COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 511199

Miscellaneous Printing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

26companies1856–1988founding years26still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedRand McNally & CompanyFoundedRand McNally & Company
1856
FoundedReed Elsevier plc
1880
FoundedCourier CorporationFoundedCourier Corporation
1894
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedThe George F. Cram Company, Inc.
1921
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
FoundedZondervan Corporation
1931
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedTaylor Publishing CompanyFoundedTaylor Publishing Company
1943
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
FoundedThe Antioch Company
1946
FoundedCurrent, Inc.FoundedCurrent, Inc.FoundedThe Topps Company, Inc.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedHarry N. Abrams, Inc.
1949
FoundedDonruss Playoff L.P.FoundedDonruss Playoff L.P.
1954
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedWorkman Publishing Company, Inc.
1968
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
FoundedOnion, Inc.
1988
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Rand McNally & Company →
Active · founded 1856
Rand McNally & Company, a leading U.S.
Rand McNally & Company →
Active · founded 1856
Rand McNally & Company, a leading U.S.
Reed Elsevier plc →
Active · founded 1880 · United Kingdom
Reed Elsevier plc is the joint venture of London-based Reed International plc and Netherlands-based Elsevier N.V.
Reed Elsevier plc →
Active · founded 1880 · United Kingdom
Reed Elsevier plc is the joint venture of London-based Reed International plc and Netherlands-based Elsevier N.V.
Courier Corporation →
Active · founded 1894
1930s:Courier becomes one of America's premier printers of business forms.
Courier Corporation →
Active · founded 1894
1930s:Courier becomes one of America's premier printers of business forms.
The George F. Cram Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1921
Indianapolis-based The George F.
The George F. Cram Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1921
Indianapolis-based The George F.
Zondervan Corporation →
Active · founded 1931
Zondervan Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers, is one of the largest Christian…
Zondervan Corporation →
Active · founded 1931
Zondervan Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers, is one of the largest Christian…
Taylor Publishing Company →
Active · founded 1943
1970s-80s:Taylor broadens range of publications, begins distribution of other publishers.
Taylor Publishing Company →
Active · founded 1943
1970s-80s:Taylor broadens range of publications, begins distribution of other publishers.
The Antioch Company →
Active · founded 1946
The Antioch Company is one of the largest manufacturers of book-related products, producing and distributing diaries,…
The Antioch Company →
Active · founded 1946
The Antioch Company is one of the largest manufacturers of book-related products, producing and distributing diaries,…
Current, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
Current, Inc.
Current, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
Current, Inc.
The Topps Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
The Topps Company, Inc.
The Topps Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
The Topps Company, Inc.
Harry N. Abrams, Inc. →
Active · founded 1949
Harry N.
Harry N. Abrams, Inc. →
Active · founded 1949
Harry N.
Donruss Playoff L.P. →
Active · founded 1954
1960s:The company begins producing trading cards based on television programs.
Donruss Playoff L.P. →
Active · founded 1954
1960s:The company begins producing trading cards based on television programs.
Workman Publishing Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Workman Publishing Company, Inc., is a leading independent publisher of non-fiction books, games, and calendars.
Workman Publishing Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Workman Publishing Company, Inc., is a leading independent publisher of non-fiction books, games, and calendars.
Onion, Inc. →
Active · founded 1988
Onion, Inc.
Onion, Inc. →
Active · founded 1988
Onion, Inc.
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