According to the History of Massachusetts Industries (Orra L. Stone, published in 1930), Holyoke Belting Company was formed in Chicopee in 1869. It remained in that city until the 1880s when B. F. Nichols & Company purchased the company and moved it to Holyoke.
City Directories identify B. F. Nichols operating in the Hale Block in Indian Orchard in 1875 and in Holyoke Water Power's Cabot Street Mill from 1881. I could not locate Holyoke Belting Co. in Chicopee for the indicated years. It may have operated under another name.
Initially, the business manufactured roll coverings. However, for most of the years, the company produced all sorts of industrial leather belts and rubber hoses for equipment and machinery. It had an excellent reputation in its field. In the early 20th century, Holyoke Belting had contracts with Cuban and South American companies and distributed to much of the United States.
The company was heavily reliant on the availability of leather. When automobiles converted from mainly leather to woolen and mohair seat covers, the stress on the supply side lessened.
The business chronology:
The business was incorporated under the name B. F. Nichols Company in 1891. In 1895, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts approved the corporation's request for a name change to the Holyoke Belting Company. B.F. Nichols had left the company, and the current owners wanted to recognize the city where they were located by its name.
On March 31, 1900, Holyoke Belting Company moved into the former Seymour Cutlery Building at the southeastern corner of Appleton and Bigelow Street. The company remained there and expanded its business and square footage until 1909.
A four-story mill building on Winter Street, constructed in 1907 for Barlow Manufacturing Company, was transferred to Casper Ranger in mid-1908. At the time, Barlow Manufacturing was experiencing financial problems.
Holyoke Water Power (HWP) purchased the mill from Mr. Ranger, and in 1909, Holyoke Belting Company moved in under a lease agreement. The lease arrangement allowed Holyoke Belting Co. to sublease space at its discretion.
Holyoke Belting was one of the first manufacturing concerns in the country to produce a waterproof belt.
Holyoke Belting purchased the building from HWP on May 1, 1923, and sold the plant on December 30, 1957, to J. T. Downing Realty Corporation. Holyoke Belting's parent company, Grattan & Knight Co. of Worcester, absorbed the business operation in 1958.
The Holyoke Belting Company was honored by the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce in March 1958 on its 90th anniversary.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican); publication dates and pages are shown.
Holyoke Public Library, Holyoke, Chicopee & Springfield, Massachusetts, City Directories.
History of Massachusetts Industries, Orra L. Stone, 1930, p. 596
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