Timeline Stories

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.

The first fully staffed art and design department in the industry is created to develop custom envelope designs for clients.

Walter Berkowitz, son of William Berkowitz, discovers a new, high-speed envelope-folding machine produced by Winkler & Dunnebier (W&D). Berkley Machinery Company was later established and Tension becomes the sole supplier of W&D machinery in the United States. The machine’s introduction revolutionizes the American envelope industry.

The Company’s first manufacturing patent is issued for a shirt-packaging envelope made on custom-designed equipment. E.B. Berkowitz, son of William Berkowitz, begins to develop and patent many machines and envelopes.

The Company begins to concentrate fully on envelopes, which were in great demand by turn-of-the-century businesses and organizations.

The Company installs the first envelope-folding machine as far west as Kansas City. Located in a central railroad distribution town, the Company attracted business from large companies.

Berkowitz & Company, the forerunner of Tension Corporation, opens in Kansas City. The Company, founded by William J. Berkowitz, specialized in popular advertising novelties and business stationery.