Very interesting, Dave, and thanks again.
I would like to see Ampex do something with Micropolis because of its close ties to the Singaporean government which is flush with cash (about $70 Billion in foreign reserves) and which has a clear national interest in protecting and increasing its disk drive manufacturing base (currently around 50% of global capacity with a goal of 75% of global capacity by 2000). Ampex can probably get some kind of research grant (don't laugh, Sony and ATT are just some of the companies which recently received grants in areas of interest to the Singaporean government) or even financing to go more quickly into manufacturing the keepered platters and heads(30-45% gross margins)if Ampex succeeds in making it's KM technology part of the continuing evolution of the MR drive.
Incidentally, Stormedia (STMD) was on the ropes last year when Maxtor, its second biggest customer after Seagate, decided to terminate its long term supply agreement and concentrate its platter sources between its Maxmedia platter startup, HMTT and now, Komag. STMD still depends heavily on Seagate for 50-60% of its sales and although, it may be on the mend with 2 new customers, another industry downturn, as you described, might push it over the edge, especially since Seagate has long disclosed plans to increase the platters it manufactures itself from last year's 50% of requirements to 75% by the end of 1997.
In response to Jay's question, here's a link to an extremely useful web site that contains facts that may illuminate the opportunities for Ampex in the area of Digital Video or Digital Image processing. If you refer to the history outline on the Ampex web site while digesting the information on Tim Stoeffel's web site, I think you will get an idea of the significance of Ampex's innovations in broadcasting and how those innovations, I think, contain future opportunities that MAY prove be bigger than KM.
servtech.com
Let me know what you folks think. |
