Signaling a potential renaissance for the town’s once-flourishing printing trade, The Regal Press Inc. has officially established its new headquarters in a historic brick building on Lenox Street previously occupied by the Plimpton Press.
Revitalizing a Historic Printing Site
Located near the railroad tracks—the very site where presses fell silent after the Plimpton Press closed its doors five years prior—the renovated building has been sandblasted, refurbished, and brought back to life. Advertising manager Carl R. Pedersen explained that company President William N. Duffey purposely chose the Lenox Street location because of its rich printing heritage.
“Plimpton Press was here so long and was one of the largest presses in the country. There was a natural reservoir of skilled people here,” Pedersen noted. Additional factors in the decision included the encouragement of local officials and the proximity of the railroad, which enables the company to receive carload shipments of fine paper. Consequently, Regal Press has become the largest buyer of cotton rag paper in New England.
Unique Capabilities and Rapid Growth
Founded by Duffey eight years ago out of his car before moving to 601 Pleasant Street, the growing company expanded into the Lenox Street facility to accommodate nationwide ambitions. Regal Press is currently the only printer in New England equipped to perform three distinct printing processes under one roof: steel-die engraving, hot-leaf stamping, and raised printing.
Producing fine commercial letterhead stationery and envelopes for major clients such as Gillette and The First National Bank of Boston—as well as specialty orders and wedding invitations for other printers—Regal offers clients the unique ability to purchase paper and direct printing from a single source.
Starting with a local workforce of 60 employees, Pedersen stated that the company is adding staff weekly and anticipates employing 200 people by 1980.
Historical Context and Open House
Town officials and company leaders are hopeful that Regal’s arrival will help revive Norwood’s proud manufacturing legacy. During the mid-20th century, companies like the Plimpton Press and the Norwood Press (which closed in 1952) employed hundreds of workers and served as vital pillars of the local economy. While other businesses absorbed much of the old Plimpton complex—which once stretched from Lenox Street to Nahatan Street—the brick building by the railroad tracks remained vacant until Regal’s arrival.
To celebrate the launch, Regal Press has scheduled an open house for October 4 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., inviting state and local officials, the public, and some 500 executives from leading Massachusetts businesses to tour the operating plant.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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