What is Storage Technology Corp’s interest in acquiring Hinsdale, Illinois AS/400 leaser and broker XL/Datacomp Inc? As we hazarded, it is part of the company’s strategy to get into the mid-range market, and is of a piece with the company’s investment in M4 Data Ltd here in the UK. StorageTek’s own tape drives for the AS/400 are the subject of an exclusive marketing agreement with Memorex Telex NV, and the Louisville, Colorado company now wants a product it can offer itself for the AS/400, which is where M4 comes in. StorageTek is also working on a 500-cartridge mid-range version of the 6,000-cartridge NearLine Automated Tape Library – which is still so much in demand that the company is backlogged on it by four to six months. It is responding to demand by adding another production line.
