IBM in Kingston Timeline

1952

IBM begins working with MIT’s Lincoln Laboratories on Air Force defense computer.

1953

IBM is awarded contract to build the prototype computers XD1 and XD2.

1954

IBM is awarded primary computer hardware contract for the SAGE air defense system.

IBM begins construction on the Kingston site.

1955

IBM moves typewriter assembly to the Kingston plant, increasing the plant population by an additional 1,900 employees. XD2 prototype is installed in Kingston. Assembly and testing begins on first AN/FSQ-7 Combat Direction Central.

IBM Kingston begins training of SAGE System Engineers.

1956

IBM Kingston ships the first SAGE system to be installed at McGuire AFB in New Jersey.

1958

Maguire AFB SAGE system is operational, can communicate with control system at Hancock Field, Syracuse.

IBM Kingston Custom Systems organization provides support to the Mercury Manned Space Flight Program.

1959

IBM Kingston ships the last of the SAGE systems to Makah Air Force Base in northwestern Washington State.

IBM Kingston site begins to train Air Force personnel to test and maintain installed SAGE systems. The project is called Head Start.

The number of employees at IBM Kingston has increased beyond 5,000.

IBM field engineering has completed the training of over 1,850 field engineers since 1955.

IBM Kingston assembles a transistorized version of the AN/FSQ-7 for Colorado Springs.

IBM announces the 7090 computer system (a solid-state version of the AN/FSQ-7) for commercial use.

1960

IBM Kingston begins the construction of the engineering laboratory across the street from the main building.

1961

IBM Kingston delivers two IBM STRETCH computers to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.

IBM Kingston transfers the typewriter assembly process to the IBM plant in Kentucky.

IBM Kingston accepts the manufacturing responsibility for all IBM power supplies, random access drums and core plane memory.

IBM Kingston Custom Systems organization provides major support to the Apollo Space Flight Control System to put men on the moon.

1962

IBM Kingston was designated the location for the computer center serving the entire IBM internal teleprocessing system.

IBM Kingston begins design and engineering of video display terminals for commercial delivery. At the New York World’s Fair, IBM demonstrates the language translating system developed and manufactured at Kingston.

The IBM Kingston—designed SABRE Airline Reservation system is installed by American Airlines.

1964

IBM Kingston announces the 2260 display terminal for attachment to the IBM System 360 processor line.

Display terminal manufacturing to be done at the IBM Kingston plant.

1965

IBM Kingston begins final testing of System/360 computer systems prior to shipment to customers.

1968

IBM Kingston begins design and engineering of the 3270 terminal system to replace the existing 2260 system.

1969

IBM Kingston manufacturing ships the first System 360 model 75 to Columbia University for Scientific Space Studies.

1970

IBM Kingston phases out manufacturing display terminals and control units. Will be manufactured at the IBM Raleigh plant.

1971

IBM Kingston takes over responsibility for design and support for the IBM TSS (Time Sharing System) that will be announced as the IBM System 360 Model 67.

IBM Kingston starts construction of a 150,000-square-foot building to be called Building 005.

IBM Kingston announces shipment of 3270 display terminals.

1972

IBM Kingston announces and ships industry communications systems for market segments such as finance, banking and retail stores.

1973

IBM Kingston announces plans to build a 250,000-square-foot four-story engineering laboratory.

1975

3790 Distributed Systems Announcement with DPCX operating system. DPCX was IBM’s distributed operating system to support a word processing application.

1976-
1981

IBM Kingston announces and delivers the 8100 Distributed System along with two separate operating systems DPPX for data applications and DPCX for word processing.

1985

IBM Kingston establishes a supercomputer support system for application development and marketing.

1987

IBM Kingston’s gas panel project with Owens/Illinois and Illinois University is sold to Plasmarco of Highland, New York, and twenty   years later is sold to Panasonic for their large-screen HD television products.

1990

IBM Kingston’s community programs receive over $1,195,000 in contributions and matching grants.

1991

Pedestrian link construction over Neighborhood Road completed. It links Building 202 and the laboratory.

1995

Kingston Plant closes. IBM Kingston employees are transferred to Poughkeepsie or other locations or retired from the business.