COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 5112

Stationery and Office Supplies

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

20companies1925–1994founding years20still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedPatterson Dental Co.FoundedPatterson Dental Co.
1925
FoundedDillard Paper CompanyFoundedDillard Paper Company
1926
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedKesko Ltd. (Kesko Oy)FoundedKesko Ltd. (Kesko Oy)
1940
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedTAB Products Co.FoundedTAB Products Co.
1954
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
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.
FoundedDaisytek International Corporation
1978
FoundedMisys PLCFoundedMisys PLC
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
FoundedUnited Stationers Inc.FoundedUnited Stationers Inc.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedNational Sanitary Supply Co.FoundedNational Sanitary Supply Co.
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedUbi Soft Entertainment S.A.FoundedUbi Soft Entertainment S.A.
1986
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedU.S. Office Products Company
1994
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

Patterson Dental Co. →
Active · founded 1925
Patterson Dental Co.
Patterson Dental Co. →
Active · founded 1925
Patterson Dental Co.
Dillard Paper Company →
Active · founded 1926
Dillard Paper Company, one of North Carolina's largest privately owned corporations, has long been a major distributor…
Dillard Paper Company →
Active · founded 1926
Dillard Paper Company, one of North Carolina's largest privately owned corporations, has long been a major distributor…
Kesko Ltd. (Kesko Oy) →
Active · founded 1940 · Finland
The largest trading company in Finland, Kesko Ltd.
Kesko Ltd. (Kesko Oy) →
Active · founded 1940 · Finland
The largest trading company in Finland, Kesko Ltd.
TAB Products Co. →
Active · founded 1954
TAB Products Co.
TAB Products Co. →
Active · founded 1954
TAB Products Co.
Daisytek International Corporation →
Active · founded 1978
Daisytek International Corporation is the largest wholesale distributor of non-paper computer and office automation…
Daisytek International Corporation →
Active · founded 1978
Daisytek International Corporation is the largest wholesale distributor of non-paper computer and office automation…
Misys PLC →
Active · founded 1979 · United Kingdom
Sometimes called the United Kingdom's Microsoft, Misys PLC is at least that country's leading independent information…
Misys PLC →
Active · founded 1979 · United Kingdom
Sometimes called the United Kingdom's Microsoft, Misys PLC is at least that country's leading independent information…
United Stationers Inc. →
Active · founded 1981
United Stationers Inc.
United Stationers Inc. →
Active · founded 1981
United Stationers Inc.
National Sanitary Supply Co. →
Active · founded 1983
National Sanitary Supply Co.
National Sanitary Supply Co. →
Active · founded 1983
National Sanitary Supply Co.
Ubi Soft Entertainment S.A. →
Active · founded 1986 · France
France's Ubi Soft Entertainment S.A.
Ubi Soft Entertainment S.A. →
Active · founded 1986 · France
France's Ubi Soft Entertainment S.A.
U.S. Office Products Company →
Active · founded 1994
Starting from scratch in 1994, U.S.
U.S. Office Products Company →
Active · founded 1994
Starting from scratch in 1994, U.S.
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