Key Tronic

  • Nasdaq: KTCC
  • Russell Microcap Index component
IndustryComputer peripheralsFounded1969; 55 years ago (1969)HeadquartersSpokane Valley, Washington, U.S.
Key people
Craig Gates (CEO)ProductsKeyboardsRevenueIncrease US$588 million (2023)
Number of employees
5,447 (2023)Websitekeytronic.comFootnotes / references
[1]

Key Tronic Corporation (branded Keytronic) is a technology company founded in 1969 by Lewis G. Zirkle.[2][3] Its core products initially included keyboards, mice and other input devices. KeyTronic currently specializes in PCBA and full product assembly. The company is among the ten largest contract manufacturers providing electronic manufacturing services in the US.[4] The company offers full product design or assembly of a wide variety of household goods and electronic products such as keyboards, printed circuit board assembly, plastic molding, thermometers, toilet bowl cleaners, satellite tracking systems, etc.

Keyboards

After the introduction of the IBM PC, Keytronic began manufacturing keyboards compatible with those computer system units.[5]

Most of their keyboards are based on the 8048 microcontroller to communicate to the computer. Their early keyboards used an Intel 8048 MCU. However, as the company evolved, they began to use their own 8048-based and 83C51KB-based MCUs.

Compaq Portable keyboard assembly manufactured by Key Tronic in 1984
Top and bottom of two Key Tronic foam-and-foil pads from the same assembly, showing conductive top layer and Mylar bottom layer with sponge foam in between. The foam is undergoing significant deterioration due to age; newly manufactured replacements are still being produced by TexElec.[6]

In 1978, Keytronic Corporation introduced keyboards with capacitive-based switches, one of the first keyboard technologies to not use self-contained switches.[citation needed] There was simply a sponge pad with a conductive-coated Mylar plastic sheet on the switch plunger, and two half-moon trace patterns on the printed circuit board below. As the key was depressed, the capacitance between the plunger pad and the patterns on the PCB below changed, which was detected by integrated circuits (IC). These keyboards were claimed to have the same reliability as the other "solid-state switch" keyboards such as inductive and Hall-Effect, but competitive with direct-contact keyboards.

Natural Keyboard

Microsoft Natural Keyboard Gen1/V1

Microsoft ergonomic keyboards, starting from 1994, were originally designed for Microsoft by Ziba Design[7] with assistance and manufacturing by Key Tronic.[8] The Microswitch division of Honeywell, which was responsible for that company's keyboards and was acquired by Key Tronic in early 1994, is also credited with design input.[9]

This keyboard also introduced three new keys purposed for Microsoft's upcoming operating system: two Windows logo keys (⊞ Win) between the Ctrl and Alt keys on each side, and a ≣ Menu key between the right Windows and Ctrl keys.[10]

Although it was not the first ergonomic keyboard, it was the first widely available sub-$100 offering.[10] The Natural Keyboard sold over 600,000 per month at its peak.[7] Over 3 million units had been sold by February 1998, when its successor, the Natural Keyboard Elite, was introduced.[11]

Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite

Like the original Natural Keyboard, the Elite was manufactured by Key Tronic, who also assisted in its development.[8]

ErgoForce

Among modern keyboard enthusiasts, Keytronic is known mostly for its "ErgoForce" technology,[12] where different keys have rubber domes with different stiffness. The alphabetic keys intended to be struck with the little finger need only 35 grams of force to actuate, while other alphabetic keys need 45 grams. Other keys can be as stiff as 80 grams.[13]

Corporate information

The company, which has been described as a contract manufacturer, was founded in 1969,[3] went public in 1983,[14] and has an estimated 5,000 employees.[15]

During 2016-2017, statements and press releases about Cemtrex's proposed acquisition of Keytronic have been released.[16]

References

  1. ^ "2023 Annual Report (Form 10-K)". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. September 26, 2023.
  2. ^ Grant, Tina, ed. (1996). International Directory of Company Histories. Vol. 14. United States of America: St. James Press. pp. 284–286. ISBN 1-55862-342-6.
  3. ^ a b "Keytronic Corporation: Private Company Information". Bloomberg.com.
  4. ^ Lind, Treva (May 10, 2012). "Key Tronic's sales, earnings grab notice of investors". Spokane Journal of Business. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  5. ^ Sandler, Corey (January 1983). "Key Tronic's Soft Touch". PC Magazine: 347. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
  6. ^ "105 "Foam and Foil" Capacitive Pads for KeyTronic & BTC Keyboard Repair". TexElec. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Microsoft Natural Keyboard". Ziba Design. 1 February 1994. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014.
  8. ^ a b Murphey, Michael (November 19, 1997). "Microsoft, Key Tronic Reach Deal: Spokane Company To Make New Ergonomic Keyboard". The Spokesman Review. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  9. ^ Jewell, Mark (October 17, 1995). "Ergonomics Is Key For Key Tronic". The Seattle Times. AP. Archived from the original on 25 Sep 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  10. ^ a b FISHER, LAWRENCE M. (6 September 1994). "Microsoft Is Bringing Out Its First Computer Keyboard". The New York Times. ...the Microsoft Corporation will begin shipping a keyboard on Tuesday with a suggested retail price of $99.
  11. ^ "Microsoft Announces Availability of New Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite" (Press release). Redmond, Washington: Microsoft. February 26, 1998. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  12. ^ "Key Tronic Corporation Announces Distribution Agreement with NetZero, Inc". Bloomberg. Spokane, WA. Business Wire. 2000-10-27. Retrieved 2022-06-19.[dead link]
  13. ^ Lasky, Michael S. (1999-07-01). Fox, Steve (ed.). "May the ErgoForce Be With You" (PDF). PC World. Vol. 17, no. 7. p. 88. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
  14. ^ Young, Larry (April 27, 1983). "Keytronic will go public". Spokane Chronicle. p. C6.
  15. ^ "Keytronic company profile - Office locations, jobs, key people".
  16. ^ "Cemtrex Announces Exchange Offer to Acquire Keytronic Corp". GlobeNewswire News Room (Press release). 2017-09-05. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Key Tronic.
  • Official website
  • Circuitsassembly.com: "Key Tronic named the CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY EMS Company of the Year in 2009"
  • v
  • t
  • e