Ultra Products
Encyclopedia
Ultra Products, a division of the Systemax group of companies, is a US
-based computer
parts manufacturer, importer and distributor.
The company's main focus is on PC
accessories, and offers a full gamut of products including computer memory, computer cases and power supplies, custom cooling solutions and uninterruptible power supplies.
The company attracted attention in PC publications when they produced the first modular computer power supply, the Ultra X-Connect.
The history of Ultra Products dates back to 1991 with the Fletcher, Ohio
based PC builder, MidWest Micro. Ultra was the brand name for MidWest Micro's white-box personal and laptop computers sold through their Infotel computer product distribution division. In late 1997, Global Industrial Products purchased Infotel and the MidWest Micro and continued to sell product under the Ultra brand name. In 1999, Global changed its name to Systemax and Global Industrial became a division of the Systemax corporation. The Ultra Products brand name was expanded to include LCD monitors.
In 2002, Systemax was an exclusive U.S. importer of Chieftec
brand computer cases. The cases were used for Systemax builds and to DIY users through Systemax's Tiger Direct
retail outlet, but in order to move the quantity of product required to import to maintain exclusive distribution rights, Systemax would have to sell to other retails; retailers in direct competition with Tiger Direct. So later in 2002 ChieftecUSA was born.
In 2003, Tiger Direct used the Ultra brand to sell computer memory
and low-end graphics cards. By mid-2003, the product line expanded to light kits, hard drive, memory and CPU coolers and flash memory card readers. This proved to be successful and the decision was made to put the brand out into the retail channel. It was determined to use the existing ChieftecUSA channels to distribute product, so in late 2003 ChieftecUSA became Ultra Products and could not only be purchased at Tiger Direct, but also Fry's Electronics
, Micro Center
as well as a number of other retail and mail order computer components dealers.
Although technical support is often handled through the Fletcher, Ohio facility, a number of support issues are actually still handled in the Tiger Direct call center in Miami, Florida
.
In November 2006, Ultra Products received United States Patent Number 7,133,293 for the modular interface Ultra uses on its X-Connect line of power supplies. The patent was filed for in September 2004.
In August 2007, the technical support forums at Ultra Product's website was closed and a statement that they were "under construction" was made on the portal page, yet the link to the forums had been completely removed from the main page's navigation.
On April 4 2008, Ultra Products filed a complaint against Antec, Inc., Channel Well Technology Co. Ltd., Channel Well Technology Co. U.S.A., Inc., Corsair Memory, Inc., Enhance Electronics Co. Ltd., E-Power Technology/PCMCIS, SPI Electronic Co. Ltd., FSP Group USA Corp., Koolance USA, Mushkin, Inc., OCZ Technology, Sea Sonic Electronics Co. Ltd., Silverstone Technology, Inc., Spire-Bytecom Fanner Corporation, Tagan Technology Co. Ltd., Tagan Technology Co., Thermaltake Technology Co. Ltd., Thermaltake, Inc., Topower Computer Industrial Co. Ltd., Topower Computer U.S.A., Inc., Zalman Technology Company Ltd. and Zalman USA, Inc. for patent infringement claiming that the defendant's modular power supply product infringed on the patent Ultra filed for back in 2004.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
parts manufacturer, importer and distributor.
The company's main focus is on PC
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
accessories, and offers a full gamut of products including computer memory, computer cases and power supplies, custom cooling solutions and uninterruptible power supplies.
The company attracted attention in PC publications when they produced the first modular computer power supply, the Ultra X-Connect.
The history of Ultra Products dates back to 1991 with the Fletcher, Ohio
Fletcher, Ohio
Fletcher is a village in Miami County, Ohio, United States. The population was 510 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Fletcher is located at ....
based PC builder, MidWest Micro. Ultra was the brand name for MidWest Micro's white-box personal and laptop computers sold through their Infotel computer product distribution division. In late 1997, Global Industrial Products purchased Infotel and the MidWest Micro and continued to sell product under the Ultra brand name. In 1999, Global changed its name to Systemax and Global Industrial became a division of the Systemax corporation. The Ultra Products brand name was expanded to include LCD monitors.
In 2002, Systemax was an exclusive U.S. importer of Chieftec
Chieftec
Chieftec Industrial Co., Ltd. is a company established in 1990 that manufacturers computer cases and computer power supply units.The company's headquarters is in Taiwan, but has production facilities in Kwangtung and Zhejiang in mainland China....
brand computer cases. The cases were used for Systemax builds and to DIY users through Systemax's Tiger Direct
Tiger Direct
Tiger Direct is a direct online and catalog retailer of computers and consumer electronics. It is a Systemax subsidiary. Its headquarters are in Fountainbleau, Florida.-Overview:...
retail outlet, but in order to move the quantity of product required to import to maintain exclusive distribution rights, Systemax would have to sell to other retails; retailers in direct competition with Tiger Direct. So later in 2002 ChieftecUSA was born.
In 2003, Tiger Direct used the Ultra brand to sell computer memory
Computer memory
In computing, memory refers to the physical devices used to store programs or data on a temporary or permanent basis for use in a computer or other digital electronic device. The term primary memory is used for the information in physical systems which are fast In computing, memory refers to the...
and low-end graphics cards. By mid-2003, the product line expanded to light kits, hard drive, memory and CPU coolers and flash memory card readers. This proved to be successful and the decision was made to put the brand out into the retail channel. It was determined to use the existing ChieftecUSA channels to distribute product, so in late 2003 ChieftecUSA became Ultra Products and could not only be purchased at Tiger Direct, but also Fry's Electronics
Fry's Electronics
Fry's Electronics is a big-box store and retailer of software, consumer electronics, computer hardware, with in store computer repair and custom computer building services and household appliances with a chain of superstores headquartered in Silicon Valley...
, Micro Center
Micro Center
Micro Center is an American computer department store founded in Columbus, Ohio in 1979 by two former Radio Shack employees. The first Micro Center store was a . storefront located in the Lane Avenue Shopping Center in Upper Arlington, Ohio...
as well as a number of other retail and mail order computer components dealers.
Although technical support is often handled through the Fletcher, Ohio facility, a number of support issues are actually still handled in the Tiger Direct call center in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
.
In November 2006, Ultra Products received United States Patent Number 7,133,293 for the modular interface Ultra uses on its X-Connect line of power supplies. The patent was filed for in September 2004.
In August 2007, the technical support forums at Ultra Product's website was closed and a statement that they were "under construction" was made on the portal page, yet the link to the forums had been completely removed from the main page's navigation.
On April 4 2008, Ultra Products filed a complaint against Antec, Inc., Channel Well Technology Co. Ltd., Channel Well Technology Co. U.S.A., Inc., Corsair Memory, Inc., Enhance Electronics Co. Ltd., E-Power Technology/PCMCIS, SPI Electronic Co. Ltd., FSP Group USA Corp., Koolance USA, Mushkin, Inc., OCZ Technology, Sea Sonic Electronics Co. Ltd., Silverstone Technology, Inc., Spire-Bytecom Fanner Corporation, Tagan Technology Co. Ltd., Tagan Technology Co., Thermaltake Technology Co. Ltd., Thermaltake, Inc., Topower Computer Industrial Co. Ltd., Topower Computer U.S.A., Inc., Zalman Technology Company Ltd. and Zalman USA, Inc. for patent infringement claiming that the defendant's modular power supply product infringed on the patent Ultra filed for back in 2004.