No_6_1954 — Page 43

NACARECO HOUSE

Architect: Mr. G. D. Su

National Cash Register products have been sold and serviced in the Far East for 55 years. The first sales outlets for this area were established in Japan and China in 1897. From both a manufacturing and a selling standpoint, the Company has made extensive additions to its overseas facilities since World War II. Con- solidated sales of all products and services of the National Cash Regis- ter Company for 1953 were US$260,- 913,000- the largest volume of sales in the Company's history, of which overseas sales were equivalent to one third of the total.

The National opened up its busi- ness in Hong Kong in 1937. At that time, Hong Kong was a branch office of National Cash Register Company. (China) Ltd., with its head office in Shanghai. In 1937, there were some twenty cash registers and no ac- counting machines installed in the Colony.

After the war, in line with the usual Company policy, the Service Department was frst completely equipped before attention was direct- ed to sales. Although the finest equipment was installed and large stocks of spare parts were flown out from the Dayton factory, the short- age of good working space was a con- stant handicap. Despite this pro-

View of the building from King's Road. blem, however, business prospered and to-day there are some 1,000 years of planning on the part of Mr. The entrance on the gound floor is National cash registers and 300 W. S. Anderson, the manager of the in the centre of the King's Road National accounting machines in Hong Kong branch of the Company elevation of the building, flanked by stalled in Hong Kong and Kowloon. and his staff. The Company has large plateglass show windows set at thus achieved a new phase in the an angle to eliminate distracting re- Since V-J day, with the increase realisation of its hopes to contribute flections. The main doors are the In staff and operations, different to the economy of the Colony and to first "Armourplate" solid glass doors departments had to be separated and better its efforts in serving the busi- to be installed in the Colony. The scattered throughout the Colony, ness world where there is a forever entrance leads to a large combined making liaison rather inconvenient. increasing need for modern business reception and showroom, along the With a view to remedying such systems and mechanisation. The new north wall of which is another large decentralisation, the subject of erect-

building, although comparatively plateglass window overlooking the ing a building for the sole use of small as commercial buildings go, is side street; this is the largest single National was broached with the well equipped, spacious and provides plateglass show window in the Company's President, Mr. Stanley excellent working conditions for the Colony. In one corner of the show- Allyn, on his way through Hong staff.

room is a teak counter for a recep- Kong on his first visit to the Far

tion clerk. The showroom, the walls of which are finished with Botticino marble, occupies the entire width of the building, and is over 16 feet deep. The floor is of terrazzo with a brass outlined trademark insert. There is ample shelf and counter space for the display of the wide variety of the smaller types of busi- ness machines in which the firm speci- alises. On the right side is a special counter designed for the display and

East in 1952. In spite of reports that The new building has been erected he had heard of the instability and on a corner lot at 99, King's Road in risks of investment in the Colony, he the growing community of North approached the problem with an Point. The site has as its main open mind and before leaving for frontage King's Road, with the north Singapore. be gave permission to purchase the land.

boundary formed by a new road run- ning west from King's Road.

The building occupies the entire site and is 40 feet by 70 feet. It con- sists of a basement, five floors and a

The official opening in June of "Nacareco House" by the Hon. Julian F. Harrington, the United States Consul General saw the fruition of penthouse.

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