Archive Corporation
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer storage |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Fate | Acquired by Conner Peripherals |
| Headquarters | Costa Mesa, California , United States |
Number of employees | 3,367 (1990) |
| Parent | Conner Peripherals (from 1992) |
Archive Corporation was a manufacturer specializing in computer tape drive technology, headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, and was acquired by Conner Peripherals in 1992.
History
Established in 1980, Archive employed 3,367 individuals by 1990 and reported revenues of US$293 million that year, a significant increase from $79 million recorded in 1986.
Archive was known for producing Digital Data Storage (DDS) tape drives for Silicon Graphics, which also supported Digital Audio Tape formats. Key models included the Archive Python 4320 and Peregrine 4326, which were subsequently rebranded under Conner or Seagate.
Prior to the DDS product line, Archive held a prominent position as a supplier of the widely adopted quarter-inch cartridge (QIC) tape drives. These were extensively utilized for software distribution on Unix workstations and servers like the Sun-3 and Sun-4. The company earned particular acclaim for its QIC drives before the emergence of more economical CD-ROM technology.
In December 1992, Archive was purchased by Conner Peripherals for an estimated $151 million.
Acquisitions
Archive expanded its portfolio in 1989 through the acquisition of Maynard Electronics, maintaining the MaynStream tape drive and software product lines.
In March 1990, Archive further broadened its reach by acquiring Cipher Data Products for $120 million, which included its subsidiary, Irwin Magnetic Systems.