Saturday, May 14, 2011

The market for typewriter ribbons

...has just taken another hit. I guess I had better retire my manual Corona. Fortunately the ability to type remains a useful skill...

The Telegraph reports:
End of an era as last mechanical typewriters are sold
An era of clattering keys and inky ribbons is coming to an end, as the world's last mechanical typewriter manufacturer has revealed it has only 500 left in stock.

"Godrej and Boyce, of India, ceased production in 2009 and has now almost cleared its remaining inventory, according to theBusiness Standard.
The firm's typewriter business peaked at 50,000 per year as the Indian economy took off in the 1990s, but tailed off as computers quickly took over.
"From the early 2000 onwards, computers started dominating. All the manufacturers of office typewriters stopped production, except us," said general manager Milind Dukle.
"Till 2009, we used to produce 10,000 to 12,000 machines a year," he added.
"Godrej and Boyce still sells a few of its remaining mechanical typewriters to defence agencies, courts and government offices in India"

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