Manual Typewriter Maker Shuts Down Production

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STEVE INSKEEP, host:

And today's last word in business end of an era.

(Soundbite of manual typewriter)

INSKEEP: Some younger people in the audience may need to be told what that is. It's the sound of a typewriter.

Britain's Daily Mail reports that an Indian company based in Mumbai has shut down production of manual typewriters. The company was believed to be the last in the world making manual typewriters. The company used to make thousands, but last year, only 800 orders came in.

Savio Katino(ph) is a manager there, and he told us who still uses them.

Mr. SAVIO KATINO (Manager, Godrej and Boyce): Usually, these are used when there's no electricity, mostly NGOs and in third-world countries, maybe in government offices and things like that.

INSKEEP: He says these manual typewriters are also used in India's high court for typing up some applications.

The company still has a few typewriters in stock. Order now. Those typewriters number fewer than 200, though. Only 10 of them are English-language models. The rest are in Arabic.

And that's the business news on MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

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