Gestetner Cyclograph Company

The Gestetner is a type of duplicating machine named after its inventor, David Gestetner (1854 – 1939). Throughout the 20th century, the term became a verb (as in Gestetnering).

David Gestetner moved to London, England, and in 1879 filed his first copying patent there. A later patent in 1881 was for the Cyclostyle, a stylus that was part of the Cyclograph copying device. That same year, he also established the Gestetner Cyclograph Company to produce duplicating machines, stencils, styli, ink rollers and related products. The Gestetner works opened in 1906 at Tottenham Hale, north London, and employed several thousand people until the 1990s, operating in 153 different countries. Gestetner's inventions became an overnight success, and an international chain of branch offices that sold and serviced Gestetner products was established.

The Gestetner Company expanded quickly during the early and mid-20th century. Management was passed to David Gestetner's son, Sigmund Gestetner, and from him to his sons, David and Jonathan. Gestetner acquired other companies during the years: Nashua (later changed to Nashuatec), Rex Rotary, Hanimex and . Eventually a holding company was set up called NRG (Nashuatec / Rex Rotary / Gestetner).

In 1996 the international Gestetner Company was acquired by the Ricoh company of Japan. The company was renamed NRG Group PLC, and markets and services Ricoh products under its three main brand names, primarily in Europe, South Africa and the Middle East, but also through dealers throughout the world. The brand has been owned by Ricoh since 1995^[update]. In Europe, Gestetner Group became NRG Group which, as of 1 April 2007,^[update] became Ricoh Europe.

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