After Smith Tablet Co. moved to Pennsylvania in 1930, Western Tablet Company used the mill space at 54 Winter St. for warehousing and distribution for several years. In 1936, Holyoke Water Power Company's Robert E. Barrett, Jr. created a brochure to sell businesses on the idea of moving to Holyoke. The brochure proved to be convincing, as a New York business, Spiral Binding Company, decided to relocate to Holyoke. The company's name here was KamKet, which was organized in 1935 and occupied the mill for over 40 years.
At the time, both Spiral Binding Co. and Smith Tablet Company were owned by Western Tablet Co., so there was a familiarity with this building and Holyoke's industrial history.
Spiral binding was first produced in Holyoke, Massachusetts. In 1931, the company's owner, Paul Amato, visited France, where the machinery for the spiraling process was made. He then obtained licensing rights to produce spiral-bound books in the United States. Spiral binding was an alternative to the stitch and glue method of binding.
The company would produce hundreds of thousands of spiral-bound school and college notebooks and composition books. Distribution to 164 colleges and universities was handled by the Gregg Publishing Company of New York City.
The company also produced the KamKet loose life binder and manufactured the Aligno binder, which is used for permanent paper binding.
The company commonly employs 30-60 people, depending on supply availability and demand. During World War II, when metal was scarce, this innovative company converted to plastic spiral binding. When metal again became available, the company had customers for metal and plastic-bound products.
In 1946, the company hoped to expand, as it needed more space than its 26,000 square feet. Once again, the problem was securing the steel needed to construct a new building.
In 1971, the company received a special order that required a one-week turnaround. KamKet produced 575 4"x 8" notebooks for the reporters accompanying President Richard Nixon on his visit to China.
Kamket bound the 120-page souvenir program for the 1972 Saint Patrick's Day Parade.
In 1977, Kamket moved to the Holyoke Gas & Electric Building on Cabot Street, occupying one floor and 23,000 square feet. The move was necessary because Laminated Paper Corporation needed more space and was to raze the three-story Winter Street building that had stood since 1909. The building was demolished in 1977.
In 1990, the company was purchased by W. G. Fry Corporation, which also operated at 102 Cabot Street. The companies' combined space increased to approximately 50,000 square feet.
The joined businesses were breathed new life and further success as markets expanded into providing goods to the television and music industries. The company also sold special notebooks for state police in Kentucky, Indiana, and New York.
In 1997, the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce honored W. G. Fry Corp. as Small Business of the Year.
In 2000, the company moved its operation to West Springfield, and in 2017, the W. G. Fry Corporation was sold to Chartpak in Leeds, MA.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates are shown.
Holyoke Public Library, Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories.
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