SanDisk Corp. history, profile and corporate video
SanDisk Corp. designs, develops, markets and manufactures flash storage card products used in a wide variety of consumer electronics products. The company’s flash memory storage products are used in a variety of large markets and it distributes its products globally through retail and original equipment manufacturer channels. Its solutions include removable cards, embedded products, universal serial bus drives, digital media players, wafers and components. The removable card products are used in a wide range of consumer electronics devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, gaming devices and laptop computers. Its embedded flash products are used in mobile phones, tablets, eReaders, global positioning system, devices, gaming systems, imaging devices and computing platforms. SanDisk was founded by Eli Harari and Sanjay Mehrotra on June 1, 1988 and is headquartered in Milpitas, CA.“
“SanDisk History
Dr. Eli Harari developed the Floating Gate EEPROM which proved the practicality, reliability, manufacturability and endurance of semiconductor-based data storage. This pioneering work laid the foundation for the flash memory market that would significantly impact the consumer electronics industry, enabling new products across multiple categories.
In 1988, Dr. Harari launched the company that would become SanDisk with former Intel colleague Sanjay Mehrotra (now SanDisk President and Chief Executive Officer), and former Hughes Electronics colleague Jack Yuan.
Early on, SanDisk (then known as SunDisk) had recognized that digital cameras would need removable flash memory storage, and computers could become ever more mobile and light and would require a similar storage technology.
Dr. Harari offered the removable flash memory card technology to Kodak for inclusion in their cameras in 1988. Kodak offered to fund the development with the condition that SanDisk offer a three-year exclusive contract for the “digital film” under the Kodak brand. Dr. Harari and SanDisk rejected the offer because he wanted competition in the marketplace to encourage growth of the flash memory industry.
Corporate acquisitions
- SanDisk acquired SMART Storage Systems, a developer of enterprise solid state drives based on the SATA and SAS storage protocols, in 2013.
- SanDisk acquired Schooner Information Technology, Inc., an enterprise software company that develops flash-optimized database and data store solution in 2012.
- SanDisk acquired FlashSoft Corporation, a provider of innovative caching software products in 2012.
- SanDisk acquired Pliant Technology, Inc., a developer of enterprise solid state drives in 2011.
- SanDisk acquired msystems Ltd., a developer of flash memory storage products in 2006.
- SanDisk acquired Matrix Semiconductor, Inc., a company that pioneers and supplied 3D-based one-time programmable chip technology in 2006.
- SanDisk is reported to acquire Fusion-io Inc., a manufacturer and designer of products that use flash memory technology for about $1.1 billion. The deal was expected to close in the third quarter of 2014.”
*Information from Forbes.com and Wikipedia.org
**Video published on YouTube by “SanDisk“