North Tonawanda's "Flat iron building", at the northwest corner of Main and Island Streets, south of where Main Street joins River Road.  This photo from the early 1950's shows the Gardei Printing Plant at the front end of the building, with the Meyers Lumber Company office at the back and an architect named Lewis on the second floor as per the signs on the building.  Per Gene Gardei, his parents operated the business in this building from 1949 to 1954. In 1954 they built on Wheatfield Street near Division Street.  Through the years, under Mr. and Mrs. Gardei's ownership, there were eight additions to the new plant. 

 

Gardei, Inc. - 525 Wheatfield Street - Established in 1925, consolidated in 1963 with F. K. Williams which was established in 1878 in Massachusetts.

Eugene Gardei founded Gardei, Inc., in 1925 by Eugene Gardei. Carborundum asked Gardei to manufacture and print die cut blotters and labels for abrasive grinding wheels.  As a primary supplier  for the Carborundum Company, Gardei became recognized as  the pre-eminent supplier of grinding wheel blotters and grinding wheel labels for the abrasives industry.

Gardei acquired F. K. Williams, a Massachusetts based competitor, in 1963. F. K. Williams was established in 1878.  Operations were consolidated in the North Tonawanda, New York facility. This acquisition resulted in Gardei being recognized as the oldest supplier of die cut grinding wheel blotters and grinding wheel labels in the United States. Gardei today continues to serve the abrasives industry as its primary market and abrasives continue to be a major part of the Gardei product line. However, the company also  manufactures other die cut products, both printed and non-printed, including technical test labels, child craft products and fragrance filters.