The Tape Company Beginnings

In October of 1987, the use of professional recording media was growing substantially. When some hard working sales representatives from Sony experienced this increased demand, they endeavored to find a better way to service the growing number of professional media users, and The Tape Company was born. Starting from a small 1,500 sq. ft. location in Wood Dale, IL, a suburb of Chicago, Bob Daly and Mike Cullen put everything into their new business. They visited the customers personally, found out what their specific needs were and fashioned the business around those needs. As word spread about the superior service and the new and unique “media only” concept, other locations in other major cities soon opened.

In late 1997, Daisytek International, a 2.5 billion-dollar wholesale distributor of computer consumables, had entered into the professional recording media business. Daisytek had already acquired The Tape Company’s largest competitors, and had approached Bob and Mike to buy their business. Bob and Mike had a tough choice to make - either compete with a huge corporate behemoth that could potentially steamroll over them, or take their offer to sell the business. Eventually they were forced to do what was the best thing for their employees, their customers and the industry in general, and sold the business to Daisytek in the summer of 1998. Five years later, Daisytek offered The Tape Company up for sale. Bob and Mike now had their chance to get the company they founded back, and took it. On September 8th, 2003, the assets of The Tape Company were purchased back from Daisytek to original owners Bob Daly and Mike Cullen.

To say we’ve been busy since September of 2003 is an understatement. A new state of the art computer system was installed, and dozens of technological improvements and operating efficiencies have been put in place. An entirely new accounting department was hired to replace to old Daisytek one. Warehouses have been right sized. Sales and marketing have been expanded. Our new and improved online ordering site has been built. As a result The Tape Company is now financially, operationally and professionally stronger than it has ever been, and is growing.

Our original motto in 1987 was “Quality People, Quality Service”. Our employee’s dedication to satisfying the customer made us the success that we always were. Now that Bob, Mike and the team that built The Tape Company are back, our new motto is, “Remember the People, Remember the Service.” Now although almost 18 years have passed, everyday we remind hundreds of our valued customers with every order they place, that although the industry has changed dramatically, the legendary Tape Company service they knew for years is back for good, and better than ever.