The Keyboard Company

Apple Accessory Products Division

Former headquarters in Garden Grove, California
Formerly	The Keyboard Company, Inc.
Company type	Private
Industry	Electronics
Founded	May 4, 1979 (1979-05-04) in Garden Grove, California, United States
Founder	Michael Muller
Defunct	Template:End date and age
Fate	Acquired by Alps Electric
Products	Computer keyboards, mice, joysticks
Number of employees	661 (1985, peak)
Parent	Apple Computer (1982–1985)

The Keyboard Company, Inc., headquartered in Garden Grove, California, was initially engaged by Apple Computer to manufacture keyboards for their microcomputer lineup during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The firm also produced various peripherals compatible with Apple's platforms. In 1982, Apple acquired the company and rebranded it as the Apple Accessory Products Division (APD).

History

Michael Muller (born 1944) founded The Keyboard Company on May 4, 1979, following his departure from Datanetics—a keyboard manufacturer that had been acquired by ITT in 1976. Steve Jobs had initially commissioned Datanetics in 1977 to supply keyboards for the Apple II; subsequently, Jobs encouraged Muller to establish a specialized enterprise in 1978. By September 1979, The Keyboard Company was operating as a fully owned subsidiary of Apple, producing approximately 50,000 Apple II keyboards each month at its Garden Grove facility.

Around late 1979 or early 1980, the company introduced its first peripheral device: an external numeric keypad designed for the Apple II. This product targeted accounting professionals—a significant user base for the Apple II—and gained popularity among VisiCalc users due to its straightforward installation that did not void Apple's warranty. The keypad incorporated a daughterboard that interfaced directly with the Apple II's chassis.

In spring 1980, Apple tasked The Keyboard Company with manufacturing keyboards for the Apple III model; these units featured integrated numeric keypads. To address Apple's expanding gaming audience, the company released the Joystick II and Cursor III joysticks in 1981 for use with Apple II and Apple III computers respectively. This was followed by the introduction of Hand Controllers (paddle controllers) in 1982.

On April 1, 1982, Apple completed the full acquisition of The Keyboard Company along with its Garden Grove manufacturing plant, renaming it Accessory Products Division and appointing Muller as president and general manager. Under his management, APD broadened its scope into printer development, contributing to products such as the LaserWriter and ImageWriter. In 1984, Apple restructured into three distinct business units—Apple II, Apple 32 (covering Lisa and Macintosh), and APD—with Muller maintaining his role as APD president and overseeing the opening of a new factory in Millstreet, County Cork, Ireland. Muller departed from Apple in 1987.

At its peak in February 1985, the Garden Grove facility employed 661 workers but downsized to about 275 employees by mid-1985. In August of that year, Japan-based Alps Electric agreed to purchase this plant from Apple while retaining its workforce; the transaction was finalized on August 28. By the late 1990s under Alps' ownership, the factory had roughly 500 employees focused on manufacturing mice for Apple computers. Nonetheless, Alps announced plans to close the plant in 1997 while offering retention bonuses to staff; operations ceased in spring 1998.

See also

• Hi-Tek Corporation, a manufacturer of computer keyboards located in Garden Grove

External links

• Detailed History of the Keyboard Company by Daniel Beardsmore on Telcontar.net