Timeline Stories

Tension installs its first web machine, which produces envelopes from a continuous roll of paper. Web machines are fast and efficient, allowing for an impressive array of options, including printing, folding, window and profiling.

Tension establishes a sales organization in Santa Fe, a Los Angeles suburb, bringing coast-to-coast coverage with local attention.

Bert Berkley, son of E.B. Berkowitz, takes the helm at Tension.

Tension Envelope Foundation is established to “do the greatest good for the greatest number of worthwhile organizations.” The Foundation continues to live by this mission.

Walt Hiersteiner receives his first of more than 50 patents, this one for a container. Walt, an expert inventor and Berkowitz family member, drove sales at Tension for many years.

Building on the popularity of the Tension Tie envelope, the Company consolidates all manufacturing and sales divisions and officially becomes Tension Envelope Corporation.

E.B. Berkowitz patents the self-sealing envelope.

The Company acquires another pioneer in the U.S. envelope industry, Tension Envelope Company of Brooklyn, New York. Tension Envelope Company was well known for its popular “Tension Tie” envelope, which closed by twisting a string attached to a flap button around a lower button, thus holding the contents under tension.