Established in 1961 in Silicon Valley, Memorex started by selling computer tapes, then added other media such as disk packs. The company then expanded into disk drives and other peripheral equipment for IBMmainframes. During the 1970s and into the early 1980s, Memorex was worldwide one of the largest independent suppliers of disk drives and communications controllers to users of IBM-compatible mainframes, as well as media for computer uses and consumers. The company's name is a portmanteau of "memory excellence".[1]
Memorex entered the consumer media business in 1971 and started the ad campaign, first with its "shattering glass" advertisements and then with a series of legendary[2]television commercials featuring Ella Fitzgerald. In the commercials, she would sing a note that shattered a glass while being recorded to a Memorex audio cassette. The tape was played back and the recording also broke the glass, asking "Is it live, or is it Memorex?" This would become the company slogan which was used in a series of advertisements released through 1970s and 1980s.
In 1982, Memorex was bought by Burroughs for its enterprise businesses; the company’s consumer business, a small segment of the company’s revenue at that time was sold to Tandy.[3] Over the next six years, Burroughs and its successor Unisys shut down, sold off or spun out the various remaining parts of Memorex.
The computer media, communications and IBM end user sales and service organization were spun out as Memorex International. In 1988, Memorex International acquired the Telex Corporation becoming Memorex Telex NV, a corporation based in the Netherlands, which survived as an entity until the middle 1990s.[4] The company evolved into a provider of information technology solutions including the distribution and integration of data network and storage products and the provision of related services in 18 countries worldwide. As late as 2006, several pieces existed as subsidiaries of other companies, see e.g., Memorex Telex Japan Ltd[5] a subsidiary of Kanematsu[6] or Memorex Telex (UK) Ltd. a subsidiary of EDS Global Field Services.[7]
Over time the Memorex consumer brand has been owned by Tandy, Handy Holdings and Imation. As of 2016, the Memorex brand is owned by Digital Products International (DPI).[8]
Timeline
1961 – Memorex is founded by Laurence L. Spitters, Arnold T. Challman, Donald F. Eldridge and W Lawrence Noon with Spitters as president.[9]
1962 – Memorex is one of the early independent companies to ship computer tape.
May 1965 – Memorex IPO's at $25 and closes at $32.
1966 – Memorex is first independent company to ship a disk pack.
Jun 1968 – Memorex is first to ship an IBM-plug-compatible disk drive
Dec 1988 – Unisys mainly shuts down large disk business and spins off service and repair as Sequel.
Nov 1993 – Tandy sells Memorex consumer brand to Hanny Holdings of Hong Kong[11]
Oct 1996 – The U.S. operations of Memorex Telex NV filed for bankruptcy and with court approval were sold November 1, 1996.[12]
Jan 2006 – Imation acquires Memorex brand for $330 million.[13]
Jan 2016 – Imation closed on the sale of its Memorex trademark and two associated trademark licenses to DPI Inc., a St. Louis-based branded consumer electronics company for $9.4 million.[14]
References
^Raimondi, Donna (March 17, 1986). "Memorex marks 25th birthday by streamlining operations". Computerworld. XX (11): 125 – via Google Books.
^Mercer, Michelle (September 3, 2019). "The Voice That Shattered Glass". NPR. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
^"Memorex History: How a Tech Pioneer Turned Into a Basic Brand". Tedium: The Dull Side of the Internet. Retrieved 2022-08-14.
^Information Technology Industry TimeLine 2006-04-10 at the Wayback Machine
^(PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-05-09. Retrieved 2006-03-23.
^MEMOREX TELEX N V Quarterly Report, for period ending September 30, 1996
^Gardner, W. David, [www.informationweek.com/imation-to-acquire-memorex-for-$330-million/d/d-id/1039762 "Imation To Acquire Memorex For $330 Million"], InformationWeek, January 20, 2006
Memorex History at Computer History Museum website
April 10, 2023
memorex, corp, began, computer, tape, producer, expanded, become, both, consumer, media, supplier, major, plug, compatible, peripheral, supplier, broken, ceased, exist, after, 1996, other, than, consumer, electronics, brand, specializing, disk, recordable, med. Memorex Corp began as a computer tape producer and expanded to become both a consumer media supplier and a major IBM plug compatible peripheral supplier It was broken up and ceased to exist after 1996 other than as a consumer electronics brand specializing in disk recordable media for CD and DVD drives flash memory computer accessories and other electronics Memorex Corp Memorex logo used between 1993 and 2008TypePublicIndustryComputer peripherals computer media consumer tapeFounded1961FounderLaurence L Spitters Arnold T Challman Donald F Eldridge W Lawrence NoonDefunctNovember 1996FateBrand currently owned by Digital Products International Contents 1 History and evolution 2 Timeline 3 References 4 External linksHistory and evolution Edit MRX V Memorex magnetic tape Established in 1961 in Silicon Valley Memorex started by selling computer tapes then added other media such as disk packs The company then expanded into disk drives and other peripheral equipment for IBM mainframes During the 1970s and into the early 1980s Memorex was worldwide one of the largest independent suppliers of disk drives and communications controllers to users of IBM compatible mainframes as well as media for computer uses and consumers The company s name is a portmanteau of memory excellence 1 Memorex brand MiniDisc Memorex entered the consumer media business in 1971 and started the ad campaign first with its shattering glass advertisements and then with a series of legendary 2 television commercials featuring Ella Fitzgerald In the commercials she would sing a note that shattered a glass while being recorded to a Memorex audio cassette The tape was played back and the recording also broke the glass asking Is it live or is it Memorex This would become the company slogan which was used in a series of advertisements released through 1970s and 1980s In 1982 Memorex was bought by Burroughs for its enterprise businesses the company s consumer business a small segment of the company s revenue at that time was sold to Tandy 3 Over the next six years Burroughs and its successor Unisys shut down sold off or spun out the various remaining parts of Memorex The computer media communications and IBM end user sales and service organization were spun out as Memorex International In 1988 Memorex International acquired the Telex Corporation becoming Memorex Telex NV a corporation based in the Netherlands which survived as an entity until the middle 1990s 4 The company evolved into a provider of information technology solutions including the distribution and integration of data network and storage products and the provision of related services in 18 countries worldwide As late as 2006 several pieces existed as subsidiaries of other companies see e g Memorex Telex Japan Ltd 5 a subsidiary of Kanematsu 6 or Memorex Telex UK Ltd a subsidiary of EDS Global Field Services 7 Over time the Memorex consumer brand has been owned by Tandy Handy Holdings and Imation As of 2016 the Memorex brand is owned by Digital Products International DPI 8 Timeline Edit1961 Memorex is founded by Laurence L Spitters Arnold T Challman Donald F Eldridge and W Lawrence Noon with Spitters as president 9 1962 Memorex is one of the early independent companies to ship computer tape May 1965 Memorex IPO s at 25 and closes at 32 1966 Memorex is first independent company to ship a disk pack Jun 1968 Memorex is first to ship an IBM plug compatible disk drive 1970 Memorex ships 1270 Communications Controller 1971 With CBS Memorex forms CMX Systems a company formed to design videotape editing systems Sep 1971 Memorex launches its consumer tape business 1972 Memorex launches its Is it live or is it Memorex campaign Apr 1981 Burroughs acquires Memorex Apr 1982 Burroughs sells Memorex consumer brand to Tandy May 1985 Burroughs exits OEM disk drive business selling sales and service to Toshiba Sep 1986 Burroughs acquires Sperry and renames itself as Unisys Dec 1986 Unisys spins off Memorex Media Telecommunications and International businesses as Memorex International NV Jan 1988 Memorex Telex merger 10 Dec 1988 Unisys mainly shuts down large disk business and spins off service and repair as Sequel Nov 1993 Tandy sells Memorex consumer brand to Hanny Holdings of Hong Kong 11 Oct 1996 The U S operations of Memorex Telex NV filed for bankruptcy and with court approval were sold November 1 1996 12 Jan 2006 Imation acquires Memorex brand for 330 million 13 Jan 2016 Imation closed on the sale of its Memorex trademark and two associated trademark licenses to DPI Inc a St Louis based branded consumer electronics company for 9 4 million 14 References Edit Raimondi Donna March 17 1986 Memorex marks 25th birthday by streamlining operations Computerworld XX 11 125 via Google Books Mercer Michelle September 3 2019 The Voice That Shattered Glass NPR Retrieved August 29 2020 Memorex History How a Tech Pioneer Turned Into a Basic Brand Tedium The Dull Side of the Internet Retrieved 2022 08 14 SEC Filing for MEMOREX TELEX N V 1996 Memorex Telex Japan Homepage Archived 2006 04 08 at the Wayback Machine Kanematsu 2008 Annual Report Archived 2011 10 08 at the Wayback Machine http www memorex telex com aboutus permanent dead link GlassBridge Enterprises Inc FORM 10 K Mar 15 2016 Memorex Private Placement Memo circa 1961 Information Technology Industry TimeLine Archived 2006 04 10 at the Wayback Machine About Memorex PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2006 05 09 Retrieved 2006 03 23 MEMOREX TELEX N V Quarterly Report for period ending September 30 1996 Gardner W David www informationweek com imation to acquire memorex for 330 million d d id 1039762 Imation To Acquire Memorex For 330 Million InformationWeek January 20 2006 Imation 8kExternal links EditMemorex brand site Memorex History at Computer History Museum website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Memorex amp oldid 1127432810, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
