Hi-Tek Corporation

Hi-Tek Corporation

File:Brand logo--Hi-Tek Corporation.svg
File:Hi-Tek Corporation Former Headquarters 2021.jpg Former headquarters located in Garden Grove, California
Company type	Private
Industry	Electronics
Founded	c. 1967 (1967) in Santa Ana, California
Founder	Donald "Don" Hallerberg
Defunct	Template:End date and age
Fate	Purchased by Nippon Miniature Bearing in 1983; integrated into NMB Technologies in 1988
Successor	NMB Hi-Tek Corporation
Headquarters	Garden Grove, California , United States
Products	Computer keyboards
Number of employees	600 (1979, peak)
Parent	Nippon Miniature Bearing

Hi-Tek Corporation—later known as NMB Hi-Tek Corporation—was an American electronics firm based in California. Originating in the 1960s with a focus on relays, timers, and actuators, the company transitioned by the late 1970s to specialize in keyboard assemblies and individual mechanical keyswitches. It counted prominent clients such as Hewlett-Packard and Texas Instruments among its customer base, which culminated in its acquisition by Nippon Miniature Bearing during 1983.

History

Established in 1967 by Donald "Don" Hallerberg in Santa Ana, California, Hi-Tek initially manufactured solid-state and time-delay relays. The company briefly ventured into aerospace by developing a mechanical parachute ripcord but withdrew following product recalls and subsequently sold off this technology.

By 1977, the workforce had grown to 110 employees as production expanded to include actuators and timers. Between 1977 and 1979, the company relocated to a larger 46,000-square-foot facility in Garden Grove, California, where staff numbers peaked at approximately 600. Around 1980, Hi-Tek entered the keyboard market, supplying mechanical-switch assemblies to original equipment manufacturers such as Digital Equipment Corporation, Texas Instruments, and Hewlett-Packard. A patent infringement claim filed against Stackpole Corporation was dismissed in 1982.

In July 1983, Japan's Minebea–NMB acquired the company, and despite reporting solid earnings in 1984, NMB Hi-Tek anticipated a slowdown due to a global decline in passive components. Beginning in 1985, manufacturing operations were gradually relocated to Thailand, a process completed by 1986. Following this transition, the Garden Grove site concentrated on research and development, prototyping, marketing, and limited-scale production.

Towards the end of 1984, NMB Hi-Tek introduced the Series 725 discrete mechanical keyboard switches. Engineered for longevity (rated for up to 100 million keystrokes), comfort, and cost-effectiveness, these switches addressed common issues like contact bounce and key wobble found in competitors’ products. Offered in both linear and tactile versions, keyboards equipped with these switches featured capabilities such as n-key rollover and integrated LED lock indicators. Later marketed under the Right Touch brand, they supported IBM PC/XT and PC/AT compatibility.

In early 1985, NMB Hi-Tek launched affordable rubber-dome keyboards manufactured in Thailand.

By 1985, the Garden Grove plant employed around 200 personnel before shutting down near late 1987 as production fully transitioned overseas. In early 1988, NMB merged Hi-Tek with other subsidiaries to form NMB Technologies headquartered in Chatsworth, Los Angeles. The Hi-Tek brand experienced sales growth of roughly 30–35% during 1988 but anticipated slower expansion for the following year. The brand name was gradually discontinued around 1990.

See also

• The Keyboard Company, another manufacturer of computer keyboards located in Garden Grove

External links

• Hi-Tek Corporation entry on Deskthority wiki
• Detailed history of Hi-Tek Corporation authored by Daniel Beardsmore at Telcontar.net