Wrap-King Corp. (1957-1959)

Wrap-King’s success continues into its 5th year in the Springdale Industrial Park. In early 1957, the parent company, Crompton & Knowles, announced that Wrap King’s 1956 earnings increased by 75%. The business contributed more to the Crompton & Knowles Corporation’s (C&K) profits than did the sale of its looms, whose sales had leveled off. 

In 1957, Holyoke’s Wrap-King became home to a new packaging machine business. The office portion of the Springdale business would be expanded. The company added 3,200 square feet for sales and administrative work, freeing up space to grow the accounting and engineering departments. KV Homes of Springfield was contracted to complete the $38,000 project in the fall of 1957.

Two attempts to unionize employees failed by 1958. The company, as did many during this era in Holyoke, sponsored a bowling team and supported company picnics at Mountain Park.

In September 1957, Wrap-King Corporation lost its unique identity when it and two other C&K subsidiaries were merged into the Crompton & Knowles Packaging Corporation.

The company introduced its new creation, the Model “F,” a Frankfort wrapping machine, in October 1957. So, to date, the company’s wrapping machine line includes the models “L” (lettuce and other round vegetables), “M” (a variety of meats), “DW” (ball bearings, etc.), and now “F” (hot dogs). 

In January 1958, the company announced it would acquire 81,000 square feet of land immediately behind its factory with an eye towards future expansion. There were no immediate plans for the land formulated at the time of purchase. The company employed 110 workers at the time, when five years prior it had 15.

In May 1959, C&K Packaging Corporation, Wrap King, purchased the last industrial site in the Springdale Industrial Park from the Holyoke Water Power Company. The 49,700 square-foot parcel was sold for about $15,000 and was situated opposite Race Street. There were no immediate plans to build on the property.

Wrap King held the distinction of being the first and last to purchase available space in the industrial park. Other businesses filling the industrial complex at the time included:

Holyoke Wire Cloth
Adell Chemical (Lestoil)
Gravure Engraving
Acme Chain
Holyoke Fabrics
New England Electronic Components

Later in 1959, the company added a second shift to keep up with demand for its machines. This meant hiring about 35 more employees to its current 120-person workforce, 70 of whom were employed in the machine shop.

The company was awarded a contract by the U.S. Government’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing to produce 7 machines that would coil stamps into rolls of 100, 500, and 1,000. This was a security measure to prevent unwrapped stamps from being removed from their coils before sale.

On November 6, 1959, in a close vote, the plant’s employees voted to unionize with the International Association of Machinists, AFL-CIO. The union will come into play in the 4th and concluding chapter of this series.

Citations:

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