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Quiz: What’s Oldest Acquisition in History of Storage Industry?

Indication: companies in tape business

We count on the good memory of our readers to eventually correct the table below.

Among 1,629 M&SA recorded in the storage industry according to our data base, historically the oldest acquisition discovered was Graham Magnetics by Carlisle Companies in 1977 for an amount not revealed. Then, 3 years later, StorageTek bought Documation, and, in 1992, Memorex acquired Burroughs, all the acquirers being involved in tape technology and finally sold or disappearing.

On its side, Graham Magnetics was the last manufacturer of open-reel 9-track tape, but ceased production at the end of 2001. From 1994 to 1999, it was a part of Anacomp Corp., being acquired in 1994 for $7.6 million. During this period, Anacomp/Graham was the leader in open-reel computer tape production and one of 3 major manufacturers of IBM 3480 tape cartridges. They sold tape under the Graham, Memorex, and other brands. In 1999, Anacomp spun off the magnetic tape line of business as eMag Solutions. This included the Graham Magnetics division. After ending 9-track magnetic tape production, Graham entered the business of recertifying tape cartridges. In 2006, the company developed a process for eradicating data from tape cartridges while preserving the servo tracks. In 2007, eMag sold Graham to RBE Enterprises of Dallas, TX.

Main steps of Graham:
1964: Datatape Corp. is created to manufacture magnetic tapes.
1965: Its name is changed into Graham Magnetics Inc.
1977: Carlisle Corp. (Cincinnati, OH) buys Graham Magnetics.
1985: The half-inch compatible IBM 3480 is launched.
1987: Graham U.K. becomes Graham Magnetics Europe, a 100% subsidiary of Carlisle.
1988: Graham Magnetics and DEI (San Diego, CA), a manufacturer of QIC cartridges, merge under the name of Carlisle Memory Products Group, Inc.
1992: Carlisle Memory Products splits. Graham Magnetics, Inc. is created again. The quarter-inch activity is bought by Verbatim.
1994: Anacomp acquires Graham Magneticshttps://www.storagenewsletter.com/2020/12/16/history-1994-anacomp-to-purchase-graham-magnetics/.
2007: eMag sold Graham to RBE Enterprises

All storage acquisitions from 1977 to 1989

Year Acquirer Acquired

Amount
in $ million

Business of acquired firm
1977 Carlisle Companies Graham Magnetics NA Half-inch magnetic tapes in reels or cartridges
1980 StorageTek Documation NA    
1982 Memorex Burroughs NA Tape and HDD subsystems
1984 Seagate
Grenex NA Manufacturer of thin-film media
1985 Rexon Tecmar NA Tape subsystems
1986 Western Digital Paradise Systems NA Video graphic cards
1986 Western Digital Adaptive Data Systems NA SCSI devices
1986 Rexon Tecmar NA Tape subsystems
1986 Carlisle Companies Data Electronics Inc. NA QIC cartridge
1987 Tandon Atasi 5 HDD manufacturers
1987 Western Digital ViaNetix 2.2 LAN system software
1987 Western Digital Faraday Electronics NA Core logic products
1987 Cipher Data Products Optimen (from Xerox) 6.3 12-inch WORM drive
1987 Seagate Technology Aeon NA Manufacturer of substrates for thin-film media
1987 Western Digital Tandon (assets) 80 HDD manufacturing
1987 Seagate
Integrated Power Semiconductors NA Manufacturer of custom power semiconductors
1988 Seagate
Aeon 3.9 Substrates to make thin film magnetic recording media
1988 Western Digital Verticom 12 High-resolution video graphics monitors
1988 Shugart Optotech (assets) NA 5984 write-once optical disk drive product line
1988 Kao Sentinel 11 Manufacturer of FDs
1988 Anacomp Xidex 415 In micrographics and magnetic media
1988 Nakamichi Mountain Computer 45 Floppy diskette duplication and certification equipment
1989 Rexon Sytron 13.3 Software for tapes
1989 Archive Maynard Electronics NA Tape backup software
1989 Nidec Shinano Tokki NA Manufacturer of spindle motors for HDDs
1989 Cipher Data Products Irwin Magnetic Systems 74 Both in magnetic tape backup
1989 StorageTek Aspen Peripherals 46.9 IBM 3480 compatible tape drive
1989 Seagate
Imprimis 450 Enterprise HDDs
1989 Optical Data Adivan Technology NA High density floppy disk coating processes
1989 Hewlett-Packard Optotech (assets) NA Optical disks
1989 Hewlett-Packard Optotech (assets) 3 WORM drives for 5.25-inch optical disks
1989 Akashic Memories (Kubota) Domain Technology 10 US HDD media manufacturing plant

 

 

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