Timeline

1965

ACT (Applied Computer Techniques) was founded in the UK by Roger Foster to provide computer bureau services (renting out spare capacity on the mainframe of a textiles company in Manchester). Initial funding came from Lindsay Bury, and the two worked together for many years.

1966

In 1966, It's first year of trading ACT had a turnover of £794. By 1974, turnover was to hit £1m.

1982

ACT launches the Sirius 1, a rebadged version of the Victor 9000. The product is technically superior to the IBM PC and sells in large numbers through a network of more than 200 dealers around the UK

1983

ACT launches the Apricot PC. Designed and assembled in the UK. The Apricot was the first computer outside Japan to use 3.5" floppy disk drives.

1984

By 1984, Apricot was making 4,000 Apricot PC's a week at its Glenrothes factory.

ACT launches the Apricot F1, a compact, low-cost version of the PC. This is followed by the F1e (a lower cost entry-level machine).

ACT follows up with the Apricot Portable - An F1 packaged with an LCD display for mobile computing.

ACT establishes 'Apricot Inc' in the USA - Attempting to establish as a premium design-led niche brand offering the F1, Portable, PC and Xi.

1985

ACT renames itself as Apricot Computers. The name change partly reflected the strength of the 'Apricot' brand, but also resolves some brand name confusion in the United States.

The 80286 Xen is launched in October.

The F2 and F10 are launched

1986

Apricot launches the Xen-i 286. This was the company's first 100% IBM compatible product

1987

Apricot launches the Xen-i 386.

1988

The Qi 300 and Qi 600 series are launched. The first non-IBM computers to use IBM's new Microchannel architecture.

Xen-Si was launched as an entry level PC

1989

Apricot releases the gigantic VX FT server. The first computer in the world to use the Intel 80486 processor, and the company's first dedicated server.

1990

Apricot buys Information Technology Limited - a Unix system developer.

Apricot renames itself back to ACT (while retaining 'Apricot' as the product brand).

Apricot announces acquisition of all its hardware design and manufacturing operations by Mitsubishi for $70m (Intel had also bid).. As the European arm of Mitsubishi Electric, (MELCO) Apricot positions itself as a supplier of premium business servers and computers.

The Software/services side of the business would remain as ACT - focussed on software for the banking sector.

Subsequent products would lose the distinctive design for which Apricot was famous. Apricot - Designing in Birmingham and building in Scotland - struggled to remain competitive with suppliers who were quickly outsourcing design and manufacturing to Asia.

1992

Qi 486 launched

LS Pro launched

1993

Xen-LS II launched

FT//s launched

FT//e launched

XEN-PC launched

EPx launched

FT//ex launched

1995

Shogun launched

VS Series launched

1999

Apricot-Mitsubishi operations in Europe are closed down and manufacturing ceases.

2008

Apricot Computers Limited re-launches (buying the Apricot brand from Mitsubishi) in the UK with a netbook product called Picobook Pro. It does not succeed.