Holyoke Plastics Inc.

 Although what follows was a short-lived business venture, it points to the dawn of the plastics industry in the early 1940s in Holyoke. Paper, thread, and textiles had seen more productive times in Holyoke, and the age of plastics was beginning to leave its mark. This is the account of Holyoke Plastics Inc.

After the demise of the Holyoke Silk Hosiery Company in 1938, the real estate was foreclosed and sold to John F. Dowling on March 4, 1939. The factory building had 37,000 square feet of production space, some of which was occupied by the former silk hosiery company's equipment left behind after its closure.

Holyoke Plastics Inc. was formed in 1940 and had briefly operated in the former Norman Paper Company factory building. The opportunity arose to purchase a building for producing low-cost voice and music recordings on plastic, as well as plastic mechanical parts and novelties. S-M News Company Inc. of New York would distribute the musical recordings for sale in newsstands nationwide.

The company was experimental in nature, attempting processes to enhance sound reproduction. The company aimed to record some of the popular orchestras of the day that performed in clubs or on well-known radio programs.

Production began in November 1940, the same month Rockledge Realty Company purchased the building from Mr. Dowling. Holyoke Plastics occupied 15,000 square feet of space.

In May 1941, the company began distributing its records to 30 major cities in 20 states. It had purchased the rights to use the "Hit of the Week" logo on its records. Additional equipment was purchased, and the company was operating 24 hours a day.

In late July 1941, the hosiery manufacturing machines and equipment of the Holyoke Silk Hosiery Company were sold to a New Jersey company and removed from the premises. Holyoke Plastics was in negotiations to lease an additional 7,500 square feet of the vacated space for its needs.

What seemed to be a company on the rise reversed course and was selling off its assets in early 1942. No further news was discovered about this company until 1947. At that time, a lawsuit was initiated by two corporate loan guarantors seeking to hold four others proportionately responsible for a debt paid to the bank. The hearing revealed testimony that many of the records manufactured were unplayable and had to be returned. The suit was eventually settled.

Citations:

Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; Chicago (Illinois) Tribune; publication dates and pages are shown.