IBM's Supplies Division introduced the Port-A-Punch in 1958 as a fast, accurate means of manually punching holes in specially scored IBM punched cards. Designed to fit in the pocket, Port-A-Punch made it possible to create punched card documents anywhere. The product was intended for "on-the-spot" recording operations -- such as physical inventories, job tickets and statistical surveys -- because it eliminated the need for preliminary writing or typing of source documents.



Among the Port-A-Punch's customers and applications were: Ford Motor Company, to locate new car prospects and other marketing data; New York State Department of Public Works, to conduct traffic surveys in the field; Reynolds Metals Company, for sales personnel call reports; U.S. Army Ordnance Tank Automotive Command, to report on vehicle R&D tests; Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company, for time reporting by field installers and repairmen; Jackson Brewing Company, to invoice customers at time of delivery; Thompson-Ramo Woolridge Corporation, for faster production line reporting; Varina Wholesale Builders Supply Company, for point-of-sale recording of chain store sales and inventory data; and Peckham Road Corporation, to prepare job tickets on customer shipments leaving various plants.

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