executive Vice President of Operations.

Mr. Kassebohm first joined Marchant in 1929, and served in engineering and manufacturing managerial posts until 1940. After serving in general and marketing management capacities in the field of machinery manufacturing and distribution he returned to Marchant in 1949 to assume the top engineering and manufacturing management post.

A New Factory

In August of 1956, the Board of Directors, management and employees saw the hopes and dreams of years begin to be fulfilled when ground was broken for a new factory and Home Office building. The first step in occupancy of the building was taken in September of 1958, when the Assembly Division was moved in. Various quarters were readied for them, with occupancy being completed in August, 1958.

The new building is a handsome, modern structure of two and four story construction providing 507,000 square feet of factory and office space. All production, engineering and administrative activities are now consolidated under one roof. The building has more than twice the floor space in which Marchant crowded its operations for so many years in so many different structures.