Typewriter Talk / Facit in Solna Sweden - Photo

**Posted by Pete E.** 13-3-2022 15:53:36

Found this old photo on-line of a Facit facility in Solna Sweden...

Curious...I think Electrolux bought out the failing Facit AB in 1972. Note quite sure when Ericsson came into the picture.

But as I understand, the Swedish family of Wallenberg owns majority in both firms.

Interesting photo, nevertheless...
.

**Posted by Uwe** 13-3-2022 16:40:47

It is an odd photo; is there any context provided from where you found it? I also wonder who added the crude Ericsson graphic to the image of a Facit facility. Was this actually part of an official announcement of ownership change, or just someone messing around after the fact?

**Posted by Pete E.** 13-3-2022 18:02:44

Sorry, Uwe...no context for the photo. Found it with a search of a photo-hosting web site with no other info.

IIRC...wasn't Facit run for 20 or so years in the 1950-1970's by a fellow named Gunnar Ericsson ? Son of Elof Ericsson. Maybe the photo was a "protest" of things coming in the future...??? Just a WAG.

**Posted by Uwe** 14-3-2022 16:07:50

One key to dating the image is the logo in the graphic overlay. It belongs to L.M. Ericsson and was first used in 1982. According to one source I found, the stylized 'E' was designed by Terry Moore of Allied Designers Ltd.

Next, we have to consider that the telecommunications company acquired Facit in 1983.

If I had to bet on the date of the graphic portion of the image, I'd assume it was circa 1982-1983. However, I believe the photo of the Facit building being used is much older. The quality of the image appears older than early '80s, and although it's not conclusive, there are four parked cars in the shot, all of which appear to be at least a full decade older.

It's certainly a weird item, in part because it doesn't look like something a company like Ericsson would have used to promote the change of ownership.

**Posted by Guth** 17-6-2022 05:05:54

That's a great image that oddly manages to tie together both my past and my present to a degree. Back in the 1980's I worked for Bell Northern Research (BNR). BNR was the R&D branch of Northern Telecom (later known as Nortel Networks, or simply Nortel). Ericsson was a major competitor (one of my neighbors at the time worked for them). Now more than three decades later my telecom career is long behind me (I left my telecom engineering gig after just five years to do something more creative with my life). BNR was all about moving the technology forward. Meanwhile, my preferred technology for writing has happily moved in the opposite direction. Among my arsenal of writing machines are two Facit portables that I enjoy very much.