The Kendall Company - Walpole, MA - Iconic Factories on Waymarking.com

In Walpole, near the center of town, is a large complex of brick and concrete buildings that was once a manufacturing plant and headquarters for The Kendall Company, which made a variety of products mostly under the brand names, Curad, Curity, and Kendall.

The complex is bounded by Elm Street, West Street, and a railroad line. It is easily visible from public ways. The main building is a multi-story brick building, now with large glass windows. A building to the south is made of brick and concrete. I believe that these were the corporate headquarters. Other buildings that probably served as warehouses are located to the west.

The Neponset River, little at this point, is the stream that flows under West Street, then dives under the main building and comes out again at Elm Street.

The Kendall Company was started, when Henry P. Kendall bought the Lewis Batting Company at this location. At the time, the Lewis Batting Company was in trouble and Henry P. Kendall was called in to help. This company was making cotting absorbant materials and batting, as well as carpet liners. The name was changed to Lewis Manufacturing Company. The company ran successfully. In World War I, need for medical supplies were great, and the company was able to expand and meet the demand, by buying a mill, the Slaterville Finishing Company, in Slaterville, RI. Later, they bought cotton mills in South Carolina. In 1924, the company name became Kendall Mills, Inc. They later acquired other surgical supply companies: Black and Bauer of Chicago, IL, and Bike Web Manufacturing Company of South Bend, IN, and opened plants in Toronto, Canada, and Mexico City, Mexico.

Neither source found described what exactly was made in Walpole. However, one source stated that gauze bandages and diapers under the Curity brand were manufactured here. Their research labs at this location also developed a flexible weave fabric that they made into products under the Webril brand. Their Black and Bauer facility in Chicago developed a plastic bandaid that they sold under the Curad brand.

In 1972, Colgate-Palmolive purchased Kendall, and it became a wholly owned subsidiary. In 1988, the company was bought from Colgate-Palmolive by a group of Colgate-Palmolive managers. This lasted until 1994, when the major division of Kendall, Kendall Healthcare, was purchased by Tyco International of Exeter, NH. After the purchase, manufacturing operations were moved to Tyco's facility in Mansfield, MA. These are now part of a spinoff called Covidien.

Today, the buildings, are part of the Walpole Station Business Center. Current occupants include a mortgage company, VNA services, and a photography studio.

Other Source:

Answers.com (Kendall International, Inc.):
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Walpole Library (Kendall]
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Wikipedia (Covidien):
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Product manufactured here: Cotton absorbing material and batting used in products under the Curity brand. Webril brand woven products developed here. Address: 55 West Street Walpole, MA United States of America 02067 Web Page: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   12/25/2021 theTwonky visited it