Concord Supplies
Encyclopedia
Concord Supplies is a U.S. wholesale
distributor
and retailer founded in 1946 by Kenneth R. Reick (March 18, 1909) as Formfoto Manufacturing (later renamed Yorktown Industries, Inc.). It is currently based in Addison, Illinois
.
While working at a medicine cabinet and shower stall manufacturing
company in 1946, Kenneth R. Reick noticed that a large number of orders were being misplaced or lost within the order fulfillment process. He traced the problem to the companies' inability to duplicate order paperwork and thereby reduce the potential loss of orders within the system.
Although initially trained as accountant
, Reick worked in his basement to design, develop, and patent
one of the first commercially viable photocopying machines. Over his lifespan, Reick eventually held more than 70 patents in the field of copy and image reproduction. Throughout his efforts, his wife Emma was supportive and an eager assistant. It was not uncommon to see her dashing to the store in search of supplies or equipment. She would remain a vital contributor to Yorktown as an administrative assistant until her retirement in 2006.
In 1950, Reick founded Formfoto Manufacturing, a company that designed and built copiers. Twelve years later, he bought a minority stake of Yorktown Industries (a copier supplies and distribution organization). Soon after, Reick purchased the remaining shares of the Yorktown Industries organization from his two partners, thereby becoming the sole owner of the company.
Formfoto built copier models for AB Dick, Bell & Howell, Charles Bruning Company, AM Multi Graphics, Smith Corona
, and many others. As an astute businessman, Reick retained the right to sell copiers under Yorktown Industries' own brand of Genie (named for his daughter, Jean).
Reick's sole ownership came to an end in 1967, when Sunbeam
purchased both Formfoto and Yorktown Industries. The former was renamed Sunbeam Business Equipment Company. Reick signed a 7-year employment contract to remain as the President of Yorktown Industries. As luck would have it, three years later the companies merged under the Yorktown name.
In 1976, Reick re-purchased Yorktown Industries from Sunbeam upon his retirement from that company, making it a family business once more. That was cemented three years later, when his son (and current President) Kenneth W. Reick began his career with the company.
After almost 40 years in the business, in 1987 Yorktown discontinued selling hardware to focus exclusively on copier supplies. The company added fax supplies to its list of products in 1994, which expanded again the next year to include laser printer supplies.
At the beginning of 2004, Yorktown Industries transformed itself again by entering the consumer retail market with the introduction of the Concord Supplies brand and a new website ConcordSupplies.com. Concord Supplies provides consumers with a wide selection of products spanning office supplies, printer supplies, office furniture, and consumer electronics through this e-commerce website.
Across its catalog of more than 40,000 products, Concord Supplies features brands including Avery
, Xerox
, Clorox
, Rubbermaid
, Logitech
, Brother, Hewlett Packard, Canon (company), Sanford
, Epson, 3M
, Lexmark
and numerous others.
Wholesale
Wholesaling, jobbing, or distributing is defined as the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services...
distributor
Distributor
A distributor is a device in the ignition system of an internal combustion engine that routes high voltage from the ignition coil to the spark plugs in the correct firing order. The first reliable battery operated ignition was developed by Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co. and introduced in the...
and retailer founded in 1946 by Kenneth R. Reick (March 18, 1909) as Formfoto Manufacturing (later renamed Yorktown Industries, Inc.). It is currently based in Addison, Illinois
Addison, Illinois
Addison is a village located west of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 35,914 at the 2000 census. The estimated population was 36,378 as of 2002.The Village of Addison lies on Salt Creek...
.
While working at a medicine cabinet and shower stall manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
company in 1946, Kenneth R. Reick noticed that a large number of orders were being misplaced or lost within the order fulfillment process. He traced the problem to the companies' inability to duplicate order paperwork and thereby reduce the potential loss of orders within the system.
Although initially trained as accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
, Reick worked in his basement to design, develop, and patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
one of the first commercially viable photocopying machines. Over his lifespan, Reick eventually held more than 70 patents in the field of copy and image reproduction. Throughout his efforts, his wife Emma was supportive and an eager assistant. It was not uncommon to see her dashing to the store in search of supplies or equipment. She would remain a vital contributor to Yorktown as an administrative assistant until her retirement in 2006.
Formfoto built copier models for AB Dick, Bell & Howell, Charles Bruning Company, AM Multi Graphics, Smith Corona
Smith Corona
Smith Corona or the SCM Corporation is a US typewriter and calculator company. Once a large U.S. manufacturer, the company experienced sales declines in typewriters in the mid-1980s due to the introduction of PC-based word processing...
, and many others. As an astute businessman, Reick retained the right to sell copiers under Yorktown Industries' own brand of Genie (named for his daughter, Jean).
Reick's sole ownership came to an end in 1967, when Sunbeam
Sunbeam Products
Sunbeam Products is an American brand that has produced electric home appliances since 1910. Their products have included the Mixmaster mixer, the Sunbeam CG waffle iron, Coffeemaster and the fully automatic T20 toaster. Sunbeam is owned by Jarden Consumer Solutions after Jarden's acquisition in...
purchased both Formfoto and Yorktown Industries. The former was renamed Sunbeam Business Equipment Company. Reick signed a 7-year employment contract to remain as the President of Yorktown Industries. As luck would have it, three years later the companies merged under the Yorktown name.
In 1976, Reick re-purchased Yorktown Industries from Sunbeam upon his retirement from that company, making it a family business once more. That was cemented three years later, when his son (and current President) Kenneth W. Reick began his career with the company.
After almost 40 years in the business, in 1987 Yorktown discontinued selling hardware to focus exclusively on copier supplies. The company added fax supplies to its list of products in 1994, which expanded again the next year to include laser printer supplies.
At the beginning of 2004, Yorktown Industries transformed itself again by entering the consumer retail market with the introduction of the Concord Supplies brand and a new website ConcordSupplies.com. Concord Supplies provides consumers with a wide selection of products spanning office supplies, printer supplies, office furniture, and consumer electronics through this e-commerce website.
Across its catalog of more than 40,000 products, Concord Supplies features brands including Avery
Avery
- Business :* Avery Brewing Company* Avery Dennison, manufacturer of office supplies including ink pens and adhesive labels, or its Avery trademark* Avery Weigh-Tronix, manufacturer of weighing scales* Avery Berkel, the predecessor of Avery Weigh-Tronix...
, Xerox
Xerox
Xerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
, Clorox
Clorox
The Clorox Company is a US-based manufacturer of various food and chemical products based in Oakland, California, which is best known for its bleach product, Clorox.- History :...
, Rubbermaid
Rubbermaid
Rubbermaid is an American manufacturer and distributor of many household items. It is a subsidiary of Newell Rubbermaid. It is most well known for producing food storage containers and trash cans...
, Logitech
Logitech
Logitech International S.A. is a global provider of personal peripherals for computers and other digital platforms headquartered in Romanel-sur-Morges, Switzerland. The company develops and markets products like peripheral devices for PCs, including keyboards, mice, microphones, game controllers...
, Brother, Hewlett Packard, Canon (company), Sanford
Sanford (writing products)
Sanford L.P., is a Newell Rubbermaid company based in Oak Brook, Illinois, USA. Sanford is the largest writing products manufacturer in the world. It is primarily known for manufacturing Sharpie, Paper Mate, and Prismacolor products.-History:...
, Epson, 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
, Lexmark
Lexmark
Lexmark International, Inc. is an American corporation which develops and manufactures printing and imaging products, including laser and inkjet printers, multifunction products, printing supplies, and services for business and individual consumers...
and numerous others.
See also
- XeroxXeroxXerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
- BrotherBrother Industriesis a diversified Japanese company that produces or imports a wide variety of products including printers, sewing machines, large machine tools, label printers, and typewriters, fax machines, and other computer-related electronics. It markets its multifunction printers as Multi-Function Centers...
- Hewlett Packard
- Canon (company)
- DellDellDell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
- Konica MinoltaKonica Minoltais a Japanese manufacturer of office equipment, medical imaging, graphic imaging, optical devices, and measuring instruments. It is headquartered in the Marunouchi Center Building in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, with a Kansai office in Nishi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture...
- Okidata
- Epson
- LexmarkLexmarkLexmark International, Inc. is an American corporation which develops and manufactures printing and imaging products, including laser and inkjet printers, multifunction products, printing supplies, and services for business and individual consumers...