NCR Corporation

Dayton USA 1884

editor: J.F. van Hanswijk Pennink

retired from NCR

Contact: 7 North Main Street, Dayton, Ohio 45402, USA Telephone: 937.228.6271 Fax: 937.331.7160 Hours: 10:00 am - 4:30 pm (Tuesday through Friday); Noon - 4:00 pm (Saturday)

John H. Patterson founds the National Cash Register Company, maker of the first mechanical cash registers. The first office, with 13 employees, is located in the Callahan Power Building, in Dayton, Ohio.(6)

1885

Englishman, J. W. Allison observes the self-adding cash register at a Chicago exhibition and learns that the machine can be adapted for English currency. He is so impressed, that he becomes NCR's first international agent, based in Liverpool, UK.

Mid-to-late 1880s --

Innovative sales techniques are instituted: guaranteed sales territories, quota and point systems, sales conventions, and conservative dress. Also, advertising, direct-mail, and publications for agents, customers and employees are instituted on a massive scale.

1888

The first company-owned factory is established on the Patterson farm land on the south side of Dayton.

1892

Sales agents memorizes the NCR Primer, a book containing a sales presentation with proven results. Formal sales classes are established.

1894

Employee benefit programs begin with hot lunches, a "glass" factory to improve lighting and ventilation, baths, showers, exercise programs, social and professional clubs, and many more.

1895

NCR suggestion system is established to encourage employee ideas for improving products and operations. Gold was awarded to suggestion winners.

Mid 1890s

"THINK!" signs are erected in factory buildings, sales offices, and club rooms.

1898

First international convention for overseas sales agents is held.

1902

The Class 35 is produced with a total register and printer.

(photo courtesy JFHP)

1903

A tent camp is set up in Sugar Camp at Dayton, Ohio (seat of NCR) to train sales persons, the so called“Canvas University”

1906

Charles F. Kettering designs the first cash register powered by an electric motor. Within a few years, he will develop the Class 1000 register which will be in production for 40 years.

Charles F. Kettering also develops the O.K. Telephone Credit Authorization system for verifying credit in department stores.

1911

The One millionth cash register is sold in NCR's 27th year of business.

1913

NCR saves many lives during the great flood in Dayton. John Patterson orders flat-bottom boats made by company carpenters; a tent city is erected for the homeless; and food and medical care are dispensed. Patterson successfully heads a million-dollar relief fund.

Class 500 is een cashregister with 9 cash drawers and electrically driven. It has 10 totals and a printer. This machine can be used by 9 different employees. Thus curbing fraude, errors and possible misunderstandings.

(photo courtesy JFHP)

1921

The Class 2000 accounting machine with 30 totalizers is introduced and in different models the class 2000 will be marketed up to 1973, making the 2000 the longest-lived and one of the most successfull machines of any NCR product. Different models will be constructed, e.g. models for savings accounts, salary- and hotel administration.

(photo courtesy JFHP)

Frederick Beck Patterson, John Patterson's son, becomes president, and his father, chairman. (a year before the founder's death in 1922)

1922

The Class 2000 bank machine is introduced, an electronic version called: "Postronic". This machine is at once very succesfull since it gave perfect control over the savings account management of a bank. The machine has over 20,000 parts and is assembled by hand.

John Patterson founder of NCR dies

1924

The Class 2000 machine is modified for accounting in hotels.

1926

NCR becomes publicly owned and is incorporated in the State of Maryland, USA.

1928

NCR buys the Ellis Adding Typewriter Company producer of the only machine that combined a typewriter with a adding machine in one unit. A detailed report on accounting is now possible. This concept will be improved upon by NCR making it the most flexible accounting machine in existence in the pre-electronic era (ref: NCR Class 31, 32, 33 )

NCR class 32 (photo courtesy JFHP)

1929

The Class 3000 accounting machine is developed from the Ellis model having a keyboard to input a narrative description of entries, as well as adding, subtracting and printing features.

Grace Kelly (princes of Monaco) demonstrates a NCR class 3000
(photo courtesy JFHP)

1931

Colonel Edward A. Deeds returns to NCR to become chairman of the board. He left the company in 1915 to help manage Delco, a company founded by Charles Kettering. He also co-founds the Wright Airplane Company with Orville Wright and others.

1934

NCR's Golden Jubilee is celebrated with a "gold prospecting" sales contest at worldwide offices.

1937

Seven NCR employees form a credit union with $70 capital.

The Class 2000 is modified to process and print pay checks in one single operation. This will make it the most advanced electro-mechanical accounting machine ever.

1938

The first electronics research begin in the NCR Electrical Department. The research team will produce a counting device using vacuum tubes by 1942.

1939

Construction on Old River recreational park, near the Dayton headquarters, begins.

1943

Adding machines expand the product line with the purchase of the Allan-Wales Adding Machine Corporation in Ithaca, New York.

1944

The first annual meeting of the NCR 25-year Club is held in Dayton.

Late 1940s

NCR engineers create magnetic memory drums attached to accounting machines, various electronic digital displays and indicators, and signature verification systems using video signals.

1950

The Class 31 accounting machine is introduced. This machine is very versatile and can be put to service in all accounting fields. Other vesions are the Class 32 en 33.

1952

NCR acquires Computer Research Corporation (CRC), of Hawthorne, California, which produces a line of digital computers with applications in aviation. With this acquisition NCR enters the computer era.

1953

NCR establishes the Electronics Division to continue to pursue electronic applications for business machines.

1954

NCR Country Club opens in Dayton with two golf courses and a clubhouse.

NCR carbonless paper is introduced.

1956

NCR's Post-Tronic, the first product with automated features, is unveiled to the banking industry.

1957

Stanley C. Allyn becomes chairman of the board.

1958

Introduction of the NCR 304 business computer. The first commercial available computer with a solid state processor.

1959

The NCR 304 system, the industry's first all-transistorized, or solid-state, computer for general business is marketed.

1960

Introduction of the NCR 315, a general purpose business computer. It is the first computer with the abillity to uprade to a higher version in this series.

The NCR 390 is the first low-cost, mass-marketed computer. It uses punched tape recorders for original data entry.

1961

The 420 optical scanner system is introduced. It reads the entered data from cash register journals and accounting machine tapes.

The NCR 315 computer with random-access memory, and later, all-thin-film rod memory, is introduced.

Early 1960s

Research into silicon-chip technology begins.

1962

Robert S. Oelman becomes chairman of the board.

1964

World exibition in New York (USA)
click on picture for larger image

1966

PCMI Microform Systems is established.

1968

The NCR 615 Century series is introduced; the 5000th Century system was installed in 1974. It is the first low cost electronic data processing system to put programs, operating software and data on a harddisk.

1969

MOS/LSI circuitry for computer terminals is announced.

In England NCR did a mega job by changing all cashiers from the 12 (duodecimal) to the decimal monetary system. The picture shows a converted accounting machine being delivered to a client. (see picture below the men in white coats)

the arrival of a converted machine (photo courtesy JFHP)

1970

Microelectronics Division is established.

Encapsulation technology was announced.

1971

NCR changes its logo

1972

William S. Anderson becomes president and will be named chief executive officer in 1973.

The 10-millionth machine, the NCR 280, is manufactured.

1974

Anderson becomes chairman of the board.

NCR 299 tabulator (ca. 1974's) picture courtesy JFHP

This machine, NCR 299, is built in the NCR factories in Augsburg, Germany. It has a selectric type of letter ball, a line width of 57 cm, a core memory of 8k for a stored program and 8k for data.

The NCR company changes its name to NCR Corporation.

1976

Charles E. Exley, Jr., becomes president.

New World Headquarters in Dayton is dedicated.

The NCR Criterion series is announced.

NCR acquires Data Pathing Inc. An important producer of data / factory entry and processing systems.

1978

NCR acquires Quantor Corporation to gain computer output microfiche capabilities. Quator is renamed to NCR Micrograhics System Division.

NCR becomes the only computer system company with computer output to microfiches

1979

NCR acquires Comten, Inc., a leading force in data communications technology in communicating with IBM computers . This made NCR leading in data communication technology.

1980

NCR acquires Applied Digital Data Systems, Inc. (ADDS), a leading supplier of high-quality video display computer terminals.

1981

NCR enters the word processing market with the WorkSaver product line.

An OEM Systems Division is established and NCR's Microelectronics Division entered the merchant market for semiconductors.

1982

The first NCR Tower supermicrocomputer system is launched, establishing NCR as a pioneer in bringing industry standards and open systems architecture to the computer market. The tower uses UNIX as the operating system

1983

Charles E. Exley, Jr. is named chief executive officer.

NCR's first personal computer is released.

NCR 9300, the industry's first 32-bit VLSI mainframe, is released.

1984

NCR celebrates its 100th anniversary in the information processing systems industry.

Charles E. Exley, Jr. becomes chairman and president when William S. Anderson retires.

1985

A Personal Computer Division is formed and several new, industry-compatible personal computer models are introduced.

A 32-bit model is added to the UNIX®-based NCR TOWER family.

A new generation of self-service automated teller machines is introduced.

1986

Product introductions include:

• The NCR 9800 series, a new generation of computers based on incremental architecture and NCR's 32-bit microprocessor chip.
• The Comten 5660, a powerful new generation communications processor, is introduced.
• The NCR I-9500, the most powerful member of the I-9000 family of interactive systems is introduced.

1987

A company-wide program make NCR people aware of the company's mission to "create value for stakeholders."

Product introductions include:

• the most powerful NCR TOWER system yet;
• a new generation of advanced point-of-sale systems for the retail industry;
• and a comprehensive new family of personal computer products.

1988

Gilbert P. Williamson is named president and Charles E. Exley, Jr. assumes the title of chairman and chief executive officer.

Product introductions include:

• The NCR System 10000, a new family of computers utilizing NCR's 32-bit processor technology and ITX operating system, is introduced.
• Four new models are added to the NCR TOWER family of supermicrocomputers.

1990

NCR announced its long-term product direction: Open, Cooperative Computing.

Product introductions include:

• NCR System 3000, a family of scalable, microprocessor-based systems;
• NCR COOPERATION, an integrating environment for enterprise-wide computing;
• NCR Open Networking Environment (ONE), a set of superior networking products.

American Telephone & Telegraph Company announced plans to acquire NCR

1991

NCR is acquired by AT&T. Not without resistance by NCR itself.

AT&T and NCR sign a definitive merger agreement in May, and the merger completed on September 19.

Product introductions include:

• the NCR 3600, the most powerful general-purpose computer on the market;
• NCR Document Management System, a general-purpose imaging system based on microprocessor technology and open, scalable systems;
• the NCR 3120, a notebook computer designed for mobile professionals who want feature-rich computing both in and outside the office;
• the NCR 3125, an advanced pen-based notepad that is the first mobile automation tool with true handwriting-recognition capabilities;
• and NCR Fourth Generation Self-Service Systems, which offer retail banks an unprecedented availability level of up to 99.9 percent.

Charles E. Exley retired and Gilbert P. Williamson assume the position of chairman and chief executive officer. R. Elton White is named president.

1992

Teradata merge with AT&T on February 28 and is functionally integrated into NCR.

Groundbreaking on a new development facility for massively parallel computing takes place in San Diego. NCR and AT&T recognize the one-year anniversary of a successful high-tech merger.

Democratic National Convention delegates vote using NCR 7054 Integrated Touch Screen Systems.

Product introductions include:

• the NCR 3170, successor to the Safari notebook computers;
• the 3130 NotePad computer;
• the System 7000 family of MIPS RISC-based symmetric multiprocessing systems running UNIX System V 4.0;
• the NCR 3225, a low-cost entry-level personal computer;
• the 5688 drive-up ATM;
• and new ATMs capable of reading AT&T smart cards.

NCR Teradata becomes the world's most proven and powerful database for data warehousing.

The 7054 ITS is discontinued. The replacement is the Model 7450 terminal/workstation, which also accepts the Compris solution.

1994

NCR name changed to AT&T Global Information Solutions (GIS).

1995

Lars Nyberg appointed chairman and CEO of AT&T GIS.(4) On September 20, AT&T announces that it is restructuring into three separate companies: a services company, retaining the AT&T name; a products and systems company (later named Lucent Technologies) and a computer company AT&T GIS (which reassumed the NCR name). Lucent is spun off in October 1996, and NCR in December, 1996.(3)

1996

December 31, AT&T GIS changed its name back to NCR Corporation in anticipation of being spun-off to AT&T shareholders by January 1997, as an independent, publicly-traded company.

NCR At A Glance

1997

Signaling its evolution from a hardware-only company to a full solutions provider, NCR purchases Compris Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of store automation and management software for the food-service industry, and purchases Dataworks, a company that develops check-processing software.

1998

NCR finalized the transfer and sale of their computer hardware manufacturing assets to Solectron, confirming NCR's commitment to concentrate on the market-differentiated software and services components of their solutions portfolios.

NCR sold its TOP END middleware software to BEA Systems in a move to expand NCR's application software offerings while moving away from horizontal general purpose computer software. (4)

NCR purchased 50 percent of Stirling Douglas Group, Inc. (SDG), a privately-held software firm and leading provider of merchandise management applications.

2000

Leading e-businesses such as Travelocity.com, E*Trade and Microstrategy implemented NCR's Teradata warehouse solutions as the foundation of their sophisticated customer-focused offerings and marketing initiatives. (4)

Division's main Scottish facility is in Dundee, where the company designs, develops, manufactures and markets state-of-the-art self-service solutions. NCR has a tradition of industry knowledge and expertise, and world-leading hardware technology. Self-service is no longer confined to the dispensing of cash, but ranges from cheque imaging to e-commerce and beyond into m-commerce. On the leading edge of technology, are our machines with personality, which can recognise customers from the unique pattern of the iris and respond to transaction requests by speech recognition and synthesis.NCR Corporation is a $7 billion global market leader active in 130 countries, and we're furthering our commitment in Scotland with a new R&D facility in Dundee, opening in 2001. (1)

International

NCR acquires CRM provider Ceres Integrated Solutions and services company 4Front Technologies, deepening NCR's solutions offerings in key markets for CRM.

2003

Mark Hurd appointed CEO of NCR.

Last Updated on June 15, 2004

For suggestions  please mail the editors

Footnotes & References