What happened to computer peripheral producer MFE Corporation from 1970s? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: hanakp
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2024, 06:57:19 pm
content: At the Internet Archive, I came across this slick 1973 manual for drum printers DPA6A, DPA12EA, DPC11EA and DPC11MA manufactured by MFE Corporation:https://archive.org/details/mfe-corporation-dpa-12-ea-en-ocrIt includes a booklet with the company's portfolio and short history (I copied it below). But there is virtually nothing else about them online, nor about their predecessor Mechanics for Electronics, Inc. I know such companies were dime a dozen in that "golden computer era", but I'm still curious what happened to them? Were they bought out by some bigger competitor?I checked out their address at Google Maps, but the manual only says Keewaydin Drive, Salem, i.e. with no street number. From the photo onthe last page of the manual, it seems 19 Keewaydin Drive is their former building, although with a new facade:https://www.google.com/maps/place/EIT/@42.7714231,-71.2449234,19.29z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x89e3abd21326ad25:0x985fbee6aef448f8!8m2!3d42.771463!4d-71.2442941!16s%2Fg%2F11dynfq16n!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDgyMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3DThe only electronics company nearby is EIT Zollner, but it's probably just a coincidence, because they expanded there in January 2024:https://www.eit.com/news/eit-zollner-expands-in-salem-nhMFE Corporation (formerly Mechanics for Electronics, Inc.) was founded in January 1962 to market inventions in the field of electromagnetic devices. The company was co-founded by Richard M. Allen, now MFE’s President. A laboratory was set up in the corner of a borrowed office in Boston’s Park Square Building. By spring of the first year the business was relocated to a loft in Cambridge.Initial production of pen motors started at the end of 1962. The motors were offered to various recorder manufacturers whose products were sold in the laboratory market. In the spring of 1965, two new products were introduced, one a circuitbreaker actuator and the other a directwriting analog recorder module for the medical original equipment market (OEM). Multi-channel units in various configurations were added. Today MFE is the world’s leading producer of OEM recorder modules, used in medical systems.After two moves to larger facilities within Cambridge, MFE moved to a newly constructed plant in Wilmington, Massachusetts in November, 1969. Employment reached 100 by early 1970. By the late spring of 1971 it again became apparent that even larger quarters would be required and a new plant site was bought in Salem, New Hampshire where a 30,000 square foot building was constructed. Operations have been located there since July, 1972.New products are being added continually. Within the last year MFE introduced a slow-speed, compact analog recorder for monitoring of pressure, temperature, flow and other slowly varying parameters associated with both the medical field and the process industry, including the control of pollution. From its own special products section, MFE has generated a complete line of one, two, three, four, six and eight channel portable and rack mount recorders including various wide chart recorders for the laboratory and industrial user markets. Other new products are being developed in the areas of graphic recording and digital printing.There are 40 domestic and 41 foreign sales offices from which information on MFE products can be obtained. Most foreign and many domestic representatives offer on the spot service of MFE products. Where local service is not feasible, MFE’s factory service program and liberal warranty policy come to the aid of customers.In addition to Mr. Allen, the management team consists of Myron Kasok, Vice President Marketing; Thomas L. Myette, Vice President Manufacturing; and David N. Keast, Vice President Development.

author: synaptic
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 06, 2025, 11:35:48 am
content: Indeed, what happened to them!I found an old "MFE CORPORATION SALEM N.H." galvo and wanted to put it to good use but can't seem to find anything on MFE Corporation.Model: R4160VSSSERIAL: 79202PAT. NO. 3,177,385

author: synaptic
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 06, 2025, 11:39:50 am
content: Found it:Quote

author: hanakp
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2025, 10:35:02 am
content: Where did you find it? Some local newspaper or magazine?