History

  • 1917 - The Bankers Box® Company is founded by Harry Fellowes.
  • 1919-1929 - Records product storage line grows dramatically.
  • 1933 - Bankers Box introduces "exclusive" dealerships to office product dealers throughout the U.S.
  • 1934-1938 - A second generation, Harry's sons Folger and John, join the business.
  • 1960 - Second manufacturing operation opened in California.
  • 1969 - James Fellows, the third generation, joins the company.
  • 1972 - Overseas expansion begins with an operation in the United Kingdom.
  • 1982 - Licensing agreement signed to market commercial shredders.
  • 1983 - James Fellowes is named President and the company name is changed from Bankers Box to Fellowes to reflect an expanding product line.
  • 1990 - A new invention, the personal shredder, in unveiled.
  • 1998 - Through an acquisition, Fellowes starts offering binding and laminating products.
  • 2001 - Fellowes enters mobile accessories by becoming and Body Glove® licensee. John Fellowes the Second becomes the fourth generation to work in the family business.
  • 2005 - The first company-owned manufacturing facility opens in the People's Republic of China (Dongguan).

Success from the Start

Founded in 1917, the company came into existence when Harry L. Fellowes bought a fledgling box business from an acquaintance, Walter Nickel, who was called up during World War I. Purchased for just $50, the company manufactured and sold a corrugated filing box designed for bank records. With a newly passed amendment instituting a federal income tax, records retention became a necessity. The timing was excellent for a strong and affordable source for records keeping.

Soon after the war, Walter Nickel rejoined Harry. In a patriotic tribute, they named their product the Liberty Box which soon became popular with a variety of businesses. As the product lines expanded to meet the demands of office environments over the next 60 years, the boxes turned into entire systems of efficient records management. This prosperous period in the company's history also saw leadership transition to the second generation, as Harry's son Folger became President in 1951, while his son John became Vice President.

Rapid Growth in the Information Age

The Information Age spurred a new period of growth for Fellowes®. In the hands of John Fellowes, and later his sons, James and Peter, the company continued its tradition of innovation. By envisioning the computer as the center of individual workstations in the early 80's, Fellowes created an entire range of products for the office workstation that helped people manage increasing loads of information. As technology moved into mobile devices like laptop computers, cell phones and PDAs, Fellowes developed innovative products to facilitate their use.

In 1982, Fellowes entered into a licensing agreement with a German company to distribute commercial shredders in the United States. Based on the outstanding success of this venture, Fellowes designed and manufactured its own product, introducing the first line of personal shredders in 1990. No one could have predicted the phenomenal response to this new product, and almost overnight the company had a strong consumer product that complemented its established commercial business.

Globalisation and Transition

Fellowes built an international presence with the start of operations in the United Kingdom in 1972, followed by Canada in 1973. The 1980s saw Australia and The Netherlands added to the roster. Expansion accelerated in the 1990s with the entry into Germany, France, Italy, Poland and Japan. More recently, Fellowes has entered Korea, Singapore, Russia and Spain. Including extensive export operations, Fellowes now sells products in over 100 countries.

Globalisation has also played a major role in Fellowes' transformation in building a global supply chain. Today, Fellowes owns and operates strategic locations in North America, Europe and Asia that allow the company to leverage its strengths and economically deliver its brands around the world.

Fellowes In Australia

  1. In 1983 Modern Office Equipment P/L (MOE P/L), a manufacturer of suspension files and metal filing cabinets commenced distribution of a range of Fellowes computer accessories in Australia.
  2. In July 1985 Fellowes entered the Australian market via the acquisition of MOE P/L. The name of the company was changed to Fellowes Manufacturing (Australia) P/L.
  3. The company was located at 100 Gipps Street Collingwood, and remained there for a further 2 years.
  4. In July 1987 the company relocated to its current address of 10 Fellowes Court, Tullamarine. This premise comprised of an Office/Warehouse complex of 40,000sq ft. A decision was make to exit the manufacturing of metal filing cabinets at this point in time.
  5. In September 1989 Fellowes acquired Willcox Stationery P/L, a manufacturer of Portafile and Expanding File products.
  6. In July 1991 a further 40,000sq ft of manufacturing/warehousing was erected to the existing facility.
  7. A second Office/Warehouse building of 40,000sq ft was built on the adjacent site in June 2001.

Embracing Change and the Future

Throughout Fellowes history, we have embraced change. With the start of the new millennium, we have made a significant transition from a manufacturing-centric company to a consumer-driven one with a focus on building brands. We will continue to build our market-leading positions in shredders and records storage. We also see growth potential in our technology accessories business. Consistent with our heritage of innovation, we are exploring new product and service categories. Unquestionably, the continuing development of our global ventures is a major opportunity for growth.

From our humble beginnings in a family kitchen, Fellowes has grown to become a global company. As we look back with pride on our rich legacy, we can't help but be energised by a future that is equally rich with possibilities.