The Wanzer Company's New Factory

As promised in our January number, we now insert a view of the Wanzer Company's new Factory.

We extract the following from a pamphlet on the City of Hamilton, just published and the census returns in the same book show the number of employees in Messrs. Wanzer's works at 316 men and 32 boys, with a yearly wage of 130.000 dollars.

New and larger shops have been erected for the chief engine works of the city and a new factory has also been built by the Wanzer Company for the manufacture of their sewing machines. The making of sewing machines has been for some years and still is, an important industry in Hamilton. The Wanzer Company recently invested, in extending their works, 100.000 dollars additional to their capital account.

Since 1861 that company has made, in Hamilton, one million and a half of sewing machines. Their business, small and restricted at first, has become immense and extends to all countries of the world. Every machine sold by the Wanzer Company has been made in Hamilton. Their output of machines has reached 1.500 per week. For years their distributing house in London, England, has advertised their machines in more than twenty languages and their wares go wherever English commerce finds its way. The Dominion of Canada is the only part of the British possessions outside the United Kingdom producing machinery worthy of comparison with home manufactures and the most delicate and highly finished articles made in Canada are certainly sewing machines.

The Wanzer Company's exhibit was the only one completed on the day the Exhibition was opened by Her Majesty the Queen. The exhibit comprises machines silvered throughout and finished in advance of anything yet exhibited, the Canadian woodwork, especially the maples and walnut burrs, being selected with great taste. The samples of needlework which, we are informed, were executed entirely upon the hand machine, excited general admiration and the stall pronounced by all to be one of the prettiest sights in the Canadian section. We heartily wish the Wanzer Company success and a profitable trade as the result of their taste and energy.  

The Journal of Domestic Appliances and Sewing Machine Gazette 1886