Alexander Patent Racket Company

Alexander Patent Racket Company was an Australian sporting-goods manufacturer headquartered in Launceston, Tasmania. The company operated from 1925 until its liquidation in 1961 and became notable for commercializing what is described as the world's first laminated tennis racket. Its name came from the patent for that racket, filed on 12 July 1921 by brothers Alfred Alexander Jr. and Douglas Davey Alexander. The company was established by Alfred Alexander Jr. and Stephen B. Hopwood. Before incorporation, Alexander-made rackets were sold exclusively through Hopwood's Launceston retail business, Hopwood & Co. The company's memorandum of association was completed on 22 December 1925, with the initial purpose of acquiring the laminated-racket patent rights held by Hopwood and Alfred Alexander Jr. Manufacturing began in May 1926 at a factory on Abbott Street in the Launceston suburb of Newstead. The facility was expanded several times as the business developed. Alexander initially concentrated on tennis rackets, but from 1931 it broadened its manufacturing program. Its products included badminton and squash rackets, cricket bats, golf clubs, hockey sticks and table-tennis bats. This diversification made the company one of Tasmania's more prominent sporting-goods manufacturers, although its principal identity remained connected to tennis equipment. The company also used athlete endorsements and named product ranges to promote its goods. Tennis ranges associated with James Anderson and Jim Willard were produced during the interwar period, while leading Australian players including Jack Crawford and Adrian Quist used or endorsed Alexander equipment. Crawford used an Alexander Cressy Wizard flat-top racket during his highly successful 1933 season, when he won the Australian, French and Wimbledon singles championships. The company faced practical difficulties in sourcing suitable timber. Early tests suggested that locally grown wood was not appropriate for tennis-racket production, forcing Alexander to import ash from England. In response, the directors helped establish Ash Plantations Ltd in 1933. By the late 1930s, that associated venture had planted more than 90,000 ash trees at Hollybank Forest near Underwood, along with a smaller number of willow trees intended for cricket-bat production. The plantation effort did not succeed because the ash trees failed to thrive in the local soil, and the project was abandoned in 1950. During the Second World War, Alexander supplemented its sporting-goods operations with defence-related manufacturing. It produced ammunition boxes, crates, drums and latrine poles, and continued to seek government work after the war, including contracts connected with the Department of Supply and the Postmaster-General's Department. The company also briefly attempted to manufacture furniture from Tasmanian oak. That venture failed in part because the company was registered as a sporting-goods manufacturer and did not hold the appropriate licence for furniture production. Alexander's sporting activities extended beyond manufacturing and sponsorship. Teams made up of factory employees competed in local cricket and Australian football, and a factory sports club organized cycling competitions. The company remained a significant local employer, but by the late 1950s it was under pressure from larger sporting-goods suppliers and from automation and newer manufacturing methods. It delisted from the Launceston Stock Exchange in April 1958 after having been listed since May 1936. Negotiations with Spalding to acquire the business were unsuccessful, and Alexander entered liquidation on 18 September 1961. Spalding subsequently acquired rights to the Cressy brand and produced Spalding Cressy tennis rackets from its Victorian factory until at least 1966. Attempts to sell the former factory to Dunlop Rubber also failed in 1962. The site was eventually acquired by the Launceston PCYC in 1968; the surviving factory structure became its clubrooms, while the original building was removed after years of vacancy and deterioration.

The Alexander Patent Racket Company originated from the work of Alfred Alexander Jr. and his brother Douglas Davey Alexander, who filed a patent for a laminated tennis racket on 12 July 1921. Before the company existed, rackets made by Alexander were marketed through Stephen B. Hopwood's Launceston store, Hopwood & Co. Alfred Alexander Jr. and Hopwood later became the principal founders of the company, which was incorporated on 22 December 1925. One of its first corporate purposes was to acquire the rights to the laminated-racket patent from the founders. Production began in May 1926 at a factory at 146 Abbott Street, Newstead, Launceston. The business initially focused on tennis rackets. The laminated construction was a significant part of its identity and explains the inclusion of “Patent Racket” in the corporate name. The factory underwent extensions in 1927, 1928, 1934 and 1951. From 1931, Alexander broadened its operations into other sporting goods, manufacturing badminton and squash rackets, cricket bats, golf clubs, hockey sticks and table-tennis bats. The company used branded ranges and athlete associations to market these products. Its tennis endorsements included James Anderson, whose J.O. Anderson range was made from 1929 to 1934, and Jim Willard, whose named range was produced from 1933 to 1941. Jack Crawford and Adrian Quist were among the most prominent players associated with the brand. In 1933 Crawford used an Alexander Cressy Wizard flat-top racket while winning three major singles championships. Material supply was a persistent issue. Experiments indicated that available Tasmanian timber was unsuitable for tennis-racket manufacture, so the company imported ash from England. To create a domestic supply, Ash Plantations Ltd was formed in 1933. More than 90,000 ash trees were planted at Hollybank Forest near Underwood by the late 1930s, together with some willow for cricket-bat production. The ash plantation failed because the trees did not grow well in the local soil, and the project was abandoned in 1950. Alexander also adapted its production to wartime and postwar conditions. During the Second World War it accepted defence contracts for ammunition boxes, crates, drums and latrine poles. After the war it continued to bid for government work, including contracts associated with the Department of Supply and the Postmaster-General's Department. A short-lived move into Tasmanian-oak furniture ended unsuccessfully because the company was registered as a sporting-goods manufacturer and lacked the required furniture-manufacturing licence. The company supported employee sports teams and maintained a factory sports club that held cycling events. Its products were used by numerous Australian tennis players and cricketers. Named cricket products included ranges connected with Jack Badcock from 1934 to 1939 and Keith Rigg from 1933 to 1937. By the late 1950s, however, automation and improved manufacturing methods strengthened the position of larger sporting-goods companies. Alexander delisted from the Launceston Stock Exchange in April 1958, having first been listed in May 1936. Negotiations for a Spalding takeover did not succeed, and the company went into liquidation on 18 September 1961. Spalding later acquired rights to the Cressy name and produced Spalding Cressy rackets from Victoria until at least 1966. A proposed sale of Alexander's factory to Dunlop Rubber also failed in 1962. The site remained unused and deteriorated for several years, after which the original factory was removed. The remaining building became the clubrooms of the Launceston PCYC, which acquired the site in 1968.

• 1968

  Former factory site acquired by Launceston PCYC

  [1]Alexander Patent Racket Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The surviving factory building and site became associated with the Launceston PCYC, which purchased the site.

• 1961

  Liquidation

  [1]Alexander Patent Racket Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The company entered liquidation on 18 September after unsuccessful takeover discussions with Spalding.

• 1958

  Delisting

  [1]Alexander Patent Racket Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Alexander delisted from the Launceston Stock Exchange in April.

• 1950

  Ash plantation project abandoned

  [1]Alexander Patent Racket Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The local ash-growing project was ended after the trees failed to thrive in the Hollybank soil.

• 1936

  Stock-exchange listing begins

  [1]Alexander Patent Racket Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The company became listed on the Launceston Stock Exchange in May.

• 1933

  Ash Plantations Ltd established

  [1]Alexander Patent Racket Companyen.wikipedia.org

  An associated plantation company was formed to develop a local source of ash timber for racket production.

• 1931

  Product diversification

  [1]Alexander Patent Racket Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Alexander added badminton and squash rackets, cricket bats, golf clubs, hockey sticks and table-tennis bats to its range.

• 1926

  Manufacturing starts in Launceston

  [1]Alexander Patent Racket Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The company's Newstead factory began operations in May.

• 1925

  Company incorporated

  [1]Alexander Patent Racket Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The memorandum of association was completed on 22 December, establishing the Alexander Patent Racket Company.

• 1921

  Laminated tennis-racket patent filed

  [1]Alexander Patent Racket Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Alfred Alexander Jr. and Douglas Davey Alexander lodged the patent that later gave the company its name.

A Tasmanian sporting-goods manufacturer positioned around locally based production, patented racket construction, athlete endorsement and a broad range of amateur and professional sporting equipment.

• Tennis equipment · 1926

  Laminated tennis rackets

  The company's defining product category was laminated tennis rackets based on the patent filed by Alfred Alexander Jr. and Douglas Davey Alexander in 1921. Production began in Launceston in 1926. The construction distinguished Alexander from manufacturers relying on conventional solid-wood designs and formed the basis of the company's name and early commercial identity.

• Tennis equipment

  Alexander Cressy Wizard

  The Cressy Wizard was a flat-top tennis racket associated with the company's most prominent competitive success. Jack Crawford used an Alexander Cressy Wizard during his 1933 campaign, when he won the Australian, French and Wimbledon singles titles. The racket was part of Alexander's effort to connect patented construction with high-level player endorsement.

• Tennis equipment · 1929

  J.O. Anderson range

  Produced from 1929 to 1934, this tennis-racket range was endorsed by Australian player James Anderson, a three-time Australian Open winner and 1922 Wimbledon doubles champion. The range illustrates Alexander's use of named athlete products to build credibility and visibility in the competitive tennis market.

• Tennis equipment · 1933

  Jim Willard range

  The Jim Willard range was produced from 1933 to 1941 under an endorsement arrangement with Australian tennis player Jim Willard, who had won two Australian Open mixed-doubles titles. It formed part of the company's interwar portfolio of player-associated tennis products.

• Cricket equipment · 1933

  Cricket bats

  Alexander produced cricket bats alongside its racket business and supplied products used by Australian and Tasmanian cricketers. Named ranges included the Jack Badcock bats, made from 1934 to 1939, and the Keith Rigg range, made from 1933 to 1937. The company also produced a Kippax bat for sale through Alan Kippax's N.S.W. Sports Depot.

• Multi-sport equipment · 1931

  Other sporting equipment

  From 1931 the company manufactured badminton and squash rackets, golf clubs, hockey sticks and table-tennis bats. These products broadened Alexander's manufacturing base beyond tennis and helped it operate as a general sporting-goods supplier rather than a single-category racket maker.

• 1935Adrian Quist sponsorship

  Australia · International tennis

  Adrian Quist, a leading Australian player and Crawford's 1935 Wimbledon doubles partner, was among the high-profile tennis players sponsored by Alexander.

  Outcome. The sponsorship strengthened Alexander's visibility in elite Australian tennis.

  Source
• 1933Jack Crawford endorsement

  Australia · International tennis

  Alexander sponsored Jack Crawford, who used an Alexander Cressy Wizard racket during his 1933 season and won the Australian, French and Wimbledon singles championships.

  Outcome. The association connected the brand with one of the strongest Australian tennis performances of the era.

  Source

• 1961

  Attempted sale to SpaldingM&A

  Background

  The company sought a transaction as its competitive position weakened.

  Action taken

  Alexander held unsuccessful discussions with Spalding about an acquisition.

  Aftermath

  The proposed takeover did not proceed, and Alexander entered liquidation on 18 September. Spalding later acquired rights to the Cressy brand.

  • Spalding — Spalding did not acquire the company but later purchased the Cressy brand rights and produced Spalding Cressy rackets.

  Source

• 1958

  Delist from the Launceston Stock ExchangeStrategy

  Background

  The company faced increasing competitive pressure from larger suppliers and changing manufacturing technology.

  Action taken

  Alexander delisted from the Launceston Stock Exchange in April 1958.

  Aftermath

  The company continued operating for a short period before entering liquidation in 1961.

  Source

• 1939

  Enter defence-related manufacturingStrategy

  Background

  Wartime conditions created demand for non-sporting manufactured goods.

  Action taken

  The company accepted defence contracts for ammunition boxes, crates, drums and latrine poles, and continued bidding for government work after the war.

  Aftermath

  Government-contract activity continued beyond the war, although the company's core identity remained sporting-goods manufacture.

  Source

• 1933

  Develop a domestic ash supplyStrategy

  Background

  The company depended on imported English ash because locally available timber was considered unsuitable for tennis-racket manufacture.

  Action taken

  Alexander's directors established Ash Plantations Ltd and planted more than 90,000 ash trees at Hollybank Forest, with additional willow intended for cricket bats.

  Aftermath

  The trees failed to thrive in the local soil, and the plantation program was abandoned in 1950.

  Source

1. 1Alexander Patent Racket Companyen.wikipedia.org