Imation is the world's leading supplier of branded removable data storage media for digital applications. Imation's magnetic and optical data storage media are market leaders in a number of data storage applications, including backup and restore, near-line, archival and secondary data storage, data transfer, software distribution and large-file management.

Engineered and manufactured in some of the industry's most advanced laboratories and factories, Imation's data storage products have been recognized for high quality and reliability in numerous user surveys. Among its key assets are co-development relationships with industry leaders such as Hewlett-Packard, IBM, StorageTek, Compaq, Seagate, Matsushita-Kotobuki Electronics, Ltd. (MKE), O.R. Technology, NEC, Exabyte and PGSoft, Inc.

 
Overview:

Imation supplies users with a full line of data storage media, including minicartridges based on its proprietary Travan™ technology, the newly announced LS-120 diskette, standard 1.44 megabyte (MB) diskettes, data cartridges, half-inch cartridges, rewritable optical disks, 4mm and 8mm helical scan tape media, reel tape and CD-ROM products.

Minincartridge: Minicartridge technology, invented and patented by this unit while part of 3M, is the world's most popular desktop backup technology. Introduced in late 1994, proprietary Travan technology set new standards for performance and data storage capacity. Travan technology is a minicartridge platform that more than doubles existing capacity in small form factor minicartridges. The key to higher capacity is a unique minicartridge design, allowing the use of a longer, wider tape that can store more data with no increase in drive size, combining high capacity and high speed.

Following the Travan TR-1 minicartridge, the unit unveiled the TR-2, TR-3 and TR-4 minicartridges in 1995 and 1996 as the newest members in the family of Travan tape products. Storage industry leaders, including Hewlett-Packard's Colorado Memory Systems division, Seagate, Exabyte, Iomega and others, have supported the development of Travan drive and recording formats since their introduction.

In June, 1996, plans were announced in conjunction with PGSoft, Inc. to offer copies of a minicartridge software product called "Tape-it Lite" without charge for a period of time via Imation's web site. The software is designed to be compatible with Travan minicartridges.

Diskettes: The next-generation LS-120 diskette, a new 3.5-inch diskette with a formatted capacity of 120 MB, recently was unveiled. This diskette has more than 80 times the capacity of the 1.44 MB diskette, resulting in enhanced user productivity and a wider range of uses. LS-120 technology is read/write backward-compatible with the installed base of more than 5 billion 1.44 MB and 720 KBDOS-formatted diskettes.

Compaq Computer Corp. includes the LS-120 diskette drive as an internal standard feature in models of its new Deskpro computers. In June, 1996, O.R. Technology announced it will immediately begin manufacturing its FD-3102A diskette drive, which will be based on the LS-120 diskette technology. The FD-3120A drive features a slim, one-inch high form factor that can be configured for use in standard PC drive bays, making it an ideal form, fit and function replacement for current floppy disk drives.

Also in June, 1996, MKE announced plans to manufacture a low-profile (15mm) LS-120 drive designed for the expanding portable computer market. The MKE drive is expected to be available during the first half of 1997.

At the same time, Hitachi-Maxell Ltd. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. announced plans to manufacture media and drives based on the LS-120 diskette platform. Maxell plans to begin selling LS-120 diskettes in the U.S. and Japan in August 1996, while Mitsubishi announced it will manufacture LS-120 drives for supply to PC makers.

Half-inch Tape: New half-inch tape cartridges for the IBM Magstar and StorageTek RedWood tape drives --the Black Watch™ 3590 Tape Cartridge and the Black Watch SD-3 Tape Cartridge, respectively -- were announced during 1995. They were designed for high-performance data center applications under separate co-development relationships with each manufacturer. Both products provide reliable storage solutions for the data center at a low cost-per-gigabyte.

Optical Media: Strengthening its broad-based CD-ROM business, 3M entered the optical PD market with the launch of its 650 MB PD650 rewritable optical disk in late 1995. In addition to PD disks, PD drives can read 1X, 2X and quad-speed CD-ROM disks. PD is a new optical technology that eliminates the need for separate data storage drives and CD-ROM drives in PCs. Imation expects to play a significant role in the development of dual-layer optical technology, a next-generation CD format with significant market potential for future information storage applications.

 
Markets:

Imation's data storage products are sold for use in large and small offices, data centers, industrial applications and homes.

 
Distribution:

Data storage products has responded quickly to fast-moving changes in distribution channels. As a result, Imation has a commanding presence in mass merchandise, warehouse club, software and computer retail, office superstores, data supply, government, education and military outlets, and catalog channels, as well as original equipment manufacturers and other private label businesses.

Copyright 1996 Imation. All rights reserved.