NORTH ADAMS — When Albert Bachand of this city realized that his work at a local manufacturing plant was highly seasonal, he decided to do something about it.
The result is this city’s newest manufacturing plant, a clock factory.
Although still in the fledgling stage, Mr. Bachand’s clock factory turned out 100 clocks last month and he expects to double production next month. Starting in his cellar, he has been forced to take larger quarters in the factory building at 146 Ashland Street.
When Mr. Bachand was wondering just what to make, he hit upon the idea of grandfather clocks. Many people, he reasoned, would like a large handsome clock of this type — but few could afford them. So, taking a real old clock for a model he started to figure out how he could lower the cost. The result was a modernized modification of this always popular model of timepiece. Principal difference is that, instead of being square, the body of the clock is triangular, thus fitting snugly in a corner. Instead of pendulum and weights, the works are electric. Shelves occupy the space formerly taken up by the swinging pendulum. The face is taken from a design on a real antique clock and the top design comes from a similar source.
Having designed the clock, Mr. Bachand then worked out streamlined construction methods, made some samples and went out to see if he could sell them. So excellent was the response that he soon had to hire help, and now has two men working more or less steadily and has had as many as four engaged in building clocks at one time. With the method of assembling them which he has developed, Mr. Bachand estimated that he can turn out 100 clocks per month per worker.
Although at the present he is devoting himself exclusively to the inexpensive type of clock he has designed, Mr. Bachand expects and hopes later to branch out into more expensive actual copies of valuable old clocks. He is extremely optimistic over the success to date of his venture and feels that he has given North Adams one more small but useful industry.
This Story in History is selected from the archives by Jeannie Maschino, The Berkshire Eagle.
