Maxi Switch

Maxi Switch, Inc.

Formerly	Maxi Switch Company
Company type	Private
Industry	Electronics
Founded	1968 (1968) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Founder	Glenn M. Stout
Defunct	Template:End date and age
Fate	Dissolution
Headquarters	Tucson, Arizona , United States (1984–2009)
Products	Computer keyboards
Parent	EECO, Inc. (1984–1990) Silitek (1990–2002) Lite-On (2002–2009)

The Maxi Switch Company, which later operated as Maxi Switch, Inc. and was branded as Maxi-Switch, functioned as a U.S.-based electronics manufacturer from 1968 until 2009. The firm focused primarily on producing computer keyboards and provided contract manufacturing services to major corporations. Originating in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the company relocated to Tucson, Arizona during the late 1980s following its acquisition by EECO, Inc., an electronics enterprise based in California. In 1990, Taiwanese corporation Silitek acquired Maxi Switch, which continued operating as a subsidiary under various owners until its closure in 2009.

History

Established in 1968 by Glenn M. Stout (1924–2004), Maxi Switch began by manufacturing keyswitch assemblies for jukeboxes and similar equipment, including illuminated keyswitches and interconnected keystrips that encoded binary-coded decimal data.

In June 1972, the company secured keyboard and keyswitch patents from Amphenol Corporation, facilitating its entry into the computer hardware sector. By 1982, Maxi Switch was producing approximately 500,000 keyboard assemblies annually for clients such as Xerox, Tandy, and Kaypro, achieving $7.5 million in revenue. The firm catered to international markets by offering customized keyboard configurations tailored for countries including Germany, France, and Greece. In 1983, it developed one of the earliest dedicated Dvorak layout keyboards designed specifically for the IBM PC.

In March 1984, EECO, Inc., a Santa Ana-based manufacturer specializing in audiovisual and computer hardware products, acquired Maxi Switch for a sum estimated between $3.4 million and $5 million. The transaction was finalized in April 1984. Craig Stout took over as CEO from his father in January 1985. Under EECO’s ownership, Maxi Switch expanded operations with manufacturing facilities located in Tucson (assembly), Caborca and Scotland (keyswitch production), as well as Phoenix (keypad fabrication). The company’s revenue peaked at $40 million in 1987 but declined to $10 million by 1989 amid EECO’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

In August 1990, Taiwanese enterprise Silitek acquired Maxi Switch from EECO. Silitek maintained the Tucson facility as the corporate headquarters of Maxi Switch; meanwhile, the Caborca plant was sold to former EECO employees who continued supplying components to Silitek. EECO retained control of the Scotland and Phoenix plants through contractual arrangements.

By 1992, Maxi Switch was producing approximately 60,000 keyboards each month at its Tucson location. The company diversified into gaming peripherals by manufacturing cartridges compatible with Sega Genesis consoles and parts for Nintendo products including the Game Boy. Beginning in 1994, it expanded its portfolio to include healthcare electronics by producing surface-mount technology circuit boards used in medical devices. In December 1995, Maxi Switch acquired buckling spring keyboard technology from Lexmark (formerly IBM), which enabled it to manufacture derivatives of the well-known Model M keyboard.

Following Silitek’s integration into its parent company Lite-On in 2002, Maxi Switch continued functioning as a division until it was dissolved in December 2009.

See also

• Gateway AnyKey

External links

• Detailed Maxi Switch history compiled by Daniel Beardsmore on Telcontar.net