Penril

Short description: Defunct modem manufacturer

Penril DataComm Networks, Inc.Type| Public

|

Industry|

* Computer
* Telecommunications

Fate| Partially acquired by Bay Networks; remainder spun off into Access Beyond
Founded| 1968; 58 years ago (1968) in Gaithersburg, Maryland
Defunct| 1996; 30 years ago (1996)
Products|

* Networking hardware
* Networking software

Penril DataComm Networks, Inc.[1][2][3][4] was a computer telecommunications hardware company[5] that made some acquisitions[6] and was eventually split into two parts: one was acquired by Bay Networks[7] and the other was a newly formed company named Access Beyond.[8] The focus of both company's products was end-to-end data transfer. By the mid-1990s, with the popularization of the internet, this was no longer of wide interest.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Datability
* 3 Access Beyond
* 4 Ron Howard
* 5 People
* 6 Controversy
* 7 References

## History

Penril,[9][10][11] whose earnings reports[12][13][10] and other financials[14][15] were followed by The New York Times in the 1990s, made several acquisitions[16][10] but also grew internally.[12] Following its Datability acquisition[17] it renamed itself Penril Datability Networks.[18]

By the time the 1968-founded[19][20] Penril was acquired by Bay their name was Penril DataComm Networks.[7] The company, which as of 1985 "had made 14 acquisitions in 12 years,"[21] also had done extensive work regarding quality control,[22] and leveraged their product line by what The Washington Post called clever packaging: "software, cables, instructions and telephone support" sold to those less technically skilled as "Network in a Box."[23]

## Datability

Datability Software Systems Inc. was the initial name[24] of what by 1991 became 'Datability, Inc.', "a manufacturer of hardware that links computer networks."[25] The 1977-founded firm began as a software consulting company, especially in the area of databases. To speed up project development they built a program generator, which they marketed as Control 10/20[26][27] (targeted at users of Digital Equipment Corporation's DECsystem-10 and DECSYSTEM-20). After trying their hand at time-sharing they built hardware[28] to enhance bridging these computers to DEC's VAX product line. In particular they focused on Digital's LAT protocol, selling "boxes" that reimplemented the protocol, at a lower price than DEC's. They later expanded into other areas of telecommunications hardware[29] The firm relocated to a larger manufacturing plant in 1991[25] and was acquired by Penril in 1993.[10]

## Access Beyond

Access Beyond was initially housed by Penril,[30] from which it was spun off.[2] A securities analyst noted that Access began operations with no debt.[30] They subsequently merged with Hayes Corporation.[31] Some of the funds brought to the merger came from a sale by Penril of two of its divisions, each bringing about $4 million.[32][33]

## Ron Howard

Ron Howard, founder of Datability,[29][34] became part of Penril when the latter acquired the former,[1] and was CEO of Access Beyond when it was spun off by Penril.[30] Access merged with Hayes Microcomputer Products[31] and was renamed Hayes Corp, at which time[35] Howard became executive VP of business development and corporate vice chairman of Hayes.[31]

## People

In the matter of hiring immigrants, in an industry where recent arrivals came from a culture of six day work weeks, and subcontracting was then common,[36] these assembly line workers at Penril comprised about 25%, compared to double in other firms. Placement was overseen by government agencies.[37]

## Controversy

Penril had a joint development agreement, beginning in 1990, with a Standard Microsystems Corporation (SMSC) subsidiary. A dispute arose, and the matter was brought to court.[38]

Penril was awarded $3.5 million in 1996.[39]

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jerry Knight (November 18, 1996). "Tales Of 2 Tech Firms -- With Very Different Endings". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1996/11/18/tales-of-2-tech-firms-with-very-different-endings/7d121685-7524-4009-ba15-0bb112bd5511.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Penril Is Spinning Off Its Remote Access Business". The New York Times. November 6, 1996. https://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/06/business/penril-is-spinning-off-its-remote-access-business.html.
3. ↑ "Penril to Shed Units and Focus Solely on Remote-Access". Wall Street Journal. June 18, 1996. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB835054983465257000.
4. ↑ "Trailing, but gaining". The Los Angeles Times. June 22, 1997. https://www.latimes.com/bs-xpm-1997-06-22-1997173115-story.html.
5. ↑ "Who decides ...". The New York Times. January 9, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/09/magazine/who-decides-whats-sexy-and-who-pays-for-it.html.
6. ↑ "Penril Corp. Acquires Data Products Firm". The Washington Post. July 4, 1985. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1985/07/04/penril-corp-acquires-data-products-firm/3f9266fb-afc6-49a6-9fad-8e678a9680f2/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Bay Networks to Buy Some Penril Datacomm Assets". The New York Times. June 18, 1996. https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/18/business/company-news-bay-networks-to-buy-some-penril-datacomm-assets.html.
8. ↑ Bob Starzynski (November 11, 1996). "Penril Shareholders to Vote on Changes". BizJournals (Washington). https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/1996/11/11/newscolumn5.html.
9. ↑ "Small Stocks Record Losses On Tech-Sector Weakness". Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB835027892917971500.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 "Penril Datacomm Networks Inc. (NMS) reports earnings for Qtr". The New York Times. December 8, 1993. http://www.nytimes.com/1993/12/08/business/penril-datacomm-networks-inc-nms-reports-earnings-for-qtr-to-oct-31.html?pagewanted=print.
11. ↑ "Technology Briefs". Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB839800381144473500.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Penril Datacomm Networks Inc. (NMS) reports earnings for Qtr". The New York Times. December 11, 1991. https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/11/business/penril-datacomm-networks-reports-earnings-for-qtr-to-oct-31.html.
13. ↑ "Penril DataComm Networks Inc. reports earnings". The New York Times. October 5, 1992. https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/05/business/penril-datacomm-networks-inc-reports-earnings-for-year-july-31.html.
14. ↑ "Open Positions on Short Sales Off 1.5% on Nasdaq". The New York Times. May 25, 1991. https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/25/business/open-positions-on-short-sales-off-1.5-on-nasdaq.html.
15. ↑ "Open Positions on Short Sales Are 5% Higher on Nasdaq". The New York Times. August 25, 1993. https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/25/business/open-positions-on-short-sales-are-5-higher-on-nasdaq.html.
16. ↑ "Company News". The New York Times. May 15, 1992. https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/15/business/company-news-917592.html. "a subsidiary of Penril .. acquired"
17. ↑ June 1996 Peter Behr (April 29, 1998). "Buyouts Send Tech Firms Packing". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1998/04/29/buyouts-send-tech-firms-packing/00bba348-1362-4ce1-894a-00f2e8aeb3b9.
18. ↑ "Franklin Telecom to Open Sales Office in N.C.". The Los Angeles Times. May 27, 1997. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-05-27-fi-62865-story.html.
19. ↑ "the POST 200: 57, PENRIL DATACOMM NETWORKS INC.". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1991/04/08/the-post-200/fd2275f7-b6e2-476e-9ead-bed0fc6bc06e.
20. ↑ "Will Small Stocks Continue To Climb Higher?". The Washington Post. March 4, 1991. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1991/03/04/will-small-stocks-continue-to-climb-higher/0080ef3a-9bcc-4510-a623-e95608bca9dc.
21. ↑ Stan Hinden (May 6, 1985). "1985: A Year of Challenge". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1985/05/06/1985-a-year-of-challenge/5e90e11c-973a-464d-b519-9a912946bec0.
22. ↑ Sandra Sugawara (December 23, 1991). "Questing for Quality". Wall Street Journal. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1991/12/23/questing-for-quality/9ae7a240-a8eb-4acf-bb38-d76328ac141c.
23. ↑ "What the analysts say". The Washington Post. May 15, 1995. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1995/05/15/what-the-analysts-say/4aa73deb-143e-441d-b03a-2ccdcd7a43c7.
24. ↑ "Alice Early Wed In Massachusetts". The New York Times. September 9, 1984. https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/09/style/alice-early-wed-in-massachusetts.html. "a computer-systems consultant for Datability Software Systems Inc. in New York"
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Sarah Bartlett (September 22, 1991). "Neighbors Challenge New York's Tax Reputation". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/22/nyregion/neighbors-challenge-new-york-s-tax-reputation.html.
26. ↑ "Datability Control 10/20 installed". Computerworld: p. 24. April 13, 1981. https://books.google.com/books?id=swMFz8ewggoC&pg=PA24.
27. ↑ "Datability Control 10/20 Simplifies Information Management". Computerworld: p. 24. April 13, 1981. https://books.google.com/books?id=swMFz8ewggoC&pg=PA24.
28. ↑ "Mead Data Central evaluating Datability box". Computerworld: p. 49. March 12, 1990. https://books.google.com/books?id=iI9LJwuAG70C&pg=PP49.
29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Ciorey Sandler (July 10, 1989). "Datability's Howard: Aiming To Get The Message Across". Digital News: p. 86.
30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 Bob Starzynski (September 23, 1996). "Penril DataComm plans to cut 90 jobs". BizJournals (Washington). https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/1996/09/23/story3.html.
31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Evan RamstadStaff (July 30, 1997). "Hayes Micro, Access Beyond Plan to Merge, Get Infusion". Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB870227722274274000.
32. ↑ TechniPower "Penril Sells Division to Raise Money". BizJournals (Washington). July 29, 1996. https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/1996/07/29/newscolumn5.html.
33. ↑ Electro-Metrics Bob Starzynski (March 10, 1997). "Access Beyond Completes Changes". BizJournals (Washington). https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/1997/03/10/newscolumn4.html.
34. ↑ founded 1977 "Old idea, new firm for Hayes CEO". BizJournals (Washington). March 1, 1999. https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/1999/03/01/story5.html.
35. ↑ "Hayes Microcomputer Products Inc.". The New York Times. December 27, 1997. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/27/business/company-briefs-805548.html.
36. ↑ Stan Hinden (April 9, 1990). "Silencing the Boom". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1990/04/09/silencing-the-boom/644c6388-3dbd-4471-a312-0f2d0bd279f6. "the DataComm division of Penril .. has subcontractors that manufacture modems in .."
37. ↑ Elizabeth Tucker (February 22, 1988). "High-Tech, High Hopes". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1988/02/22/high-tech-high-hopes/af3be7b0-f1b9-4363-a704-0fa3e3f088d3.
38. ↑ Bob Starzynski (October 7, 1996). "Penril Settles Suit". BizJournals (Washington). https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/1996/10/07/newscolumn5.html.
39. ↑ "Digest". The Washington Post. September 27, 1996. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1996/09/27/digest/163b97e3-4c8f-49d9-925c-07e390958707.

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