List of defunct hard disk manufacturers

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File:Diagram of Hard Disk Drive Manufacturer Consolidation.svg

Diagram of consolidation

At least 218 companies have manufactured hard disk drives (HDDs) since 1956. Most of that industry has vanished through bankruptcy or mergers and acquisitions. None of the first several entrants (including IBM, who invented the HDD) continue in the industry today. Only three manufacturers have survived—Seagate, Toshiba and Western Digital (WD)—all of which grew at least in part through mergers and acquisitions.<ref name="Maleval">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Template:AnchorManufacturers

{{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B=Template:AmboxTemplate:Main other }} The following is a partial list of defunct hard disk manufacturers. There are currently Template:Table row counter manufacturers in this incomplete list.

Name	Country of origin	Year of market entry	Year of market exit	Fate	Notes	References
3M	United States	1981	1983	HDD assets sold to Disc Tech One		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Alps Electric	Japan	Template:Dunno	2008	HDD assets sold to TDK		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Amcodyne	United States	1983	1986	Acquired by Century Data Systems		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Ampex	United States	1970	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Anelex Corporation	United States	1964	1967	Acquired by Mohawk Data Sciences		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Areal Technology	United States	1987	1999	Acquired by Tomen Electronics and Sanyo in 1993, dissolved in 1998	Manufactured the first HDDs employing glass as the substrate for their platters	<ref name=exodus>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Atasi Corporation	United States	1982	1987	Acquired by Tandon then Western Digital in 1987	Considered a pioneer in the industry but had financial struggles throughout its lifetime	<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Aura Associates	United States	1992	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Avatar Systems	United States	1991	1998	Bankruptcy		<ref name=nash>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=petersons>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
BASF	Germany	1970	1982	HDD assets sold to Kennedy Company		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Brand Technologies	United States	1986	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Bryant Computer Products	United States	1959	1972	Dissolution	Renamed to XLO Computer Products in 1972	<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Bull Peripheral	United States	1984	1989	Acquired by Seagate Technology	American subsidiary of CII-Honeywell-Bull	<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Burroughs	United States	1964	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref name="Computerworld_1986_Memorex">Template:Cite journal</ref>
C. Itoh	Japan	1985	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Castlewood Systems	United States	1999	2004	Bankruptcy
Caelus Memories	United States	1967	1969	Acquired by Electronic Memories & Magnetics		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="CW_1973_Caelus">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=harv>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Calcomp	United States	1972	1979	HDD assets sold to Xerox		<ref name=calcompxerox>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Calluna Technology	Scotland	1992	2001	Dissolution		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Cardiff Peripherals	United States	1987	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Century Data Systems	United States	1968	1972	Acquired by CalComp in 1972; later sold to Xerox in 1979		<ref name=calcompxerox />
CII-Honeywell-Bull	France	1975	1989	HDD business acquired by Seagate Technology	Resold drives through partnership with Magnetic Peripherals; CII-Honeywell-Bull was itself a joint venture between Compagnie Internationale d'Informatique, Honeywell, and Groupe Bull	<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Cogito Systems	United States	1983	1985	Dissolution		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Comport	United States	1988	1991	Dissolution		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Computer Memories, Inc.	United States	1979	1986	Exited the HDD business
Computer Memory Devices	United States	1969	1971	Dissolution		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Conner Peripherals	United States	1985	1996	Acquired by Seagate Technology
Cornice	United States	2000	2007	Dissolution		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Data Disc	United States	1962	1977	Acquired by Datapoint		<ref name=newpresident>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=ddacq>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Data General	United States	1976	1989	Template:Dunno		<ref>Disk/Trend Report – Rigid Disk Drives, June 1977, p. 163</ref><ref>Disk/Trend Report – Rigid Disk Drives, October 1990, p. MFGR-6</ref>
Datapoint	United States	1977	1984	HDD assets sold to Xebec Corporation		<ref name=ddacq /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Dataproducts	United States	1962	Template:Dunno	Exited the HDD business
Data Recording Instrument	United Kingdom	1970	1988	Acquired by FKI	First company to manufacture HDDs in Europe	<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=usindustryin2000>Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp
Data-Tech Memories	United States	1986	1989	Dissolution		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=hddbible>Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp
Diablo Systems	United States	1969	1972	Acquired by Xerox		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Digital Equipment Corporation	United States	1969	1993	Exited the HDD business		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Disc Tech One	United States	1983	1984	Acquired by Life Tech Industries		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Disctron	United States	1982	1983	Dissolution	Spin-off of Computer & Communications Technology	<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
DMA Systems	United States	1981	1985	Dissolution		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
DZU AD	Bulgaria	1968	1999	Dissolution	Originally a state-owned entity, later converted to private company; HDD assets dispersed between 1997 and 1999	<ref name=usindustryin2000 />Template:Rp<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Ecol. 2	United States	1990	1993	Dissolution	Never produced any drives beyond prototypes	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Electronic Memories & Magnetics	United States	1969	1985	Acquired by Titan Systems		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=harv />
Emulex	United States	1979	1992	HDD assets spun off as QLogic
Epson	Japan	1985	1987	Left the HDD business		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Espert	South Korea	1990	Template:Dunno	Dissolution		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
ExcelStor Technology	China	2000	2008	Dissolution
Fuji Electric	Japan	1985	2011	Exited the HDD business		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Fujitsu	Japan	1963	2009	HDD assets sold to Toshiba		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
General Electric	United States	1962	1970	HDD assets sold to Honeywell		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
GS Magicstor	China	2003	Template:Dunno	Dissolution		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Hewlett-Packard	United States	1979	1996	Exited the HDD business	Manufactured the first 1.3-inch HDDs	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
HGST	United States	2003	2018	Acquired by Western Digital	Hitachi's HDD business after acquiring IBM's HDD assets
Hitachi	United States	1967	2018	HDD assets sold to Western Digital		<ref name=ipsj />
Hokushin Electric Works	Japan	1980	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref name=usindustryin2000 />Template:Rp<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Hyosung	South Korea	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref name=hddbible />Template:Rp
IBM	United States	1956	2003	HDD assets sold to Hitachi	Inventors of the HDD; HDD assets briefly spun off to AdStar between 1992 and 1995
Imprimis (CDC)	United States	1975	1989	Acquired by Seagate Technology	Joint venture between Control Data and CII-Honeywell-Bull; Internally known as Magnetic Peripherals, Inc
Information Storage Systems	United States	1969	1973	Acquired by Itel Corporation; later sold to Sperry Univac		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Intégral Peripherals	United States	1990	1998	Acquired by H&Q Asia Pacific	Manufactured the first 1.8-inch HDDs	<ref name=day>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=sold>Template:Cite journal</ref>
International Memories	United States	1977	1984	Merged with Onyx Systems to become Dorado Micro Systems, later Onyx-IMI; left the HDD business in 1984; HDD business sold to Fujhin Electronic Computer Co. in 1985		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Iomec	United States	1969	1975	Acquired by Data 100		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Iomega	United States	1995	2008	Acquired by EMC Corporation
Template:Ill Template:Small	Bulgaria	1962	1991	Dissolution	State-owned entity
Josephine County Technology	United States	1984	1986	Dissolution		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
JT Storage	United States	1994	1999	Dissolution
JVC	Japan	1986	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Kalok	United States	1987	1994	Acquired by JT Storage		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Kennedy	United States	1977	1988	Dissolution		<ref name=kennedy>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Kyocera	Japan	1984	1991	Exited the HDD business		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
LaPine Technologies	United States	1984	1987	Bankruptcy		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Librascope	United States	1961	1968	Acquired by Singer Corporation		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Marshall Laboratories	United States	1968	1969	Dissolution		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Matsushita	Japan	1989	2000 ca.	Exited the HDD business	Originally as a licensee of Quantum	<ref>Template:Cite report</ref>
Maxtor	United States	1982	2006	Acquired by Seagate Technology
Memorex	United States	1968	1981	Acquired by Burroughs Corporation; HDD assets later sold to Toshiba	Manufactured the first HDD subsystems that were plug-compatible with IBM's
Microcomputer Memories	United States	1983	1986	Bankruptcy		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Micropolis	United States	1986	1996	HDD assets sold to Singapore Technology
Microscience International	United States	1982	1993	Bankruptcy		<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
MiniScribe	United States	1980	1990	Acquired by Maxtor
MiniStor Peripherals	United States	1991	1995	Bankruptcy	Manufactured the first PC Card HDDs	<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=prepares>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Mitsubishi	Japan	1968	2002	HDD assets sold to Showa Denko		<ref name=ipsj /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Mitsumi Electric	Japan	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno
NCR	United States	1964	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
NEC	Japan	1965	2002	Exited the HDD business		<ref name=ipsj /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Newbury Data	United Kingdom	1984	1988	Acquired by FKI		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Nippon Electric Industry	Japan	1983	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Nippon Peripherals	Japan	1971	1986	Dissolution		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Nomaï	France	1992	1998	Acquired by Iomega
Ohio Scientific	United States	1980	1980	Acquired by M/A-COM		<ref name=sign>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Okidata	Japan	1973	1980	HDD business acquired by Ohio Scientific		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Olivetti OPE	Italy	1981	Template:Dunno	Left the HDD business		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Orca Technology	United States	1990	1992	Bankruptcy; HDD assets sold to Samsung Electronics in 1995		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Otari	Japan	1985	Template:Dunno	Exited the HDD business		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Pertec Computer	United States	1971	1987	Acquired by Triumph-Adler		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="CW_1973_Pertec">Template:Cite journal</ref>
Philips	Netherlands	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref name=usindustryin2000 />Template:Rp
Plus Development	United States	1983	1993	Dissolution	Inventors of the hardcard
Potter Instrument	United States	1968	1975	Bankruptcy		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
PrairieTek	United States	1985	1991	Bankruptcy	Manufactured the first 2.5-inch HDDs
Priam	United States	1978	1991	HDD assets sold to Prima International
Peripheral Technology	United States	1985	1990	Dissolution		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Quantum	United States	1980	2000	HDD assets sold to Maxtor
Ricoh	Japan	1985	Template:Dunno	Exited the HDD business		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Rodime	Scotland	1979	1991	Exited the HDD business	Manufactured the first 3.5-inch HDDs
Rotating Memory Systems	United States	1981	1982	Acquired by Computer & Communications Technology		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
SAGEM	France	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno	Exited the HDD business
Samsung Electronics	South Korea	1988	2011	HDD assets sold to Seagate Technology		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Sequel	United States	1989	1991	Bankruptcy	Spin-off of Memorex's HDD business after the latter was acquired by Unisys	<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Shugart Associates	United States	1979	1985	Acquired by Xerox in 1977; assets liquidated in 1985
Siemens	Germany	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref name=usindustryin2000 />Template:Rp
Storage Technology Corporation	United States	1969	2005	Acquired by Sun Microsystems
SyQuest Technology	United States	1982	1999	HDD assets sold to Iomega
Tandon	United States	1981	1988	HDD assets sold to Western Digital		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
TEAC	Japan	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno
Texas Instruments	United States	1981	Template:Dunno	Exited the HDD business	First company to second-source Seagate's ST-506, the first 5.25-inch HDD	<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Tokico	Japan	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno		<ref name=hddbible />Template:Rp
Tulin	United States	1982	1991	Dissolution		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Vertex Peripherals	United States	1982	1985	Acquired by Priam Corporation		<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Xebec	United States	1974	Template:Dunno	Template:Dunno	Originally named Microcomputer Systems Corporation; 1410 SCSI controller formed the basis of IBM PC's hard disk controller	<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
YE-Data	Japan	Template:Dunno	1995	Exited the HDD business		<ref name=hddbible />Template:Rp<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

See also

• History of hard disk drives
• List of computer hardware manufacturers
• List of hard disk manufacturers
• List of solid-state drive manufacturers

References

General references

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Specific references

Further reading

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