Carrom Company

218 East Dowland Street
Ludington, MI 49431-2309

1889 - Ludington Novelty Works

The company was founded in 1889 as Ludington Novelty Works in Ludington, Michigan. However, it appears that the manufacture of games did not begin until perhaps the mid-1890's.




1901 Carrom-Archarena Company

In 1901 Ludington Novelty Works merged with Archarena Company of Peoria, IL and the name was changed to Carrom-Archarena Company. Production remained in Ludington, MI.




1912 Carrom Company

In 1912 the name of the company was changed to Carrom Company after J. S. Stearns, a wealthy industrialist, purchased an interest in the company and became president.




1939 Carrom Industries

After broadening its product line to include the manufacture of hospital furniture, the company changed its name to Carrom Industries in 1939.




1951 Carrom Games Division of Shampaine Industries

In 1951 Carrom Industries was acquired by Shampaine Industries of St. Louis, MO. The primary focus of Shampaine Industries was institutional furniture. The Carrom Games Division became an increasingly minor part of the business.




In 1961 three employees of Carrom Industries left the company and formed a competing company in Ludington under the name Merdel Games Manufacturing Company. Merdel manufactured its own version of the popular Carrom game board, which it marketing as "Carom" (one "R" rather than two). Games seem to marked with "Merdel Games Mfg. Co.".

1967 Affiliated Hospital Products, Inc.

In 1967 Affiliated Hospital Products, Inc. acquired Shampaine Industries, including what remained the Carrom Games Division. The focus of Affiliated Hospital Products, Inc. was almost exclusively on institutional furniture, although the Carrom Games Division continued to produce and market games in direct competition with Merdel Manufacturing.




1972 Merdel Games Mfg. Co.
In 1972 the Carrom Games Division of Affiliated Hospital Products, Inc. was shut down. Merdel Games Manufacturing Company purchased the assets of the defunct Carrom Games Division and began marketing its product with two "R's" in the name.

In 1992 Wm F. Drueke & Sons, Inc. of Grand Rapids, MI, a manufacturer of chess, cribbage, and backgammon game boards was acquired and its operations were merged into Carrom in Ludington, MI.

1994 Carrom Company
In 1981 Merdel Manufacturing was acquired by The Lightning Group of Duncannon, PA. The name of the Games Division was officially changed back to Carrom Company in 1994.