The Egyptians And The Vending Machine
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by: Galway
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Word Count: 529
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 Time: 12:00 AM
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The history and background of the vending machine is perhaps something you would never consider to be associated with Egypt, but the first ever recorded machine goes back to around 215 B.C in Alexandria. A Greek mathematician invented a contraption that accepted bronze coins and dispensed holy water within the temple to whoever was willing to pay.
This idea then cropped up again in 1076 A.D but this time in China where Chinese inventors created another coin-operated machine that dispensed pencils. The vending machine then appeared in England during the 1700's in English taverns for tobacco products, again activated by the coin.
It was quite a while later until America began using this coin-operated invention, granting the patent pending design in 1896. It was then the concept of a gum machine was born and a company named Adams Gum Company started selling chewing-gum through the machine for the price of a single penny.
Tobacco was the product that pushed the financial gain into the vending business, when Rowe invented a machine that dispensed cigarettes, drinks and candy that kept evolving through to the 1930s. Coffee vending first came into the US by 1946 and following it during the fifties was the vended sandwich. By the eighties fresh coffee was being vended through a machine that could both ground and brew coffee.
Up from then to now any manufactured product can now be vended, including liquor in 1890 within France. Much more exciting than the other vending machines being used, Paris utilised beer and wine vending machines. Products usually found within vending machines included cigarettes, cigars, condoms, books, cameras, postage stamps and clothing.
So from fairly modest beginnings the vending process has now come a long way into a billion dollar industry within America. Soft drinks that were available from a machine were one of the industry's top sellers within 1999 snapping up 15.9 billion dollars in sales alone and accounting for almost half the industry's total sale. Not bad for something that that started as a single penny.
The future of the vending machine looks powerful too, since the big brands for Coke have pronounced plans to invest 100 million dollars in this industry and its technology. For companies that use vending products, this technology will improve the entire vending business. Machines that are used will be enabled to alert workers when the machines need refilling through remote diagnostics. Also stock information will then be sent to suppliers so they can cast an eye over what sells best and what they need to bring in order to refill their product.
Modern machines for public toilets have now also come a long way from how they were traditionally; it used to be lucky if you could find a vending machine with a novelty toy! Nowadays the machines are full of products, for the travelling man or woman who needs anything from a fresh pair of tights to a shaving set.
So the next time you are on a date and your wanting to freshen your breath or maybe add some lip balm for kissable lips, you needn't be concerned as a vending machine may be found nearby with the entire kitchen sink and perhaps maybe more!
About the Author
Shaun Parker is a food specialist with many years of experience in the product industry. Find out more about vending machines at http://www.personal-products.co.uk
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