Wax crayon suppliers around the world have changed quite a bit. When you also compare the demographics of chalk and plasticine companies of the 19th century with the 21st century, it becomes clear that once upon a time, these supply businesses were located in the United States, but this is far from the case today.
Crayon supply companies are often located in Asian countries, specifically China and Hong Kong, though it was not always this way. E. Steiger and Co. Was a supply company located out of New York City in the late 1800s, one of the earliest known supply companies for crayons. In fact, in the 1800s and early 1900s, the supply industry for crayons was exclusive to the United States.
Chalk suppliers have undergone a similar transition. The belief that chalkboards are becoming a thing of the past in the American education system has merit to it, what with the introduction of white boards and electronic smart boards. The value of chalk, in turn, has dropped, but also because it is being manufactured for cheaper.
If you look up how to buy from good plasticine suppliers, you will see companies with Japanese, Chinese, Thai and even Taiwanese names, hardly manufacturers located here in the United States. Plasticine, or modeling clay, has been an international product for the majority of its time as a popular art product, however.
For all of these products, it is safe to say that technology is leaving them in the dust. Digital graphic design programs, for kids even, have led to the decline in popularity of crayons, chalk, plasticine and other supplies. Outsourcing is also cheaper for production than in the United States.
So wax crayon suppliers are not where, or what, they once were. But Crayola still produces the magic for kids that they have for centuries.