Fellowes is 100!

A walk through office history with Fellowes

This year Fellowes brands marks its centenary. Let�s look back at it�s history through advertisements.

Harry Fellowes, a school drop out at the age of 14, started the Fellowes brand by following his (entrepeneur�s) nose. Whilst working as a tailor in Illinois he noticed a local fellow entrepeneur packing up his business as he was being drafted in to serve during the First World War. Fellowes decided to make the offer to Mr. Nickel for his business and he agreed to the sum of $121.40. The Business man had created an innovative storage system which was made of corregated cardboard and was light but sturdy enough to contain many files. It had a secure string and button closure which would mean the boxes could be easily accessed then put away.

During the 1930�s Bankers Box became a national manufacturer in the U.S.

When Fellowes launched the boxes he named them �Liberty� boxes in the patriotic spirit of wartime.

Fellowes advertised in newspapers and magazines, often offering a free sample with the return of a coupon

Sons Folger and John Fellowes joined the business in 1934 and 1938. Then in the fifties Folger Fellowes became the face of the company and the company expanded its distribution over time to multiple dealers and wholesalers in markets across the U.S.

1955 advertisement of the stackable steel and corrugated fibre board Bankers Box. The structure could hold up to 25 boxes so were a cheaper alternative to steel filing cabinets.�LIBERTY Storage Box users always know that their records are protected from dirt, dampness and disorder.�

Later advertisements reflected the changing times and increasing amount of women in the workplace

Keeping it in the family, James Fellowes joined in 1969 and was later named president in 1983. In 1972 the business expanded overseas and a UK operation opened.

This 1970�s advertisement reflects the popular and growing use of the cubicle invented by Herman Miller in 1967

A typically 80�s advertisement with a futuristic edge as the use of computers became more prominent in the workplace

Still remaining relevant in the 1980�s the brand expanded into Shredders and computer accessories and changed the name from Bankers Box to Fellowes Manufacturing.

Since the 1980�s Fellowes have expanded the business but still hold their headquarters in Illinois. It�s still family-run as the great-grandson of the founder and the fourth generation of the Fellowes family, John Fellowes, is currently CEO of Fellowes Brands.

Our modern Millennium man looks the part here with the most up-to-date gadgets and accessories

No longer just boxes, Fellowes brands now manufacture shredders, binding and laminating equipment, workspace accessories, air purifiers, record storage solutions and mobile technology accessories.

Call your account manager to place your order on Bankers boxes today!