GENICOM was an American manufacturer of
computer printers
In computing, a printer is a peripheral machine which makes a persistent representation of graphics or text, usually on paper. While most output is human-readable, bar code printers are an example of an expanded use for printers. Diffe ...
, based in
Chantilly, Virginia
Chantilly is a census-designated place (CDP) in western Fairfax County, Virginia. The population was 24,301 as of the 2020 census. Chantilly is named after an early-19th-century mansion and farm, which in turn took the name of an 18th-century p ...
. The company operated from 1982 to 2003.
The GE years
In 1954,
General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable energ ...
(GE) decided to decentralize the company into separate business units. After reorganizing the motors and controls groups, several products remained that did not fit into the new groups- these 'leftovers' were formed into the Specialty Control Department.
A decision was made to build a new plant in
Waynesboro, Virginia
Waynesboro (formerly Flack) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is a principal city of the Staunton-Waynesboro Metropolitan Statistical Area. Waynesboro is located in the Shenandoah Valley and is surrounded by Augusta Cou ...
for Specialty Control with Dr. Louis T. Rader as General Manager. $3.5 million was used to purchase and build the plant on the site of the original 1927 Waynesboro airport. The seminal managers and engineers consisted of 145 families moved from
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady () is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-largest city by population. The city is in eastern New Y ...
and the initial workforce consisted of about 400 local residents were hired in the first year.
The
General Electric Specialty Control Plant
General Electric Specialty Control Plant is a historic factory complex located in Waynesboro, Virginia. The complex includes three contributing buildings, one contributing site (the original formal entry drive), and two contributing structures. ...
was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 2012.
In 1982, GE sold the printer and relays groups and the company was formed as the GENICOM Corporation in 1983. The 1987 purchase of the printer business assets of
Centronics
Centronics Data Computer Corporation was an American manufacturer of computer printers, now remembered primarily for the parallel interface that bears its name, the Centronics connector.
History
Foundations
Centronics began as a division o ...
added the 350 series dot matrix printers and the LineWriter series of band printers to their product line.
During these years, Genicom leased offices in Calabasas, California. At this facility, development was being conducted on a 400 dot-per-inch monochrome laser printer. In the early 1990s, GENICOM's headquarters and corporate offices were moved from Waynesboro, VA to
Chantilly, Virginia
Chantilly is a census-designated place (CDP) in western Fairfax County, Virginia. The population was 24,301 as of the 2020 census. Chantilly is named after an early-19th-century mansion and farm, which in turn took the name of an 18th-century p ...
.
In January 1995, the purchase of Printer System Corporation (PSC), a small developer of IBM interfaces in
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg ( ), officially the City of Gaithersburg, is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. At the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census, Gaithersburg had a population of 69,657, ...
, was announced. PSC President Art Gallo joined GENICOM as a vice president. PSC became GENICOM's laser development group, and began producing GENICOM printers using
Lexmark
Lexmark International, Inc. is a privately held American company that manufactures laser printers and imaging products. The company is headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. Since 2016 it has been jointly owned by a consortium of three multination ...
and Kentek engines.
In 1996, the
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is an American technology company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, that designs and manufactures semiconductors and various integrated circuits, which it sells to electronics designers and manufacturers globall ...
printer business was purchased, giving GENICOM a line of airline-ticket, boarding-pass and baggage-tag printers.
In August 1997, GENICOM purchased the printer division of
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC ), using the trademark Digital, was a major American company in the computer industry from the 1960s to the 1990s. The company was co-founded by Ken Olsen and Harlan Anderson in 1957. Olsen was president unt ...
for $27 million, and produced printers under both the GENICOM and Digital logos.
Compaq
Compaq Computer Corporation (sometimes abbreviated to CQ prior to a 2007 rebranding) was an American information technology company founded in 1982 that developed, sold, and supported computers and related products and services. Compaq produced ...
purchased Digital in February 1998, and new products were then branded with the Compaq logo. The relays group was sold to CII Technologies (since acquired by
Tyco International
Tyco International plc was a security systems company incorporated in the Republic of Ireland, with operational headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, United States (Tyco International (US) Inc.). Tyco International was composed of two major bu ...
) and soon moved to North Carolina.
In 1997, a new repair facility was built in
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
and operations were moved from Waynesboro. The Louisville operation proved unprofitable and was closed in April 2000.
GENICOM upgraded their old ASK/CA Manman database to
Oracle
An oracle is a person or agency considered to provide wise and insightful counsel or prophetic predictions, most notably including precognition of the future, inspired by deities. As such, it is a form of divination.
Description
The word '' ...
; the project was budgeted for $6 million but cost $20 million by 1999.
Delisting
GENICOM's stock was delisted from the
NASDAQ
The Nasdaq Stock Market () (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations Stock Market) is an American stock exchange based in New York City. It is the most active stock trading venue in the US by volume, and ranked second ...
in January when stock price went below $1. CEO Paul Winn and Chief Financial Officer James Gale were relieved of their positions in March as the company went into
chapter 11
Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, wheth ...
and Shaun Donnellan was brought in as CEO. The Canadian operations were sold for $6.22 million and the airline printer business was sold to IER for $3.5 million. The ongoing lawsuit with Compaq was settled for $12.6 million. GENICOM International was spun off as a separate corporation, selling and marketing GENICOM product
In August,
Sun Capital Partners
Sun Capital Partners, Inc., is an American private equity firm specializing in leveraged buyouts. Sun Capital was founded in 1995 by Marc J. Leder and Rodger Krouse, former classmates at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and ...
and Art Gallo purchased the remaining assets of GENICOM, including the operations in Chantilly, Waynesboro and McAlle
The Datacom manufacturing operation was purchased in 2001 and operated as a sister compan
TallyGenicom
In 2003, GENICOM and
Tally (company), Tally merged to form
TallyGenicom
The TallyGenicom brand, acquired by Printronix in 2009, includes laser and line matrix printers, parts, consumables and service. Printronix now owns the intellectual property and worldwide sales distribution rights for TallyGenicom line matrix and ...
(TG).
References
Louis T Rader papers at VCU
{{DEFAULTSORT:Genicom
American companies established in 1982
American companies disestablished in 2003
Computer companies established in 1982
Computer companies disestablished in 2003
Computer printer companies
Defunct computer companies of the United States
Defunct manufacturing companies based in Virginia