COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 334613

Magnetic and Optical Recording Media Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

10companies1910–1969founding years8still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedInternational Business Machines CorporationFoundedInternational Business Machines Corporation
1910
FoundedNKK CorporationFoundedNKK Corporation
1912
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedKonica CorporationFoundedKonica Corporation
1936
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedPioneer Electronic CorporationFoundedPioneer Electronic Corporation
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedZebra Technologies CorporationFoundedZebra Technologies Corporation
1969
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

International Business Machines Corporation →
Active · founded 1910
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is the largest computer maker in the world.
International Business Machines Corporation →
Active · founded 1910
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is the largest computer maker in the world.
NKK Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1912 · Japan
NKK Corporation is one of the world's largest steelmakers and Japan's second largest.
NKK Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1912 · Japan
NKK Corporation is one of the world's largest steelmakers and Japan's second largest.
Konica Corporation →
Active · founded 1936 · Japan
Konica Corporation produces a wide range of products, mainly within the imaging sphere.
Konica Corporation →
Active · founded 1936 · Japan
Konica Corporation produces a wide range of products, mainly within the imaging sphere.
Pioneer Electronic Corporation →
Active · founded 1947 · Japan
Pioneer Electronic Corporation is one of the leading electronics firms in the world.
Pioneer Electronic Corporation →
Active · founded 1947 · Japan
Pioneer Electronic Corporation is one of the leading electronics firms in the world.
Zebra Technologies Corporation →
Active · founded 1969
The mysterious series of lines and numbers called bar coding has provided a thumbprint of products since the 1970s,…
Zebra Technologies Corporation →
Active · founded 1969
The mysterious series of lines and numbers called bar coding has provided a thumbprint of products since the 1970s,…
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