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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Brandt Manufacturing Co
E. J. Brandt
Brandt
Automatic Cashier Co
De La Rue
Cash Systems
Karma
1889 FOUNDED by Edward J. Brandt along with several other investors. The company has played a key role in
Watertown’s industry since that time.
1898
11 09 TRIP TO CHICAGO
Edward J. Brandt and
wife went to Chicago Monday to visit their daughter, Eugenia, who is attending
school there. Mr. Brandt will continue
his journey east where he has business in New York, Washington and other
places. WR
1899
09 15 ”BRANDT
AUTOMATIC CASHIER" change-making machine
A change making machine
was received in the money order department at the Madison post office yesterday
and set up for operation today. It is a
marvel of ingenuity. It has a keyboard
like a typewriter, upon which are placed all the figures from 1 to 100. To get any desired change a person strikes a
key bearing the figure of the sum wanted and the amount drops into his hand
from a little spout below the machine.
For instance, if a dollar is handed in from which 13 cents is to be
taken, the figure 87 is struck and 87 cents are thrown out. The machine is called the “Brandt Automatic
Cashier" and is manufactured in Watertown, Wisconsin. It costs about $200. The government sent it to Postmaster Keys,
unsolicited, and presumably he is putting it into other offices, soon. (Madison
Journal) WG
09 15 DIAMOND STUD
STOLEN
[same date] The city is full of confidence men of all
kinds. If you don't want to part with
your money, don't engage in any game of chance with these fellows, for they are
sure to beat you. During the crush on
Main Street Wednesday evening, a man grabbed a valuable diamond stud from Ed.
Brandt's shirt bosom. Mr. Brandt grabbed
the fellow and held him until he was arrested and locked in jail, but the
diamond could not be found on his person.
Next morning it was found in the gutter near where the fellow grabbed
it. The same evening a lady was robbed
of her pocket book and fainted in the crowd.
Leave your diamonds and valuables in a secure place. Thursday and Friday nights will be good ones
here for the light-fingered profession.
Nearly a dozen crooks are now in our city jail. WG
1892
-- -- FOUNDED THE CECILIAN SOCIETY
St.
Bernard’s Cecilian Society was formed on April
19, 1892 with Edward J. Brandt elected as its first director. Brandt continued as director with the choir
for 46 years
1893
07 26 PRIVATE FORTUNE PLEDGED in
case of bank bankruptcy
1907
12 18 BRANDT CASHIER MANUFACTURING CO. /
BRANDT-DENT CO.
Owing to the
development of the two branches of the business for years conducted by the Edward J. Brandt-Dent company each branch being
entirely different from the other, the business has been divided into two
corporations . . . The corporation name is now the Brandt Cashier Manufacturing Company . . . and this corporation
continues the manufacture for the Brandt automatic cashiers for the United
States and Canada . . . The two local corporations will be conducted
separately, but they will be practically under the same management . . . The
gas fixture branch of the business will be conducted by the newly incorporated Brandt-Dent Company. The officers remain the same. WDT
c.1919
-- -- THE BRANDT
PUSSY-FOOT TIRE INVENTED
The rapidly increasing
popularity of automobiles sent Edward Brandt’s mind buzzing. Until that time, tires for cars were
basically solid rubber rims mounted on wheels.
He felt there had to be a better way, one that would afford the
occupants of the car a smoother and more comfortable ride.
Sometime in 1919 Edward
seemingly first conceived what was to be his answer to the rigid tire. He called it a "resilient
wheel." One of the first drawings
of a tire concept was prepared on March 26, 1920. By that time he had identified his new idea
as the "Brandt Pussy-Foot."
Within a year, at least one full scale drawing of the cross-section of
the tire had been made. The concepts
employed were sufficiently novel that Edward was granted two separate patents
on the tire.
The tire itself can be
best described as a hollow rubber "doughnut" that fit over the outer
rim of a car wheel. Inside the
"doughnut" a series of springs, evenly spaced, were attached to a
mounting frame. Each subassembly which
contained a spring, a locating pin to retain it in place, and a cylinder which
held both, was called a "pussy-foot."
As the car encountered bumps or stones or similar obstacles, the springs
compressed, offering a far smoother ride to passengers than the previous rigid
types.
Edward had a set of
Pussy-Foot tires fabricated. They
presumably were handmade. They were mounted
on the family's car, a Chandler, which was one of the prestige cars of the
period.
Edward firmly believed
his new tire was a major technical breakthrough, for on May 21, 1921, he formed
a new company to market his innovative marvel.
It was called the "Brandt Pussy-Foot Tire Company." The company survived until August 11, 1924,
when it was quietly dissolved. The idea
behind the tire surely was creative, but Edward unaccountably did not seem to
recognize the simplicity and relatively low cost of the air-filled pneumatic
tire, and his brainchild did not succeed.
- Derived from Edward
J. Brandt, Inventor, by Charles J. Wallman
1920
04 23 WIGGENHORN BLDG LEASED TO BRANDT’S
The three-story
building with basement at 102 and 104 West Main
Street [the Wiggenhorn Bldg] has been leased for
a term of years by the Brandt Manufacturing Co.
The entire first floor will house the general and administrative offices
of the company while the upper stories will be used for assembling.
The constantly growing
demand for the Brandt Automatic Cashier and other Brandt products caused the
company to make immediate plans for additional space. All departments of the main plant are crowded
and to relieve the congestion it is planned to make several changes whereby the
main plant will be devoted entirely to the manufacture and assembly of the
Cashier.
It has been
conservatively estimated that the yearly mechanically computed payments made by
the Brandt Automatic Cashier are over 450,000,000 while the number of coins
paid mechanically are over 1,575,000,000, saving in time over 1,250,000 hours
to the users and a further saving to the public of 6,250,000 hours.
Executive &
Manufacturing Divisions
E. J. Brandt, Chairman
C. R. Acker, General
Sales Manager
O. E. Hoffman, Auditor
A. W. Guetzlaff, Service Manager
H. Breunig,
Production Manager
F. W. Kleeman, Foreman
G. Sauer, Foreman
Henry Breunig, Foreman
E. W. Quirk, Foreign
Manager
R. J. McAdams,
Purchasing Agent
W. G. Halfpap, Superintendent
Edward J. Cavanaugh,
Shipping Division
Albert Schultz, Foreman
M. Novotny, Foreman
Carl Kopfer, Foreman
Gust Erdman, Foreman
The 1920 sales
convention will take place late this month.
Special drawing room sleepers have been chartered which will be side
tracked in Watertown during part of the five-day meeting. An educational trip will be made through the
factory after which
other interesting points of the state will be visited. WDTimes, 04 23 1920
c.1920
CHANGE
MACHINE IN OUR COLLECTION
Society holding, uncertain date
-- -- “LAST HORSE-DRAWN DRAYAGE”
Brandt Automatic Cashier, 507 & 515 S. First St.
Brandt
shipment to A. B. Affarssytem of Stockholm, Sweden.
1921, Watertown High School Orbit
Quite a number of years ago the
founder of the present Brandt Manufacturing Company was employed in a local
bank [Bank of Watertown] where it was
necessary for him to pay out various items usual in banking transactions, over
the counter. In addition to this he was
required to make up the payroll for a railroad employing a very large number of
men.
These latter payments, together
with the regular transactions of each day, made the total of small coin
payments so great that it was a considerable mental strain. Moreover, the likelihood of error was always
present. The thought suggested itself
that a mechanical means of dispensing silver and pennies would be a tremendous
saving of time and labor.
Mr. Brandt had from time to time
constructed mechanical devices as a pastime after banking hours. Among these
was a miniature old-fashioned flour mill with an overshot water-wheel. Disposed
about the mill were various moving figures such as customers, a fisherman, and
also sitting in the shadow of the mill, a young couple. The mill with its mechanical figures was
placed above a large aquarium. The whole was propelled by a weight. The water
was drawn from the aquarium and as it ran over the wheel turning it, it was
apparently driving the mill.
In the working out of this and
similar interesting but non-essential devices, the thought became more
pronounced that the counting and paying of money, mechanically, would be an
excellent subject to work upon. The idea
once conceived it was merely a matter of a few days to crystallize a general
principle for carrying it into effect. It took one year, however, to work out
in detail and produce the first machine to be used commercially.
So thoroughly and accurately was
this first model constructed that it is still in use in one of our local banks.
This pioneer machine has now passed its twentieth birthday.
The object of the machine was to
make a given payment of change or gold by the depression of a single key, thus
eliminating the work of selecting the coins necessary to make the payment. For
instance, when the key 87 is depressed the machine delivers the least number of
coins necessary to make the payment and in this case these coins would be in a
half dollar, a quarter, a dime, and two pennies.
Computation is unnecessary and as
the machine selects the coins and delivers them it can readily be seen how
important the machine is to the business world. In the case of the changer
machine the difference between the amount tendered and the amount of the
purchase is automatically returned without computation. For instance, if a
dollar is tendered and the sale is 13c the machine returns the correct change
by simply depressing the 13th key, computation being unnecessary.
As the Brandt Automatic Cashier
was the pioneer in its field it took years to establish it as one of the
standard equipments in use in the business
world. The sale of the machines has,
however, gained momentum in recent years and there are between four and five
millions of dollars worth of the same now in use.
The plant here is equipped with a
large number of special appliances to make the different parts of the machines
and one hundred employees, under competent foremen, are necessary to keep this
machinery in operation and to assemble the parts made. The office force
employed in the factory office and in the main office on
The principal departments for
administering business, together with the names of those administering them are
as follows:
E. J. Brandt
................ Experimental
Department
E. W. Quirk ................. Foreign Department
C. R. Acker ................... Sales Department
A. W. Guetzlaff .............. Service Department
R. D. Easton ................. Engineering Department
O. E. Hoffman ............... Auditing Department
E. J. Cavenaugh .............. Shipping Department
G. E. Bullock ................ Production Department
W. G. Halfpap .............. Factory Superintendent
R. J. McAdams.
................ Purchasing Department
The general offices for
conducting the business have been variously located in New York, Washington,
Chicago and Watertown. It has been
necessary in the more recent history of the business to occupy an office
building here located on Main Street and from this point the business is
conducted through various offices in New York, Washington, Boston, Pittsburgh,
Philadelphia, Atlanta, Minneapolis, and other points. These offices are controlled by District
Managers who report to the home office here.
There are fifty men employed in the sales force.
The officers of the company are:
Edward
J. Brandt President and General
Manager
C.
R. Acker Vice-President and
Sales Manager
E.
W. Quirk Secretary and Foreign
Manager
Cross
Reference: Edward Brandt at Bank of
Watertown:
1898 01 26 A good improvement to the Bank of Watertown has been made in
the arrangement of a private office for Cashier Edward J. Brandt from which
that official has an unobstructed view of the entire banking house. WR
1920-1926
-- -- HEADQUARTERED IN THE WIGGENHORN
BUILDING
The Wiggenhorn Building at
102-104 W. Main (removed). Patriotic
Brandt float in undated parade
BRANDT AUTOMATIC
CASHIER COMPANY OFFICE BUILDING
01 23 The Brandt Automatic Cashier Company office building
[515-517 S. First], opposite its plant on South First Street, is well
under way. The location will be more
convenient to the factory than that of its present offices on Main Street.
Their two offices,
general and factory, will be consolidated and will have a considerably larger
space than the combined space of these two offices.
The office floor
together with the shipping room below will have a total space of 8000 square
feet.
The building will be fireproof
and it will have a sprinkler system. The
arrangement of the offices is with special consideration for the comfort of the
employees. The floors throughout the
offices will be cork facing on concrete.
The entry, steps and bases will be finished in various harmonizing
marbles and the auxiliary rooms are planned to have white tile finish. The furnishings will be of the latest
designs.
The building will have
a frontage of forty feet on First Street and one hundred feet on Wisconsin
Street. Claude & Starck,
Madison, are the architects and Maas Brothers of
this city are the general contractors.
Built on the
northeast corner of First and Wisconsin Streets, formerly the old Mendenhall
residence (Ellis A. Mendenhall & Sons, heating, hot water, steam heating,
pumps, windmills).
1937
02 05 EDWARD J.
BRANDT (1859-1937)
WHS_022-454
E. J. BRANDT, NOTED AS INVENTOR, DIES TODAY
Civic
Leader was 77; Active in music here
Many Achievements in His Career Made His Name Widely Known
Edward
J. Brandt, 77, chairman of the board of the Brandt Automatic Cashier company,
whose name was internationally known, died suddenly today at his home, 412
South Fourth Street. Mr. Brandt had been
in failing health for some time, but had been quite active until the last.
Mr.
Brandt, one of Watertown’s noted men whose career included achievements as an
inventor, manufacturer, banker and musician, was born in Watertown July 18,
1859. He was a son of Frederick and
Wilhelmine Brueck Brandt, both of whom were natives
of Germany. Both came to the United
States early in life. The father
established his home in Indianapolis where he engaged in the sawmill and lumber
business. He was at one time the owner
of the land on which the capital of Indiana now stands.
During
the pioneer era of development which was then sweeping the country, Frederick
Brandt came to Wisconsin and settled in Watertown. He helped clear away the forests from what is
now part of this city. He was the city’s
first drayman, starting with an old-fashioned two-wheeled cart drawn by a
single horse. Later he entered the
merchandise business and helped establish the store which later operated for
many years under the name of William F. Brandt and Son Company.
Younger
of Two Sons
Edward
J. Brandt was the younger of two sons of the family. Early in life he gave indication of an
inventive turn of mind and in 1877, when but 18 years old, was allowed patents
on the principle later used in vestibules on railway coaches. He had no capital then, however and could not
push his invention to commercial success.
In that year he entered the Bank of Watertown as bookkeeper and
seven years later was promoted to the position of cashier. He aided practically in the management of the
bank until December, 1898, when he resigned his position to give his entire
time and attention to his commercial interests.
In
1891 he organized the Western Manufacturing Company in conjunction with
Robert Dent and began the manufacture of gas fixtures. Mr. Brandt became president and general
manager of the business. The company
later became known as the Brandt-Dent Company and later his interests
were succeeded in the Brandt Automatic Cashier Company.
Cashier
Became Famous
Mr.
Brandt’s factory was equipped with a great many machines designed by him to
manufacture his products, among them the Brandt automatic cashier, a money
paying device which carried his name to all parts of the world. The automatic cashier manufactured here is
used the world around and has been designed to fit coins of many different
nations. It was in a way his greatest
achievement and he always considered it as such. The invention ranks in importance with the
cash register, the adding machine and other similar devices.
On
September 12, 1883, Mr. Brandt married Thekla
Wiggenhorn, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Wiggenhorn, pioneer Watertown
jeweler and of one of the city’s best families.
To them was born a daughter Eugenia, now Mrs. Earl W. Quirk. Mr. Quirk has been president of the cashier
company since Mr. Brandt’s retirement from active business. Mr. Brandt had retained the position as
chairman of the board of directors.
There are three grandchildren, Catherine Jean Quirk, Lillian Brandt
Quirk, and Edward James Quirk.
Music
His Chief Hobby
Mr.
Brandt was a man of strongly marked characteristics. He had not only a keen business sense, but he
was as inventive genius. He possessed ability of a high order.
Aside
from business his chief interest was music and he was a vocalist of
considerable attainment. He could turn
from business to music as a source of interest and pleasure and recreation. It always gave him sense of relief from
business concentration. For several
years he was a student in the old Luening conservatory of Milwaukee and for
many years was director of St. Bernard’s Catholic church choir. He was a soloist at the opening of the
Luening conservatory, with Hugo Kaun as director, and sang several times as
soloist in St. Patrick’s cathedral in New York city. He served the old Concordia society here as
president and his appearances in musical circles here and in other cities
covered a long period of years. In many
of these he shared honors with his wife who also had been a singer for many
years. For many years his daughter was
his regular accompanist.
One
of Mr. Brandt’s greatest local musical achievements was his conductorship of a
grand concert program in Turner hall by the choir of St. Bernard’s church. In addition to a chorus and orchestra which
he conducted there were several soloists.
He was given a tremendous ovation by an audience that packed the
hall. It was one of the greatest nights
of music Watertown had in a half a century.
Made
Tour of Europe
Travel
also occupied his attention in later years of his life. One of the trips which he took with his wife
was a tour of Europe covering several months during which they visited the
famous musical and art centers.
Century-old cathedrals also attracted him and he wrote a series of
articles on the trip which appeared in the Daily Times. The series ran daily for several weeks. Many people have preserved them, because they
gave not only a vivid account of their travels, but because they embodied Mr.
Brandt’s individual style of working and description in which he was also
somewhat of an artist.
Mr.
Brandt was a past president of the board of park commissioners. Although he never aspired to public office he
was always actively interested in civic affairs and took part in many
undertakings that advanced the city.
One
of the city’s most versatile men, his successful achievements have been along
many varied lines. He was one of the few
men who successfully combined business and inventive ability and at the same
time found time and interest to enjoy the arts and to share in the finer things
of life. He was a man richly endowed and
he made the most of his gifts.
A
member of the Watertown lodge of Elks, he was for many years active in its
affairs.
Loyal
to Watertown
Throughout
his long life Mr. Brandt maintained his loyalty to Watertown. When opportunity came to him through his
inventions he chose to remain in Watertown and maintained his factory and
office here, as well as his home. As a
host he was charming and gracious and his golden wedding anniversary some years
ago was for him and his wife one of the happiest events of their lives. They received floral tributes from old
friends and associates that literally filled their spacious home and hundreds
of people called to wish them well. One
of the happy incidents that day was a serenade by a band and the group of
workers from the Brandt plant
His
name will go down in the history of Watertown as one of the men who rose from
the ranks and made his way in the world leaving behind a record of real
achievement. He possessed a keen sense
of humor and always took pride in the fact that he had once been a writer,
pointing to his reports of his travels and his comments on various
questions. Some time ago some of his
writings were collected in booklet form and are much treasured by many old
friends.
No
funeral arrangements had been made this afternoon and will be announced
tomorrow.
Buried
in Oak Hill
cemetery
Feb TRIBUTES TO EDWARD
J. BRANDT WDT
Brandt, Edward J., b. Jul 18, 1859, d. Feb 5, 1937
Messages
from Many Cities Record Evidences of
Respect
and Admiration and Mourn Death of
Famous
Watertown Man
The high place that Edward J. Brandt
occupied in the business world and in the associations with his friends and
acquaintances is strikingly illustrated in the avalanche of messages, letters
and telegrams which the family has received since his death at the age of 77 a
week ago. Inventor of the Brandt
automatic cashier and founder of the firm which bears his name, the product
carried his name the product carried his name to all parts of the world, but
there was something deeper and more vital in his makeup that made friends for
him and placed him in a position where his death is being mourned not only in
his home community, but in distant places where he was known and where his
record of achievement made him an outstanding individual.
The messages which have come into the
home here since his passing are from old friends, from acquaintances, from
business associates and from people in all walks of life who knew him, some on
intimate terms and others in a casual way.
All of them bear the imprint of sincere regret at his death. No man here has received so many fine
tributes.
The Daily
Times today is printing a few brief excerpts from some of the letters and
messages.
____________________________
Among those selected is the following
quotation from a letter received from Dun and Bradstreet, the mercantile
agency:
“Mr. Brandt has indeed made an enviable
record, not merely in the field of mechanics, invention, and material success,
but in the field of integrity both personal and commercial. His commercial record is ‘clear’ and he
leaves a record and memory which certainly is an inspiration.”
Another friend wrote “You have the
memory of a truly great and wonderful spirit.”
In the following quotations are
expressions voiced by various individuals and concerns, selected from the many
which have arrived the past few days:
Surely we have lost a valuable and irreplaceable possession. Yet appreciation can be best demonstrated by
continuing the fine things which Mr. Brandt created and lived for.
“Few men in this nation have been able
to inscribe their names in the hearts and minds of the people of the world as
that of Mr. E. J. Brandt with the wonderful product that he invented and
manufactured.”
“I had the greatest respect for Mr.
Brandt on account of the wonderful machine which he produced.
This machine will be a perpetual
monument to the name of Brandt in all places where cash is handled. In his
passing the civilized world has lost one who has done as much as any other man
to relived business of a hard and arduous task.”
“He was a wonderful gentleman and a
genius and I know that his death will cause quite a void in the business
world.”
____________________________
“His achievements, coupled with several
years of pleasant relationship that I have found in being connected with the
firm which he founded and which bears his name has caused me to look upon him
with profound admiration.”
____________________________
“I have always been able to feel, from
the beginning a certain current of close ties which undoubtedly has been
fostered and has been the pride and aim of that very fine gentleman, Mr. E. J.
Brandt.”
____________________________
Tribute
in Poem
The
angel of Peace attends our way,
With
us now, and to the end
If we
but see, and seeing know
Our
ever present friend.
When
doubt and fear oppress our soul,
Look bravely
forth and grasp the way
That
lends thy spirit into light,
Unto
the perfect day.
Ever present, ever kind.
The spirit leads the
willing mind
With voice so gentle—like a
dove
Love is God and God is
Love.
1940s & 50s
TIE TACKS
& SERVICE PINS, MEMORABILIA
1950
08 31 COIN SORTER USED BY CITY TREASURER
Brandt Coin Sorter used by City Treasurer E. E. Lemmerhirt. In use at city hall to sort and tabulate
coins collected from parking meters
1954
-- -- WOODRUFF PENNY PARADE FUND RAISER
Lakeland
Memorial Hospital, Woodruff, WI.
Counting machine provided by Brandt Automatic Cashier of Watertown.
1958
02 27 CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW MANUFACTURING PLANT
The Brandt Automatic Cashier Company, manufacturer of
coin handling machines and allied products, announced today that arrangements
for construction of a new manufacturing plant have been completed. Contracts have been let and construction will
start March 3. The new plant will be one
story high, of brick construction, 488 feet long and 140 feet wide, excluding
the enclosed loading dock. The new
building with the loading dock will have an area of approximately 71,000 square
feet and will be built on a thirteen acre site acquired by Brandt several years
ago. The site is located on the east
side of South Twelfth Street, immediately south of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St.
Paul and Pacific Railroad tracks. With
the new plant, Brandt will have approximately 175,000 square feet of office,
manufacturing and storage space. WDT
1959
06 27 Completion of its new
factory, 705 South Twelfth St; additional plant located on N. Water
St. WDT
1963
05 07 The North Water Street building, formerly owned by the
Brandt Automatic Cashier Co., has been sold to Harvey Properties, Inc.,
according to a deed filed in the office of the register of deeds at
Jefferson. The price is listed at
$20,000. The building was originally the
home of the Woodard and Stone Bakeries, makers of crackers and confections
which operated there for many years.
Later the business was sold to the National Biscuit Co. which, after
some years, discontinued the plant.
Still later it housed the Wolfram Shoe factory and office. The last owner to utilize it as a plant was
the Brandt Automatic Cashier Co. which used it for part of its manufacturing
operations until it completed its new South Twelfth Street plant. WDT
1964
05 07 BRANDTS AT WORLD’S FAIR
Visitors from the
Watertown area who attend the World’s Fair in New York will be able to see a
touch of “home” in many areas. A large
number of Brandt machines for coin paying, sorting, counting, and packaging
have been installed at the fair in banks, exhibits, concessions, cafeterias,
restaurants and the like. These machines
manufactured by Brandt Automatic Cashier Company of this city area used for
check cashing, payment of exhibit admissions, food service checkout, and the
handling of coin receipts. First
National City Bank, New York, performs all of the banking operations at the
fair and is well equipped with Brandts.
WDT
12 29 O. E. HOFFMAN
The retirement of O. E.
Hoffman, 119 South Church Street, vice president and treasurer of the Brandt
Automatic Cashier Company, was announced today by E. James Quirk, company
president. A native of Madison, Mr.
Hoffman graduated from the University of Wisconsin, majoring in accounting. He came with the company in 1919 and has been
active in the general management of the business since 1921. In 1926 Mr. Hoffman was elected to the
position of secretary, and in 1934 to the office of vice president and
treasurer as well as a member of the Board of Directors.. WDT
1965
08 18 75th ANNIVERSARY
The Brandt Automatic
Cashier Co., local manufacturer of money handling products, is celebrating its
75th anniversary this year. To
commemorate the event, the company entertained the employees at a “birthday
party” picnic on Saturday on the grounds of the Watertown Outboarders
Club. An 1890 theme was followed at the
picnic, the year that Brandt was founded.
Many company personnel were dressed in handlebar mustaches and clothing
of the period. All of the other
ingredients of an 1890 picnic were there too.
There was a German band, ponies, refreshments of all kinds and a buffet
dinner. WDT
09 15 OFFICIAL 75th
ANNIVERSARY
The Brandt Automatic
Cashier Co. of Watertown, established in 1890, is observing its 75th
anniversary, the official beginning of which is on Saturday. Established by the late E. J. Brandt, who is
credited with being the inventor of the first coin-paying device, the firm has
developed into one of the world’s leading producers of coin handling
machines.
Embracing a full line
of electric and manually operated change-making and dispensing machines as well
as coin sorters and coin counters, the Brandt firm is housed in three
installations in Watertown. The most
recent is a manufacturing facility covering 71,000 square feet of space
completed in 1959.
The one-story building
is an integrated unit engaged in the manufacture of all the components used in
the Brandt lines. Now headed by E. James
Quirk, grandson of the founder, Brandt supplies coin-handling devices to
banking institutions, savings and loan associations and vendors throughout the
United States and Canada, as well as many countries abroad. WDT
11 17 EDWARD REHBAUM
Edward Rehbaum has been appointed foreman of the machine and
fitting departments of the Brandt Automatic Cashier Company, according to an
announcement made by E. James Quirk, president.
Mr. Rehbaum has been a lifelong resident of
Watertown and is married to the former Mary Lea Funk. He is a veteran of World War II and has
served as first sergeant in the National Guard. WDT
12 09 ANNUAL 20-YEAR CLUB
PARTY
Brandt Automatic
Cashier Company held its annual 20-Year Club party at Chauncey’s Supper Club
last night. Ninety-two Brandt employees,
husbands and wives, attended the event.
The get-together was presided over by Brandt’s president, E. James
Quirk. He welcomed six new members into
the Club, Leslie Schmutzler, Florence Reimer, Roland
Schauer, Otto Schott, Luella Tesch, Lester Strege. One of the
highlights of the evening was the unveiling of a plaque honoring 20-Year Club
members. The plaque will be mounted in
Brandt’s main plant. Members of the club
are recognized by individual name plates, and new members names will be added
as they become eligible for the club in the future. WDT
12 30 ANNUAL 20-YEAR CLUB
PARTY
On behalf of the Brandt
Automatic Cashier Company, E. James Quirk, president of the company, presented
a check for $5,000 to the Watertown Memorial
Hospital Association Inc., to be used for the purchase of additional
equipment that is needed by the hospital.
In making this gift Mr. Quirk stressed that Brandt, a local industry,
was vitally interested in supporting this worthwhile community project and
wanted to take this opportunity of wishing the Watertown Memorial Hospital
Association continued success. WDT
1966
01 16 ARNOLD BUCHHOLZ, 40 YEARS
A 40-year service pin
has been presented to Arnold R. Buchholz, 323 Elizabeth St., by E. James Quirk,
president, and Charles J. Wallman, vice president of
the Brandt Automatic Cashier Co. in recognition of his long record of service
with the company. The presentation was
made during a get-together of Brandt supervisory personnel during which Mr.
Buchholz was also presented with a rotary grinder and cutter, to tie in with
his hobby of wood working. WDT
08 25 JOHN R. (JACK) ERDMANN
John R. (Jack) Erdmann of 112 North Montgomery Street has been
appointed sales promotion manager of the Brandt Automatic Cashier Company,
according to an announcement by E. James Quirk, president of Brandt. Mr. Erdmann’s career with Brandt began in
1964 when he took charge of the company’s IBM department. He subsequently worked on several additional
assignments that led to his latest promotion.
Prior to joining Brandt, he was manager of Hutson-Braun Lumber Company
in this city. He had earlier been with J. C. Penney Company in Watertown.
1967
01 19 WILLARD SEMON
Willard F. Semon of 420 South Washington Street has been appointed
foreman in charge of the assembly operations at the Brandt Automatic Cashier
Company, according to an announcement made today by E. James Quirk, president
of Brandt. Mr. Semon
has been with Brandt for over 27 years, working in areas primarily connected
with assembly and testing of Brandt equipment. In his new assignment he will have a variety
of responsibilities connected with the assembly of the entire line of Brandt
money handling machines. WDT
05 29 EXPANSION PLANNED
Plans to expand its facilities in Watertown were
announced today by E. James Quirk, president of Brandt
Automatic Cashier Co. He reported that
the company would erect a new office building and that present manufacturing
areas would be expanded. This is
Brandt’s second major expansion within the past ten years. The new office will be located to the north
and slightly west of the company’s main plant in South Twelfth Street. It will be of Fond du Lac stone and will have
a large amount of window area. Plant
wells on the north and west sides will enhance the overall appearance. A courtyard in the center of the building
will join all interior rooms. The size
of the new building will be 13,500 square feet.
Corridors will connect it to the present plant and to the assembly
wing. WDT
06 04 GROUND BREAKING FOR EXPANSION
Company officials, city
officials and contractors taking part in the ceremony were Lester H. Rehbaum, assistant secretary of the company; Charles Wallman, vice president; Mayor A. E. Bentzin;
E. James Quirk, company president, who turned the first spade of ground;
William F. Kraemer, purchasing manager; William Carroll, executive secretary of
the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce; Arthur E. Radloff,
secretary-treasurer of the company; Anthony Pawlowsky
of the Potter, Lawson, Findlay and Pawlowsky
architectural firm, Madison, designers of the new facilities; James Sievert of
Dietz Electric, Milwaukee; John Mitchell of Pelikan
Plumbing and Heating, Sullivan; William J. Rupnow,
plant manager; Joseph Promersberger of Pro-Tel
Heating, Brookfield; Russ Kammer, Madison, general
contractor.
09 23 NEW OFFICE BUILDING
BEING CONSTRUCTED
10 03 GOVERNOR KNOWLES VISIT
Governor Warren P.
Knowles spent a busy afternoon in Watertown on Monday afternoon and he was most
impressed at what he saw. At noon he
addressed the weekly luncheon meeting of the Watertown Rotary Club, following
that, he visited the plant of the Brandt Automatic Cashier Company, Allard
Express, Lindberg Hevi-Duty, the Bank of Watertown
and Carnation Farms Breeding Service. At
Brandt’s he spent much time touring the plant, observing the manufacturing of
the various coin sorting machines made by Brandt’s. He shook hands with dozens of employees. He also visited the new addition under construction. An addition of 35,000 square feet is now
being built, a portion of which will be for the new office quarters, and the
other will be for manufacturing.
1969
05 16 STRIKE AT BRANDT AUTOMATIC CASHIER
Strike idled approximately 244
employees
06 22 STRIKE ENDS
The strike at the plant
of the Brandt Automatic Cashier Company is over. Striking employees yesterday afternoon, by a
vote of 137 to 97, accepted the company offer.
The meeting was held at Turner Hall.
The strike was in its eighth week.
It began May 5. At a meeting of
employees on June 18, a company offer was rejected by a vote of 122 to
108. About 244 employees are
involved. Some of the workers returned
to their jobs today. WDT
-- -- NEW OFFICE BUILDING / 705 South Twelfth Street
1970
06 04 ARCHITECTURAL SKETCH OF NEW KARMA FACILITY
Brandt Plans 3rd Major
Expansion in 12 Years
Karma is a
manufacturer of food service equipment, including hot chocolate dispensers,
fudge warmers, tea dispensers and similar products.
It was acquired by Brandt in 1968 as the first move in a long-range
diversification program, and has been located in Addison, Ill.
The operation is being brought to Watertown because of Karma's need for
expanded facilities. Initially about 20
to 25 people will be employed.
Richard J. Skiera, division manager, will
continue in charge of Karma operations.
The new Karma building will be of masonry and metal construction. The
front will be partially faced with Fond du Lac stone. It will have
approximately 20,500 square feet of space. Over 2,200 square feet will be
office, the remainder will be for manufacturing.
Construction of the new facility will begin immediately. Completion expected in September and
operations will begin shortly thereafter. The entire project is being handled
by R. H. Sommer Co., Waukesha.
In announcing the plans to bring Karma to the city, Quirk particularly
stressed the recent and anticipated growth of that operation. He added he was
delighted that through Karma, Brandt would be able to continue its growth with
Watertown.
08 05 S. TWELFTH ST. FACILITY
1981
05 25 RADLOFF RETIREMENT
Arthur
E. Radloff, vice president-finance of Brandt, Inc.,
retires from active employment with the company effective May 31. Radloff joined the
company in 1936 after graduation from Watertown High School. He has been with
Brandt since that time, with an interruption of four and one-half years for
duty in the U.S. Army during World War II.
During his tenure with Brandt, Radloff worked
primarily in financial areas. WDT
1983
05 06 Karma, a division of Brandt, Inc., sold
to three employees of Karma WDT
10 01 E. JAMES QUIRK RETIREMENT
E. James Quirk, chairman
of the board of Brandt, Inc., has retired from active service with the
company. The retirement was effective
Sept. 29, and employees of the firm were told of the decision on Tuesday. While he continues as Brandt's chairman, he
will no longer be involved in its day to day activities. Quirk's career with the company, founded by
his grandfather, Edward J. Brandt, spanned over 39 years. As a summer employee and later during a
period following World War II military service, he worked in all 26 of the
then-existing departments of the company, giving him a broad knowledge of the
organization. WDT
10 03 BRANDT’S TO BE SOLD
Brandt, Inc., one of Watertown's oldest industries, is to be sold in the
near future, according to announcement today by officials of the firm. Central Jersey Industries, a New York-based
financial firm, has signed a letter of intent to acquire Brandt, according to
Lawrence Johnson, president and chief executive officer. The purchase price is $34 million. Johnson told the Daily Times this morning that he would be in New York much of this
week to begin planning for the transition to the new owner, and added that
further information on the sale will be made available in the near future. WDT
1984
Company remained in the
Brandt-Quirk family until January of 1984 when sold to Nelson Peltz and Peter
May, investors from the east coast.
04 18 Karma named the Opportunities Inc. “Employer
of the Year” WDT
10 19 The book “Edward J. Brandt, Inventor,” being made available to the public WDT
1985
07 17 A reorganization of the management structure of Central
Jersey Industries, parent of Brandt, Inc., headquartered in Watertown, may mean
more jobs locally in the future. The
reorganization, already under way in some areas of the business, will mean a
reduction in management personnel working out of the local plant, but future
production may increase, according to a statement by company officials. The increased employment would be in the area
of additional manufacturing jobs as some processes are transferred to Watertown
from other plants owned by Central Jersey.
WDT
1988
07 18 The Watertown Common Council took a step to alleviate
overcrowding in city hall Tuesday by endorsing the purchase of two properties
on South First Street. The council
voted, 11-1, to offer $87,500 for buildings and land owned by Brandt Inc. at
507 and 515 S. First St. WDT
08 08 Brandt Inc. has tentatively accepted the city’s offer
of $87,500 for two buildings on South First Street, pending a detailed study of
the properties. Mayor David R. Lenz said
the city has 15 days to inspect the buildings to determine if any major repairs
are necessary. If so, the city could
stipulate that Brandt correct the problems before the sale is completed. “We can turn it down or they can turn it down
if the repairs are too expensive,” Lenz said.
The common council authorized city officials to purchase the buildings
on 507 and 515 S. First St. on July 19.
The city proposes to move the park and recreation department and the
health office to 515 S. First St., as well as the youth activity center. The other building would be removed to
provide additional parking. WDT
11 19 NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Triangle Industries, the parent
company of Brandt Inc. of Watertown, has been sold to a French conglomerate. Pechiney SA, a state-owned French company, has
purchased Triangle with an unsolicited offer.
Triangle Industries is a New York-based firm that was formerly known as
Central Jersey Industries (C.J.I.). When
C.J.I. acquired the larger Triangle Industries with a leverage buyout, C.J.I.
assumed Triangle's name. Brandt Inc., a
company that produces coin-sorting and currency-handling equipment, is located
at 705 S. Twelfth St. in Watertown. WDT
1989
06 20 RECEIVED GSA CONTRACT
Brandt Inc., which has
an office in Watertown, has been awarded a contract to produce nearly $1
million worth of equipment for the federal government. Officials of Sen. Robert Kasten’s office in
Washington, D.C., announced this week that Brandt had received the contract
from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Brandt is a leading producer of coin and
currency processing machinery. WDT
09 11 100th ANNIVERSARY
Brandt, Inc. will
celebrate the beginning of its 100th year of business with an open house, a
picnic and other events in Watertown on Saturday. The gala will begin at 10 a.m. with an open
house of the Brandt plant, located at 705 S. Twelfth St. A speakers program, featuring several dignitaries,
will follow at Riverside Park, beginning at 1 p.m. Brandt, Inc. is an international leader in
the design, manufacture and distribution of coin and currency handling
equipment for the banking, retail, transit, vending, gaming and other
industries. The company’s product line
is sold and serviced in more than 75 nations throughout the world. WDT
1991
06 04 HONORED BY WSPE
Brandt, Inc. of
Watertown and Hamlin, Inc., of Lake Mills have been honored by the Wisconsin
Society of Professional Engineers (WSPE) as part of the 22nd Annual Governor’s
New Product Award (GNPA) ceremony in Madison.
Brandt, Inc. of Watertown was honored for its 7,500 Express Coin
Packager . The coin-counting machine is capable of processing more than 4,000
dimes per minute. It is designed for use
by vending companies, post offices or toll booths. Used to verify coin quantities or fill coin
rolls, it can also fill coin bags with a specific amount. Hamlin Inc. of Lake Mills was honored for its
crash sensors. The sensors activate
automotive air bags and tighten seat belts.
The new sensor is 70 percent smaller than previous models and is
designed to be two to three times more effective. WDT
1992
05 12 AWARD FROM POSTAL SERVICE
Brandt Inc. has been
awarded a prestigious 1991 Quality Supplier Award from the U.S. Postal Service
in a ceremony in Washington D.C. The
award was one of 12 given by the Postal Service in four categories. Winners were selected from 60,000 firms on
the Postal Service’s National Supplier’s List. Brandt won in the large business
manufacturing category. Other finalists,
but not winners, in the same category were Motorola Inc. of Hyattsville, Md.,
and Systemhouse Inc. of Arlington, Va. Ed Opperud, vice
president of manufacturing coin products and operation, Watertown, said the
Watertown plant manufactured 5,550 coin counters and packagers and the Bensalem
plant manufactured 2,000 currency counters which were sold to the U.S. Post
Office in a multimillion dollar contract.
He said the equipment is being used to process money received by the
post office in an efficient manner, helping to keep postal costs down.
08 29 ZERO DEFECTS DAY
An intensive quality
improvement program at a local company was marked last week with a program
called “zero defects day.” Hundreds of
Brandt employees were excused from work Friday afternoon to participate in an
award presentation and lunch hosted by the corporation. Looking over a sea of employees dressed in
royal blue shirts with the Brandt insignia, President Douglas Rattray commended
the efforts made during the past three years.
“We’ve done a lot in the last few years and we deserve a party,” he
said. “We’re going to have one
today.” Rattray listed the improvements
made to the 102-year-old money handling manufacturer since beginning a quality
improvement program in 1989. Brandt’s
worker compensation figures are the best in the industry, he said. He also noted that Brandt opened its first
international branch this year in the United Kingdom. WDT
11 03 BANKRUPTCY FILING
Brandt Inc. of
Watertown has filed reorganization under federal bankruptcy law as a result of
a $1.5 million judgment for damages in a patent infringement lawsuit. Brandt filed a petition Monday under Chapter
11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in Milwaukee for protection from its creditors,
including Cummins-Allison Corp. of Mount Pleasant, Ill., which successfully
sued for patent infringement damages for a high-speed coin sorting machine
allegedly copied by Brandt. “Our
business would be severely impacted if we were required to pay the sum set by
the court,” said Brandt President Douglas Rattray in a press release. “That is the reason we are seeking protection
under Chapter 11.” WDT
1994
05 28 BRANDT INC. PURCHASED BY 40 MEMBER GROUP
Brandt Inc. has been
purchased by a group consisting of about 40 members of the company’s
management, independent district managers and suppliers. The sale, which was completed last Thursday,
brings to a close a turbulent period for the company, which has been offered
for sale for the last several years by owners Nelson Peltz and Peter W.
May. The two men have had direct or
indirect ownership of Brandt since January 1984. Brandt also went through Chapter 10
bankruptcy proceedings recently as a result of a patent infringement suit lost
to a competitor, Cummins-Allison Corp. of Mount Pleasant, Ill. Douglas C. Rattray, who will serve as
chairman and chief executive officer of Brandt, said the purchase will allow the
company to concentrate on the manufacture of money-handling systems.
1995 Nelson Peltz and Peter May sold business in August of 1995 to De La
Rue.
07 07 BRANDTS ACQUIRED
A corporation headquartered in Iowa has entered an agreement to acquire
Brandt, Inc. The sale will not affect
operations or employees at Brandt manufacturing plants in Watertown or
Pennsylvania. LeFebure
Corp., a subsidiary of De La Rue Company, will acquire Brandt, Inc. pending
approval by United States government agencies and Brandt stockholders.
1997
02 02 Brandt, Inc., 705 S. Twelfth St., has been selected to
manufacture all coin handling products throughout the entire world for its
parent company De La Rue of the United Kingdom.
All production will be concentrated in Watertown rather than the current
system of separate De La Rue manufacturing facilities throughout the
world. In August of 1995 De La Rue
announced that Brandt and its former competitor LeFebure
headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, would become complimentary divisions of
the parent company. Both firms were
involved in the money handling industry.
Brandt concentrates in coin and cash handling, while LeFebure’s
concentration has been in security areas such as banking security, automatic
transaction machines, etc. WDT
02 12 The shift in production focus at Brandt, Inc., 705 S.
Twelfth St., Watertown, will result in 34 positions being eliminated over the
coming months, an official confirmed today. Under the new reorganization, to be
phased in over the next nine months, Brandt, Inc., will focus on assembly of
all coin handling equipment at the Watertown location. Research and development
will continue here as well. However, the areas to be phased out will be the
machine shop, and the punch press, plating, painting and finishing departments.
All work of that type will be done by other firms on a contract basis, Ed Opperud, Brandt executive vice president, said. WDT
09 29 BRANDT INC. BECOMES DE LA RUE CASH SYSTEMS
Brandt Inc., a name synonymous
with manufacturing in Watertown for 107 years, will no longer exist. On Monday, Brandt Inc. officially became De
La Rue Cash Systems, a change that company officials hope will signal the
beginning of a period of significant growth for the firm. Edward Opperud, De
La Rue vice president, said the new name will help the company capitalize on
the De La Rue brand name, which is well known outside of the United
States. "De La Rue's strategy is to
build a worldwide business that takes maximum advantage of the De La Rue brand
name in every country and market sector in which we operate," Opperud said. WDT
2008
06 21 SOLD TO PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM
The parent
company of De La Rue Cash Systems, Inc., 705 S. Twelfth St., Watertown, plans
to sell the local business to a private equity firm. The local firm is one of Watertown’s oldest
industries, dating back to the 1800s when it was known at Brandt Automatic
Cashier Company. De La Rue, Plc, the
world’s largest banknote printing company, announced its Cash Systems division,
which consists of the Watertown plant as well as one
in Lisle, Ill., is to be sold to Carlyle Group, a private equity firm, for
about $700 million cash. De La Rue, Plc
is headquartered in London. The Cash
Systems division makes cash-handling equipment such as automated teller
machines and coin and currency counters for banks and retailers. It was put up
for sale in May following a strategic review of the company which concluded the
division provided little opportunity for synergies with the other businesses
the company owns.
08 22 De La RUE TO BECOME TALARIS
De La Rue
Cash Systems Inc. will soon undergo a change of ownership and will be changing
its name. Effective Sept. 1, De La Rue Cash
Systems Inc., which is located at 705 S. Twelfth St., will be known as Talaris Inc. De La
Rue, Plc, the parent company of De La Rue Cash Systems and the world’s largest
banknote printing company, is in the process of selling the local business to a
private equity firm. De La Rue, Plc is
selling its Cash Systems division, which consists of the Watertown plant as
well as one in Lisle, Ill., to the Carlyle Group for about $700 million in
cash.
-- -- In September De La Rue, Plc sold
its Cash Systems division, consisting of Watertown plant and one in Lisle,
Ill., to the Carlyle Group.
The Carlyle
Group purchased the business on Sept. 1, 2008, and changed the name to Talaris Inc. In the past four years the company’s earnings
have increased 40 percent as Carlyle focused on expanding the company into new
markets worldwide, according to the release.
2009
02 26 EMPLOYEES BEING LAID OFF
Talaris Inc., a leading provider of cash handling equipment
and software solutions to financial institutions and retailers worldwide, is
laying off some employees because of the struggling economy.
Talaris, which was formerly known as De La Rue Cash Systems
Inc., was sold last year to a private equity firm, the Carlyle Group.
The number of employees being laid
off is “within the realm of normal business operations.”
The local firm is one of
Watertown's oldest industries, dating back to the 1800s when it was known as
Brandt Automatic Cashier Co. The local
operation, which was formed by Edward J. Brandt and several other investors,
has been a large part of Watertown's industrial and civic foundations since
that time.
The company remained in the
Brandt-Quirk family until January of 1984 when it was sold to Nelson Peltz and Peter
May, two investors from the east coast.
They continued to own the business until August
of 1995 when it was sold to De La Rue.
In September of last year, De La Rue, Plc sold its Cash Systems
division, which consists of the Watertown plant as well as one in Lisle, Ill.,
to the Carlyle Group for about $700 million in cash. WDT
09 25 CONTROLLING INTEREST SOLD
For the second
time in less than one year, controlling interest in Brandt, Inc., based in
Watertown, has been sold. Triangle
Industries, Inc., based on New Brunswick, N.J., announced that it has purchased
a controlling block of shares in Central Jersey Industries, Inc. Central Jersey on Jan. 14 purchased Brandt,
Inc., from the Brandt-Quirk family, and the firm became a wholly owned
subsidiary of Central Jersey. Along with
the transfer of shares will go a transfer of power on the Central Jersey board
of directors. WDT
2010
08 02 TALARIS TO OUTSOURCE SOME WORK
Talaris Inc. outsourcing the manufacture of its coin products currently
produced in Watertown to Flextronics Internationals.
“Talaris is exiting from the manufacture of coin products so
that we can focus on our core competencies - sales, service, engineering and
design,” Chris Reagan, president of the company, said. “However, we remain
committed to Watertown and its pool of skilled labor.”
In addition
to manufacturing, Talaris has engineering, call
center, service, repair and parts depot and finance functions in Watertown.
According to Reagan, while no jobs are expected to be lost this year, there
will be a reduction of between 20 to 30 positions in 2011. More than 120 people
will remain employed at the site.
The local
firm dates back to the 1800s when it was known as Brandt Automatic Cashier
Co. The local operation, which was
formed by Edward J. Brandt and several other investors, has been a large part
of Watertown's industrial and civic foundations since that time.
The company
remained in the Brandt-Quirk family until January of 1984 when it was sold to
Nelson Peltz and Peter May, two investors from the east coast. They continued to own the business until
August of 1995 when it was sold to De La Rue.
In September
of 2008, De La Rue plc sold its Cash Systems division, which consists of the
Watertown plant as well as one in Lisle, Ill., to the Carlyle Group for about
$700 million in cash.
Today Talaris is a global business as a leading provider of cash
handling equipment and software solutions to financial institutions and
retailers worldwide. It has about 2,000 people working in more than 30 offices,
including over 1,000 service and support staff.
An additional network of 130 business partners increases the coverage to
over 85 countries. With more than 250
patents granted across 26 countries, Talaris delivers
cash handling solutions on every continent, wherever money moves.
The
company's new change in business includes transferring production of its coin
products, which include high-speed, high volume coin counters and coin sorters
to Flextronics. Flex-tronics is a leading electronics
manufacturing services provider. The
firm helps its customers through a network of facilities in the United States and
30 countries on four continents. This
global presence provides design and engineering solutions that are combined
with core electronics manufacturing and logistics services.
Today's
announcement marks the culmination of over six months of study and analysis by Talaris. During that
period, the company examined multiple options for its coin manufacturing
operations. WDT
2012
02 20 TALARIS TO BE SOLD
Glory, a
Japanese manufacturer of money handling systems, has offered the Carlyle Group
$1 billion to purchase Talaris, according to a
release from Carlyle. Talaris is a world leader in manufacturing cash handling
and automated teller machine equipment.
Its Watertown branch, located at 705 S. Twelfth St., focuses on
engineering, service, repair, replacement parts and finance functions. WDT
04 09 FORMER TALARIS PLANT TO STAY OPEN
Glory Global
Solutions
One of
Watertown's oldest manufacturing companies, formerly known as Talaris, will continue to operate in Watertown following a
global acquisition by a Japanese company last year. The Glory Group of Japan purchased Talaris in July 2012 and formed the new company Glory Global Solutions, which
officially began trading on April 1 of this year. The company, originally known as Brandt
Automated Cashier Co., was founded in the 1800s by Edward J. Brandt, along with
several other investors. The company has played a key role in Watertown's
industry since that time. After Brandt's
death in February 1937, the company was passed to his son-in-law, Earl Quirk.
It then stayed in the Brandt-Quirk family until it was sold in 1984, to East
Coast investors Nelson Peltz and Peter May. The pair sold the company in 1995
to De La Rue, which changed the name to De La Rue Cash Systems Inc. The Carlyle Group purchased the business on
Sept. 1, 2008, and changed the name to Talaris
Inc. WDTimes
story
2016
06 28 GLORY GLOBAL BREAKS GROUND FOR EXPANSION
Glory Global Solutions officially
broke ground at its site on South Twelfth Street Monday afternoon, executing
plans for a 25,000-squarefoot warehouse addition and other various renovations.
President of Glory Limited, Glory
Global’s parent company, Hirokazu
Onoe flew in from Japan to join American President
Chris T. Reagan and dozens of employees for the ceremony. Several civic leaders including Watertown
Mayor John David also attended the event.
Onoe said the company’s Watertown location has
several functions, all of which will be made stronger by the additions and
renovations.
Glory Global Solutions remains an
industry leader in money handling machines and cash management systems. Its origins stem from the Brandt Automatic
Cashier Company founded in Watertown and Kokuei
Machinery Manufacturing founded in Himeji, Japan. Going through a number of name changes and
acquisitions over the years, the two legacy companies combined to become Glory
Global Solutions in 2012.
The
eight-phase project will begin in July and take approximately 32 months to
complete.
2016
06 28 FAE ANN MEKELBURG (1928-2018)
Worked at Brandt, Inc. for 45
years, starting as a secretary, promoted to sales administration manager and
later became the credit and collection manager.
In September of 1977, Fae Ann was appointed assistant secretary of
Brandt, Inc. She was a life member of
the Watertown Hospital Auxiliary, now known as Friends of WAHS. Fae Ann was also a member of the Wethonkitha Auxiliary, historical society and Watertown
Humane Society.
2021
11 01 DAWN WINKELMAN RETIREMENT
Retired from Brandt Mfg,/De La Rue/Talaris/Glory
after employed there for 45 years.
11 09 COIN SORTER PRODUCTION LINE BEING BROUGHT
TO WATERTOWN
Glory Global Solutions is poised
to bring a coin sorter production line from one of its factories in Japan to
its Watertown headquarters. The move of
the production line also brings with it an estimated four-six positions that
include assembly, support and quality functions. Glory Global — a global leader in cash
technology solutions across the financial, retail and personal and commercial
banking industries — is located at 705 S. 12th St. in Watertown.
Image Portfolio (under construction)
Cross References:
Edward
Opperud, obit
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin