Imation Heritage

The story of Imation Corp. is the story of the Digital Age. 

Imation’s story spans the first efforts to protect the information gathered by massive institutional data centers, to empowering and safeguarding individuals and organizations across the four pillars of data storage – magnetic, recordable optical, flash and removable hard disk media. 

Today, the networking of the business world, the explosion of the Web into our daily lives and the expansion of e-commerce, social networking and mobile technology in the new millennium have all contributed to an inexhaustible demand for information storage. When it comes to making sure digital assets are protected, preserved, enjoyed and simply there when you need them, Imation is there.

The 1950s-1980s – Protecting Corporate Assets

The business that became Imation was born of 3M innovation at the dawn of the computer age in the 1950s.  A pioneer in the development of the first reel-to-reel data storage tape, Imation was for decades the standard in increasingly high capacity data cartridges that protected and archived the most critical information. 

As the digital revolution took hold in the 1980s, this became true for both major corporate and government data centers and for small businesses.  Imation half-inch tape cartridges became the media of choice for the massive tape libraries that form the backbone of modern data centers.  Imation remains the dominant leader in magnetic tape media today, working with partners like IBM, StorageTek and Sun Microsystems to increase capacity, data storage and access speed, and reliability to meet their unending demand.

The 1990s – From Data Center to Small Business to the PC

Imation Corp. became an independent data storage company in a spin-off from 3M on July 1, 1996. From day one, the new company was the leader in commercial data center and emerging corporate IT markets.

Data center technology continued to advance – a partnership with StorageTek (now part of Sun Microsystems) delivered next-generation tape cartridges with the fastest data access ever in the half-inch tape market.

Not long after Imation’s launch, the company received its first patent – for Travan™ technology that quickly became a standard for small business data backup – and launched the revolutionary 120MB SuperDisk technology.  By the end of the 1990s, Imation had introduced a portfolio of recordable CD and DVD media.

The New Millennium – The Rise of Optical and Flash, Tape Backs Up Networks

Well-known for tape cartridges and diskettes, Imation formed a joint sales and marketing venture with India-based Moser Baer technologies to expand its reach in the recordable CD and DVD media market, where Imation would eventually become the world leader.

Stylish product design became a key element of the Imation consumer brand in 2004 as Imation moved into USB flash technology with the innovative Imation USB Swivel Flash Drives, the Imation Nano Flash Drive and the Micro Hard Drive.  In 2006, Imation began manufacturing advanced Blue-Ray high-definition recordable optical media.

In 2008, Imation took the techno-cool concept even further with the Imation Atom flash drive, which lets users put up to 8GB onto a drive the size of a paper clip.

Corporate IT departments were increasingly turning to storage networks and Imation stayed in the vanguard, shaping the technology for new standards-based magnetic tape media, including Ultrium™ LTO and DLTtape™ cartridges. In the data center, IBM selected Imation to develop and supply extended length 3590 cartridges, and named Imation as its global branded media distributor, leveraging Imation’s strength as a global supplier.

In 2005, Imation introduced its Tera Angstrom™ technology, the result of a $50 million investment in advanced tape coating technology to meet rising storage needs. The result – achieved in 2008:  the ability to put a terabyte of data on a single tape cartridge.

Becoming a Brand & Product Management Company

In 2006, Imation Corp. began its transformation into a global brand and product management company – one that would combine respected and sought after brands with innovation, technical savvy and global reach to create new platforms for growth. 

The company acquired Memorex in 2006, one of the strongest recording media and data storage brands in the United States. In 2007, Imation acquired an exclusive license to the TDK Life on Record brand, and acquired Memcorp, which opened a path to a wide range of Memorex branded consumer electronics products.  In 2008, Imation acquired XtremeMac, the leading supplier of iPod and iPhone accessories, adding popular mobile products to its portfolio.

Imation Corp. Today

Customers can “buy Imation” through a wide range of brands and distribution partners, including: Imation, Memorex, TDK LOR, XTremeMac, IBM, Sun, and HP.

Imation’s brand strategy is the primary driver of our growth, and the way we build strong relationships with our customers.  Today, Imation Corp. is truly a house of brands – each with its own personality and strengths in our global markets.  Our brand management strategy is designed to drive profitable growth across the four pillars of storage – and beyond.