XCRA HistoryThe Xerox Canada Retiree Association (XCRA) is a not-for-profit organization incorporated in 1997 by its first three directors: Henry Hammer, James E. Bieser, and Bruce Tollefson. It was created to provide a forum enabling the carrying out of activities of interest to all persons, at any point in time, who have retired from Xerox Canada. Since then, XCRA has operated as a large network to foster community spirit across Canada between retired Xerox employees primarily through social events but also a website and occasional newsletters. From its inception XCRA has enjoyed a privileged relationship with Xerox Canada who, for many years, provided some funding so that retirees could continue to maintain connections on a regular basis. In 2018, responding to market conditions, XCL withdrew the funding. We thank them for their past generosity. In 2021, XCRA is evolving as an organization and continues to have regular and important dialogue with Xerox Canada as the champion for all matters that impact the retiree community of over 2000 people. We hope to share the output from those conversations with you through this brand new website and membership database system, quarterly newsletters, regular surveys, Facebook page and other vehicles that are currently in development. |
Xerox Canada - the Early Days
Many of us know about Chester Carlson and his legacy of inventing the modern-day copier.
But what about Xerox Canada? The Haloid Company of Canada and Xerox of Canada Ltd were established at 728 Bay Street in Toronto, Ontario as the Haloid Company of Canada of Canada Ltd and the first general manager was R. Stanley Ferguson. He managed a staff of five.
In those days, the company marketed photo-sensitive papers and master making equipment. The flat plate, also known as Xerox Standard Equipment was the first product. The flat plate was followed by the Xerox Copyflo and the 1824 engineering product.
Mr. Ferguson was appointed the vice president and secretary to Haloid of Canada from 1956 to 1959. Dues to his tenacious efforts and faith in the company, Mr. Ferguson launched the Canadian arm into a successful enterprise generating one million dollars in sales per year.
In 1958, the company was renamed the Haloid Xerox of Canada Ltd.
From 1959 to 1962, Henry G. Stifel served as the vice president, secretary, assistant treasurer and general manager, managing a staff of 63 and increasing sales billings to slightly over 1.9 million dollars annually. Operating as a separate entity, Mr. Stifel directed all company-wide efforts across Canada and was solely responsible to management in Rochester.
In 1960, the Xerox 914 copier was introduced in Canada. the 914, the first automatic office copier that produced excellent copies with virtually no competition in the marketplace, was reported to be the single most profitable product invented in the history of marketing.
The company was renamed as Xerox of Canada Ltd in 1961. Business boomed all thru the sixties. Sales quadrupled from 1963 to 1966.
In 1962, C. Jackson Clarke replaced Mr. Stifel and became the general Manager. As a result of organizational restructuring, Xerox of Canada became the Northern Zone which consisted of the US branches north and east of the US and the Canadian branches east of Manitoba and the Ontario border including Toronto and Montreal. Western area of Canada including Manitoba through to BC was aligned with the Western Zone, US. In 1966, the Canadian Region was created.