CORPORATE PROFILERead-Rite Corporation (RDRT) is one of the world�s largest independent suppliers of magnetic recording heads for the hard disk drive (HDD) and tape drive markets. The Company designs, manufacturers and markets magnetic recording heads as head gimbal assemblies (HGAs) and incorporates multiple head gimbal assemblies into head stack assemblies (HSAs). Read-Rite�s products are sold primarily for use in hard disk drives for desktop computer devices and for high performance enterprise hard disk drives used in network mainframe applications, and for consumer electronic devices such as game stations or personal video recorders. The Company also is the market leader in providing magnetoresistive (MR) and inductive tape heads to the entry level through mid-range tape drive markets.
HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS
Read-Rite began when two co-workers at Memorex struck out on their own for the glamorous world of magnetic disk recording heads. Read-Rite� first moneymaker was the microslider introduced in 1989, a smaller and more efficient version of the device that carries the head over the rotating disk to process information.
1981 Company Founded and Incorporated in California 1984 Manufactured First Inductive Thin Film Head 1985 Company Reincorporated in Delaware 1991 Read-Rite�s Initial Public Offering (IPO) 1991 Formed Joint Venture with SMI: Read-Rite/SMI 1991 Acquired Conner Peripherals Malaysia HSA Operation 1991 Acquired Maxtor Corporation�s Malaysia HSA Operation 1994 6� Wafer Fab in Fremont, California Operational 1994 Acquired Sunward Technologies � Philippines 1996 Manufactured First MR Head 1999 Manufactured First GMR Head 2000 Funded and Started Scion Photonics (Optical Components) 2002 Transitioned to Round Wafer Manufacturing with Semiconductor Technology 2002 Sold Scion Photonics, Inc. to JDS Uniphase PROPERTIES
The Company leases a facility in Fremont, California of approximately 189,000 square feet, which serves as the Company�s corporate headquarters and houses wafer fabrication, research and development and various administrative functions.
The Company and its fiber optic subsidiary, Scion, lease approximately 146,000 square feet at its campus in Milpitas, California, to serve as its development and wafer fabrication facility. Scion also leases approximately 23,000 square feet in Valencia, California for its equipment automation facility.
The Company owns a seven-acre site near Bangkok, Thailand with three facilities totaling 477,000 square feet used for slider fabrication, HGA manufacturing and HSA manufacturing.
The Company owns a 10.6-acre site near Manila, Philippines with a 365,000 square foot manufacturing facility.
The Company also leases offices in Singapore, Osaka, Japan, and Seoul, Korea for sales and customer support.