R. Hoe & Company
| Defunct | |
| Industry | Graphic Arts Equipment |
| Founded | New York City, United States, 1805 |
| Founders | Robert Hoe, Matthew Smith |
| Defunct | 1984 |
| Headquarters | New York City, United States |
R. Hoe & Company was a New York City based printing press manufacturer established by Peter Smith, Matthew Smith (?–1822), and their brother-in-law, English emigrant Robert Hoe (1784–1833), in 1805 as Smith, Hoe & Company.
The company initially specialized in the manufacture of wooden hand printing presses, but later added saw-making. In 1819 the company expanded to printing presses. Peter Smith's iron Acorn press was announced to the trade in 1822. A replica of the Acorn press used to print the First Edition of the Book of Mormon in 1829 is on display at Brigham Young University–Idaho. After Smith’s death, Hoe and his sons renamed the company and worked on improving existing machinery. In 1827 Hoe bought and improved a patent on wrought iron framed presses initially owned by Samuel Rust.
After their father’s death, sons Richard and Robert Hoe (?–September 23, 1909) took control of the company and continued to innovate the printing process. The company developed a mechanical sheet delivery system, invented and patented the rotary printing press, and developed the first type revolving presses. R. Hoe & Company helped facilitate the rapid and inexpensive production of newspapers.
Their 1855 lithographic presses, in dimensions of 19x24 inches to 38x48 inches, sold for $165–375. A six-cylinder model was able to produce 166,000 16-page newspapers per hour.
In 1855 the company employed 400 people. By May 4, 1886, the 700 Hoe employees went on strike to demand that their ten-hour workday be reduced to nine, without a reduction in pay. After negotiations, the company agreed to reduce the workday, but also to reduce pay accordingly. The company’s machinists went on strike in July 1898, congregating in the surrounding streets. Police were called on day seven to disperse the crowd. In 1902, during the funeral procession of Rabbi Jacob Joseph, some employees of the Hoe factory started a riot and assaulted some of the 50,000 mourners as they passed. 200 police responded and joined the riot on the side of the factory workers.
By 1909 the company employed 2,500 at its New York factory and 800 in London.
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