The three "Forto" typewriters that just topped the Typewriterdatabase list of recently edited galleries are marked 'Made in Holland' by 'Forto N.V. Bussum'. The Forto portable machine has been described before and identified as a Consul machine, a typewriter made by (the) Zbrojovka in Brno, Czechoslovakia. The serial numbers suggest that all three Forto specimens were manufactured in 1961; a relatively rare name-variant of the Consul. But - 'Made in Holland' ?
There was quite some post-war typewriter manufacture in The Netherlands. E.g. by Royal (moving into the premises of a defunct cigar-manufacturer in Leiden), Halberg (later bought by Royal), IBM or Remington. However, Forto NV in Bussum is rather more obscure.
Was this even a factory? Or simply a badging dreamed-up by Zeta/Consul to sell into the US? Doing some browsing through some online archives, it seems that Forto actually was a real company producing metal goods.
The company name "Forto" of Bussum turns up first in 1937, when they get type-approval for their Forto-brand bicycle rearlight. The company 'Metaalwarenfabriek "Forto"' in 1939 gets type-approval for a second model of rearlight (with reflector).
The address associated with the company then, Ruthardlaan 2, is a residential address - the office or perhaps residence of the owner/director (or both). Certainly not a factory.
Then in the above 1947 job posting for experienced die and tool makers a more industrial location is given. This 2e Industrieweg 4 location is a relatively small-scale industrial development of 1936, with multiple workshops around a courtyard and the complex itself surrounded by residential streets. Not certain if this was the primary site, or e.g only a toolmaker workshop.
The entrance to the courtyard, image from an article on the site of the Bussum Historical Society.
In the 1950s they occasionally advertise jobs; mostly girls for assembly-work and boys as press or lathe operator. (Retirees are also invited to apply.) The job postings indicate the company has presses, lathes and does some assembly-work as well. They perhaps have their own tool-making or maintenance. One of the products they manufacture are weighing scales, as indicated by hiring for the 'scales-department'.
In October 1959 they start hiring for the typewriter department (
afd. schrijfmachines); openings for an assembly worker, packer and trainees. (Again, also open for pensioners to apply.) This seems consistent with the typewriter manufacture mostly being the assembly of kits from Zeta/Consul.
The address given is again a residential address. Initially only number 17, then 17-19 suggesting they have taken the whole of the semi-detached villa near the railway station of Bussum.
From all this can be concluded that the Forto brand for typewriters was not created by Zeta/Consul, but was already the registered brandname of a Dutch metal goods manufacturer. They had been doing stampings and assembling relatively simple metal products since at least the late 1930s.
From the -admittedly meagre- indications found; in 1959 they were a factory with experience in metal goods production, but so far there is nothing to indicate a capability to manufacture (under license) a product of the complexity and precision needed for a typewriter.
Most likely is that somehow Zeta and Forto found each other to arrange the local Dutch assembly (with perhaps some parts locally manufactured) of 'knock-down kit' typewriters from Czechoslovakia. Likely done for the sole purpose of giving the machines a 'Made in Holland' wrapping for selling into the US.
By the end of the 1960s most companies have left the relatively cramped premises of the 2e Industriestraat courtyard. Also the Forto company moved out (if they ever were there, it may have been a secondary site). Uncertain from when exactly, but in the 1980s they are located at the Energieweg 35 on an industrial estate in nearby Naarden. Job-postings show the company is then still active in metal stamping, bending etc.; i.e. general metal goods and parts manufacture.
The Forto company is declared bankrupt in 1994 - the sale of assets announcement shown above gives an overview of their machinery. Presses and milling machines as expected for a general metal goods/parts factory. That is probably what Forto was throughout its existence - even though briefly in 1959 - 1961 they were Holland's Finest factory of Precision Engineered typewriters!
