ICM (International Cassette Ministry) was founded in 1972 by Swiss entrepreneur Werner Weber. Initially, in 1964, the company imported discs and tapes, then manufactured cassettes with religious audio recordings. However, by the early 1970s, management realized that the production of blank audio cassettes and components for their production offered significantly greater potential. By the second half of the 1970s, ICM had become one of the largest independent compact cassette manufacturers in Europe.
Billboard 1979-1980, September 29, 1979.
The company's head office was initially located in Thalwil, canton of Zurich. As production expanded, additional facilities were opened in Buttikon, Lausanne, and Diessenhofen, producing both finished cassettes and individual components. Since 1986, a plant has also operated in Northern Italy, owned by Werner Weber Holdings.
ICM was a full-cycle production facility, manufacturing cassette cases, guide rollers, transparent windows, screw-on and welded case halves, boxes, C-0 cassettes for subsequent tape winding, and various quality control equipment. In advertising materials from the late 1970s and early 1980s, ICM offered manufacturers virtually the entire range of components for establishing their own audio cassette production.
Billboard, April 12,1986.
According to company data, by the early 1980s, annual production of C-0 cassettes alone exceeded 60 million units, making ICM one of the largest independent OEM component suppliers in Europe. By the mid-1980s, both factories were producing a combined 125 million cassettes.
In addition to releasing products under its own brand, ICM actively operated as an OEM manufacturer. Its product range was regularly updated and supplied to markets around the world – in addition to Europe, products were also supplied to North America and several other countries.
In addition to cassettes and components, ICM developed and manufactured specialized testing equipment for magnetic media manufacturers. The company's catalogs featured devices for signal dropout testing (Drop-Out Tester), cassette mechanics testing (Play & Wind Tester), and other equipment used in industrial production.
In the late 1980s, the global magnetic media market began to rapidly deteriorate. Increasing competition from Asian manufacturers and a gradual decline in demand for audio cassettes forced ICM to seek ways to reduce production costs. In 1990, cassette production was completely relocated to Italy, but these measures failed to improve the company's financial situation. In July 1991, ICM ceased operations due to bankruptcy.