Tension Envelope | Historical Overview

Tension Envelope Corporation Historical Overview

1886 – Berkowitz & Company Printing was founded by William Berkowitz in Kansas City, Missouri. This was the predecessor to Tension Envelope Corporation. The date of the founding was March 17, 1886.

1894 – The Company installed the first envelope folding machine West of the Mississippi River. By 1901, the company devoted itself solely to envelopes and became Berkowitz Envelope Company.

1909 – The Company had its first in a long line of envelope manufacturing patents with a unique shirt packaging envelope made on custom-designed equipment.

1914 – Walter and E.B. Berkowitz, sons of the founder, were named President and Secretary/Treasurer of the Company. Berkowitz Envelope moved to its current Kansas City location.

1921 – On a trip to Germany, Walter Berkowitz discovered new size-adjustable rotary folding equipment. North American patent and distribution rights were purchased, and the equipment came to the U.S. to revolutionize the envelope manufacturing industry.

1924 – A new envelope plant and sales organization were established in Des Moines, Iowa.

1932 – The first fully-staffed Art Department in the industry was established to develop custom-tailored envelope designs for clients.

1937 – The Tension Envelope Co. of New York was acquired, and continued to operate under the Tension name. The company was named for the string-and-button “Tension-Tie” envelope it developed in the 1880’s. The plant has been located in South Hackensack, New Jersey since 1951.

1944 – Company operation united under the nationally-known Tension Envelope Corporation name and identity.

1950 – Bert Berkley, son of E.B. Berkowitz and grandson of the founder, joined Tension Envelope Corporation. He was named President in 1962 and Chairman in 1967.

1953 – Tension opened a plant and sales organization in Fort Worth, Texas.

1966 – Richard Berkley, son of Walter Berkowitz and grandson of the founder, became Tension’s Secretary/Treasurer.

1968 – Tension opened a plant and established a sales organization in the Los Angeles, California area. The plant has been located in Temecula, California since 1995.

1970 – Manufacturing facility established in Marysville, Kansas, as a satellite of the Kansas City plant.

1979 – Richard “Dick” Berkley elected Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. He would go on to serve three terms (12 years) as Mayor.

1981 – Bill Berkley, great grandson of the founder, joined Tension Envelope.

1987 – Manufacturing facility established in St. Clair, Pennsylvania, as a satellite of the South Hackensack plant.

1988 – Bill Berkley was appointed President & CEO of Tension Envelope. Bert Berkley continued as Chairman of the Board.

1995 – The Company established an affiliation with E.S. Wigg & Son in Australia.

1997 – Tension opened Tension Envelope Taiwan Corporation. The operation is now the leading envelope manufacturer in Taiwan.

2003 – Tension opened Tension Envelope of China in ShaoXing, near Shanghai.

2005 – The Company established Tension Packaging to market automated fulfillment packaging systems and packaging materials for the direct-to-the-consumer mail order market and the direct mail and central fill pharmacy market.

2011 – Tension celebrated its 125th anniversary. Also in this year, the Company established its new branding identity for Tension Corporation and the Tension Packaging & Automation and Tension International divisions.