United Distributing Companies Ltd.
Corner George & Wynyard Streets, Sydney, NSW (1911 - 1913)

United Distributing Companies (NSW) Ltd.
60 York Street, Sydney, NSW (1913 - 1920)
28 Clarence Street, Sydney, Sydney, NSW (1920 - 1924)
28 Martin Place, Sydney, NSW
Branches in all Australian States and New Zealand.

Brands: Udisco, Radiovox, U.D.L., United, Umakit

The company manufactured and wholesaled "Udisco", "U.D.L.", "United" and "Radiovox" battery powered sets, and "Signal" and "Umakit" kit sets. They were also distributors for "Signal", "United", "Pilot”, Bremer-Tully and other parts.

United Distributing Companies Ltd. was registered in January 1911 with Lynn D. Rudolph as Governing Director, taking over the office equipment import business of Southern Sales Ltd. which had a branches in Australia and New Zealand.[1] Rudolph was an American and founded the United Distributing Co. Chicago, manufacturing United Transformers and condensers.[2] By March 1912, the Company had set up branches in all states and New Zealand selling household goods. [3]
In May 1913 they went into voluntary liquidation.[4]

United Distributing Companies (NSW) Ltd. was registered by Lynn D. Rudolph in October 1913, presumably taking over the assets of the previous company.[5] With the advent of radio in 1923 they started to import Signal and United radio components from the US and manufactured and wholesaled “Radiovox” receivers.[6]
The use of the brand Radiovox is interesting as “Radiovox” was a registered AWA trademark from December 1922.[7] They also advertised as wholesalers for parts and other Australian manufactured sets such as Audiola and Cosmovox and opened a Victorian subsidiary, the United Distributing Co. (Vic) Ltd.

In June 1924 United Distributors Ltd. was formed, amalgamating both the NSW & Victorian companies and taking over the businesses of Australian Distributing Co., United Distributing Co. of Queensland, and the Knights Light Co. All these businesses were claimed to be steady profit-earners at the time, and improved showings were expected to follow upon the heels of expanded business, assisted by cuts in overhead and other costs because of the amalgamation. The company traded in a variety of lines, including petrol, electric-light plants, veterinary supplies, radio, etc. They decided to launch out on a large scale, and activities were extended to all the Australian states and New Zealand with special attention being given to radio goods, including their manufacture.[8]

In July 1924 Ernest Gordon Beard (1897- ?) from the Royal Navy, joined the company as Chief Radio Engineer.[9] Beard also designed and built the transmitters for broadcast stations 2KY and 2GB in 1926/27.

The company moved to new premises at 72 Clarence Street, Sydney in October 1924 and the weekly output was 285 Radiovox receivers and Signal home assembly sets per week.[10]

The trademark application for Udisco was registered in April 1926.[11]

From 1925 till 1927 the company made a small profit, however in 1928 they made a loss, caused by the radio section of the business. They had stocked up heavily, while keen competition and price-cutting reduced profit margins. By 1928 conditions failed to improve, and it was decided in late 1928 to get out of the radio-accessories portion, which then represented over 60% of the company’s trade. It was the unloading of these stocks and the expense of starting new departments that was mainly responsible for the loss. Also, the Perth, Adelaide, Launceston, and Hobart branches were not profitable, so it was decided to close them down and to trade at those centres in future on an agency basis.

They continued to manufacture battery powered radio receivers. With the advent of electric powered sets in the US and Australia the market was flooded with battery radio components and sets dumped in Australia from the US. This devalued their stock and made their battery powered receivers redundant.[12]

By late 1928 the branches were being sold and in December 1929 the company was liquidated.[13]

Beard started the Electric Corporation of Australia in January 1930 after purchasing the radio and electrical department from United Distributors Ltd.

[1] Evening News (NSW) Jan 17, 1911, page 4.
[2] Radio, Dec 26, 1923, Page 500.
[3] Sunday Times (NSW) Mar 3, 1912, Page 21.
[4] The Government Gazette (NSW) Jun 11, 1913, Page 3628
[5] Dun's gazette (NSW) Nov 10, 1913, Page 422.
[6] Wireless Weekly Nov 30, 1923, Page 2.
[7] Daily Commercial News and Shipping List (NSW) Dec 6, 1922, Page 11.
[8] The Bulletin, Jan 30, 1929, Page 14.
[9] Wireless Weekly Aug 28, 1925, Page 28.
[10] Radio Oct 29, 1924, Page 434.
[11] Daily Commercial News and Shipping List (NSW), Apr 14, 1926, Page 8.
[12] The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW) Nov 15, 1929, Page 15.
[13] The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW) Jan 11, 1930.