N.C.R.—since 1884

Press, 3 December 1987, Page 37

N.C.R.—since 1884

N.C.R., today a hightechnology computer vendor, was founded in 1884 as the National Cash Register Company. Cash registers were their entire stock in trade for many years, until in 1929 the company purchased the Ellis Adding and Typewriting Company. So the first National accounting machine evolved — the Class 3000. Later on, the Allen Wales Adding Machine Company was also purchased, giving N.C.R. a complete line of business machines — cash registers, accounting machines and adding machines. N.C.R. products were marketed in New Zealand before the turn of the century by an agent who was appointed acting manager of the National Cash Register Company of

Australasia Limited when it was formed in 1907.

In 1934 the local organisation became autonomous, and since then has traded under the name of the National Cash Register Company (N.Z.), Ltd. In 1974 the worldwide company became known as simply N.C.R., and the New Zealand operation followed suit. The change was made because the original cash register name no longer truly reflected the nature of the company’s business — computers.

N.C.R. now develops, manufactures, markets, installs and services business information processing machines. The company employs about 62,000 people worldwide, working in 12 engineering and manufacturing plants,

three microelectronics designs and fabrication facilities, six systems engineering centres, and 1200 sales offices in over 120 countries. Last year N.C.R. had revenues of $4.9 billion. N.C.R. has 16 branches in New Zealand, employing about 300 people. They also administer two branches in Fiji. The branch network means that N.C.R. has field engineering services available nationwide, giving their users the optimum of service.

The company runs the Systemedia plant at Tawa, where their customdesigned business forms are printed. They also manufacture a variety of paper rolls from imported mill feels.