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IBM Model M keyboard manufacturers and factories

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sharktastica:
Hello!

For the past short while, I've been researching and trying to write a much-needed "Manufacturers" section for my IBM Model M keyboards wiki page. I think I've now got something decent enough to go live with, so here is a chart and a link...



https://sharktastica.co.uk/wiki?id=modelm#Manufacturers

The main goal was to specify a timeline of IBM divisions, successor companies, and other OEMs involved with manufacturing based on literature sources and what I have collected in my photo archive. I also wanted to do this with considering to buckling sleeve Model Ms as well, which are often omitted (for example, on Wikipedia's Model M keyboard page.) After that, I've described what was known to made in a given IBM factory or by a given OEM. Then, a gave brief description of the plant and/or company where possible. I should be straightforward and say the dates are my current understanding of the timeline. You know how it is - there is probably a credible source or a unicorn keyboard out there that may turn this upside-down in the future...

From a suggestion gave to me on Discord, I decided to make the chart as a visualisation to go at the start of this new section. I think it does a good job of putting some things into perspective easily:

* How IBM Netherlands got in early, making Model M based keyboards as early as 1984.
* How IBM's own production not only did not stop when Lexmark was founded, but even if the U.S., it continued into 3/5 years Lexmark was making keyboards.
* How late IBM United Kingdom was still making keyboards.
* How long Unicomp has been making Model Ms compared to the others.

Anyway, enjoy the chart, the written stuff explaining them, and the impressive CV/resume of IBM Raleigh and the IBM Raleigh Keyboard Product Engineering Laboratory.

ed_avis:
This is very informative, thanks.  But I wonder whether the company name is best way to divide it.  When the keyboard production at Lexington was rebranded from IBM to Lexmark, I imagine that didn't immediately make much difference on the factory floor.  Maybe you should have a continuous line for production at the same factory (or at least in the same city) and use a different colour to indicate change of ownership?

SeanTurner:

--- Quote from: sharktastica on Fri, 14 February 2025, 19:22:42 ---Hello!

For the past short while, I've been researching and trying to write a much-needed "Manufacturers" section for my IBM Model M keyboards wiki page. I think I've now got something decent enough to go live with, so here is a chart and a link...

(Attachment Link)

https://sharktastica.co.uk/wiki?id=modelm#Manufacturers

The main goal was to specify a timeline of IBM divisions, successor companies, and other OEMs involved with manufacturing based on literature sources and what I have collected in my photo archive. I also wanted to do this with considering to buckling sleeve Model Ms as well, which are often omitted (for example, on Wikipedia's Model M keyboard page.) After that, I've described what was known to made in a given IBM factory or by a given OEM. Then, a gave brief description of the plant and/or company where possible. I should be straightforward and say the dates are my current understanding of the timeline. You know how it is - there is probably a credible source or a unicorn keyboard out there that may turn this upside-down in the future...

From a suggestion gave to me on Discord, I decided to make the chart as a visualisation to go at the start of this new section. I think it does a good job of putting some things into perspective easily:

* How IBM Netherlands got in early, making Model M based keyboards as early as 1984.
* How IBM's own production not only did not stop when Lexmark was founded, but even if the U.S., it continued into 3/5 years Lexmark was making keyboards.
* How late IBM United Kingdom was still making keyboards.
* How long Unicomp has been making Model Ms compared to the others.

Anyway, enjoy the chart, the written stuff explaining them, and the impressive CV/resume of IBM Raleigh and the IBM Raleigh Keyboard Product Engineering Laboratory.

--- End quote ---
Hi! Thanks for sharing this detailed update. The chart is super helpful for visualizing the timeline and relationships between IBM, Lexmark, Unicomp, and other manufacturers. It's especially interesting to see how IBM continued production alongside Lexmark and how long Unicomp has been making Model Ms.

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