Triumph-Adler History

Initially there were two typewriter manufacturers, Triumph (who also made mechanical calculators and sewing machines) and Adler. They merged to form the German company Triumph-Adler and later absorbed the US typewriter maker Royal.

Triumph-Adler entered the computer market in 1983 with the Alphatronic PC which was intended as a combined home and business machine. At the time increasing use of word processors was eating away at demand for conventional mechanical typewriters so Triumph-Adler were looking for replacement business and the Alphatronic was often sold as a package with a daisywheel printer and wordprocessing cartridge.

The Alphatronic PC had limited success outside Germany because at £350 it was expensive compared to other 8-bit home computers, and business computers tended to use the more powerful 16-bit processors.

Triumph-Adler never really grasped the computer business and the company was eventually divided, with the technical part now owned by Olivetti and the rest a holding company dealing in property and offices.