When a technology company’s name becomes a verb, it signifies a significant milestone in its success. Examples include “to google” for searching online, “to zoom” for video conferencing, and “to skype” for video calls. However, the trendsetter in this regard dates back to the 1960s, with Xerox. Unlike many newer tech companies, Xerox’s journey to achieving this level of recognition was long and challenging.
Chester Carlson, the inventor of electrophotography or xerography, spent a decade pitching his design before striking a manufacturing agreement in 1947 with Haloid, a small photo-paper company based in Rochester. In a world dominated by traditional copying methods like carbon paper, mimeographs, and photographs, the concept of using electricity and dry ink to reproduce printed material seemed far-fetched. For Haloid, which relied on chemistry-based photography for revenue, this partnership was a risky move that could either make or break the company.
Just two years later, when Popular Science first showcased xerography, Haloid introduced a bulky version of Carlson’s machine called the XeroX Copier. Despite its size, the XeroX found a niche in small offices, providing enough revenue to sustain the company and its research efforts.
By 1955, Haloid made significant advancements with the introduction of CopyFlo, which improved the copying process by replacing the flat imaging plate with a drum. This innovation streamlined their product line, simplifying terms like “xenographic machine” to just “copy machine.” However, it was the 914 plain paper copier in 1959 that propelled Haloid Xerox—having recently changed its name—into the spotlight. By 1961, the company shed its Haloid roots, embracing the name Xerox, which became synonymous with copying.
Despite its growth in the 1960s, Xerox’s most groundbreaking inventions were yet to come. The establishment of Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center (Xerox PARC) in the early years showcased the company’s commitment to visionary R&D. From this lab emerged revolutionary creations like the Macintosh computer, ethernet technology, interactive weather maps, and essential software programs. However, Xerox eventually spun off Xerox PARC in 2002 and later donated it to the nonprofit research institute SRI International in 2023.
It took Carlson over two decades for his copying vision to materialize, starting from his kitchen in Queens where he produced his first copy “10.-22.-38 ASTORIA”. From those humble beginnings, the technologies born over eight decades ago have enabled tasks like writing this article in a fraction of the time using modern tools like word processors on personal computers connected via ethernet.
In 1949, Popular Science recognized the disruptive potential of Carlson’s invention, highlighting the dry, chemical-free process that relied on static electricity and fine powders. Carlson’s relentless belief in the revolutionary nature of his invention, which led to the birth of xerography, marked a significant shift in the history of printing and photography.
January 1949: ‘Static Pops Pictures Onto Paper‘ by Paul F. Ellis
Born in a kitchen laboratory, xerography makes printing and photography truly electrical.
One cool night more than ten years ago two men climbed the creaky stairs to a room above a bar and grill in Astoria, Long Island. The room, once a kitchen, was almost bare.
It had a small sink, a table, and a cabinet. On the table was an array of boxes, trays, and pieces of metal and paper.
One of the men was Chester F. Carlson, a physicist turned patent lawyer. The other was a friend whom he had hired as an assistant in his kitchen laboratory.
“Now,” Carlson said, “for the big test.” Some minutes later, he pulled a sheet of paper from a metal plate. On it was printed: “Astoria, October 22, 1938.”
Thus was born xerography, the first new technique in 150 years in the art of putting pictures onto paper.
