The Brantford Cordage Company: A Canadian Manufacturing Marvel
Brantford Cordage Company, an icon of Canadian industrial history, was the first to manufacture a premium-grade product of twine and cordage. In its reputation for excellence and innovation, the company expanded from its humble origins in 1901 to become the largest binder twine manufacturer in the British Empire. Its remarkable story, guided by visionary leadership and a relentless commitment to quality, speaks to the persistence of Canadian business.
In 1901, Charles L. Messecar bought a minority stake in a tiny twine manufacturing operation on Brant Avenue in Brantford. Initially, the firm worked on a small scale, producing just 60 tons of twine a year. But Messecar’s vision and his entrepreneurial drive quickly led the company on a rapid growth curve. His management, in addition to the firm’s original directors, S. G. Kitchen, F. Chalcraft, G. E. Cook, and C. W. Gurney, positioned the Brantford Cordage Company as a promising new business in the city. Even in its early days, the firm was new and unusual. The company knew there was an increasing need for premium twine in the agricultural market, and they were determined to satisfy demand at a local, national, and international level. It had a limited output at first, but ambition and hard work set the groundwork for future success.
It was Charles L. Messecar’s leadership that gave the company its drive and direction. As the business expanded, he adopted an approach that was focused on innovation, quality and market penetration. By Messecar’s time as president, when S. G. Kitchen died in 1920, the company was manufacturing thousands of tons of twine a year and employing more than 300 men, a huge improvement from the original 30 workers. The brand had created a few of the best-known binder twine lines, including Gilt Edge, Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf and the ever-favourite Maple Leaf, under Messecar’s guidance. They quickly became a favourite among Canadian farmers and exporters because of their longevity and dependability. The Maple Leaf brand in particular became synonymous with quality and helped to make the company a household name worldwide.
The Brantford Cordage Company was successful due to its serious quality control and advanced manufacturing methods. The firm sourced the best raw materials, from sisal from Mexico, manila from the Philippines, and hemp from New Zealand. They were then carefully manufactured so that the twine remained as robust and long-lasting as possible. Even the process of manufacturing itself was a marvel of efficiency and accuracy. Raw fibres were spun through modern machinery to break down impurities and knots to yield a clean finished product. Those fibres were then quickly spun into thread, using spinning equipment that pounded out 1,600 revolutions per minute. The finished twine was then rolled up, stamped and weighed, then shipped to dealers around Canada and abroad. Such care ensured not only the quality of the product but also made Brantford Cordage Company an industry innovator. Farmers relied on the firm’s products to hold their crops together or for other farm work, making the Maple Leaf Twine a popular commodity in the marketplace.
The reputation for quality within the company soon reached beyond Canada and by the early 1900s, the Brantford Cordage Company was shipping its goods worldwide to the United Kingdom, Scotland, Africa, South America and Continental Europe. Maple Leaf twine became so popular around the world that the company had difficulty keeping up, even when the shop was fully staffed. In response to increased demand, the company embarked on a number of expansions. In 1914-15, it constructed a new mill, complete with new machinery and warehouse space. This growth allowed the company to diversify its business, producing ropes and other cordage goods. By 1919, new warehouse extensions were needed to accommodate increasing production volumes, marking the company’s position as a global market leader.
The Brantford Cordage Company struggled despite its major success. Possibly the most terrible loss came in January 1913, when a fire gutted the company’s warehouse and caused damages in excess of $100,000. Yet the company’s hard work and determination allowed it to heal and operate without halting its trajectory of growth. Even the company was a sharp competitor to large American firms, especially once tariffs were removed. But it kept going strong, largely because of the quality of its products and the radical leadership of Messecar and his team. This was a turning point in the history of the Brantford Cordage Company when in 1958 the company became part of Tancord Industries. The firm moved into a new office at 96 Sherwood Drive as an expression of its continued focus on innovation and efficiency. But by the 1970s, economic demands and global market transformations took their toll. In November 1972, after more than 70 years, the factory officially closed shop, ending one of Brantford’s most revered industries.
Though no longer in business, the Brantford Cordage Company stands today as a symbol of Canadian industry and innovation. Its products, including its infamous Maple Leaf twine, served farmers across Canada and the globe and made agriculture successful on a global scale. In a century of innovation, durability and quality, the Brantford Cordage Company raised Brantford’s standing as an industrial centre and permanently altered the fabric of Canada. The company’s narrative is about passion, foresight and the persistence of quality in the face of all adversity.
References
https://history-api.brantfordlibrary.ca/Document/View/c35a2046-4306-441e-ab2f-3fade46ce2f3
Brantford Expositor. (1927). Brantford Expositor, Semi-Centennial Edition, 1877-1927 (Commemorative Newspapers). Brantford. Public Domain.
Brantford Expositor. (1909, October). Greater Brantford Number. Brantford, Ontario. Public Domain.
Reville, F. D. (1920). History of the County of Brant (Vol. 2). The Hurley Printing Company. Retrieved from http://images.ourontario.ca/brant/83965/data