World's last typewriter plant shuts ceases production

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Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd has shut down its factory in Mumbai, the last plant in the world producing mechanical typewriters. To most of us, these machines are curious antiques, but they had been quite popular in India where 400 million Indians still lack reliable electricity. As well, they were widely used in courts and government agencies.

In the 1990s, the company made 50,000 machines a year. This declined to 12,000 units in 2009.  

The company still has 500 units of its Prima brand in inventory, the last of its kind. General manager Milind Dukle told India's Business Standard newspaper, "We are not getting many orders now," he said. "This might be the last chance for typewriter lovers."

One country that might be on the look out for these machines is Italy, where graduating journalists must take a typing test on manual typewriters. At one point there was a movement to modernize the test, but the government worried that it would  put the government employed typewriter repair personnel out of work.

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