Tandon Corporation
| File:Tandon Corporation wordmark.svg | |
| Formerly | Tandon Magnetics Corp |
|---|---|
| Company type | Public |
| Industry | Computers |
| Founded | 1975 in Chatsworth, California |
| Founder | Sirjang Lal Tandon |
The Tandon Corporation was an American manufacturer specializing in disk drives and PCs, established in 1975 and incorporated as Tandon Magnetics Corp. in 1976 by former mechanical engineer Sirjang Lal Tandon. Initially, the firm focused on producing magnetic recording read/write heads tailored for the expanding floppy-drive sector, utilizing cost-effective labor in India to maintain competitive pricing. During the late 1970s, Tandon engineered floppy drives that directly matched those of Shugart and is recognized for pioneering DS/DD (double-sided, double-density) models, which dominated its product line throughout the early 1980s.
In 1979, the company released the TM100 diskette drive—a 5.25" device supporting 40 tracks compared to Shugart’s 35-track design. When Tandy launched the TRS-80 Model III in 1980, it incorporated TM100 drives. The following year, Tandon secured a significant contract to supply floppy drives for the debut of the IBM Personal Computer. Up until 1985, Tandon remained IBM’s exclusive floppy drive supplier, initially offering single-sided drives before transitioning to double-sided TM100-2 variants. This partnership propelled Tandon to become the leading independent manufacturer of disk drives for personal computers and word processing machines worldwide.
During the mid-1980s, Tandon diversified into producing hard disk drives, introducing multiple models characterized by a unique P-shaped cover and side-mounted pinion rack stepper motor design. The company also launched portable hard drives that could be detached from PCs. Nevertheless, a sharp downturn in North American computer sales between 1984 and 1985, combined with intensified competition from Japanese and Taiwanese companies, impeded growth. In April 1987, Tandon expanded its capabilities by acquiring hard disk drive producer Atasi Corporation for $5 million in stock; Atasi’s drives offered capacities up to 170 MB compared to Tandon’s previous maximum of 50 MB. In 1988, Tandon divested its original data storage division to Western Digital for close to $80 million.
After this sale, Tandon brought in leadership from IBM and other technology firms to transform itself into a prominent PC manufacturer. By 1989, approximately 90 percent of its personal computer sales were concentrated in Europe, while its stock price had fallen dramatically from a high of $34.25 in 1983 to just $0.50.
PCX
Introduced in 1986, the PCX featured 256 KB of RAM, an 80-column display monitor, two 360 KB 5¼-inch floppy disk drives, a 10 MB hard drive, and operated on MS-DOS with GW-BASIC.