Track Tape AB was founded in Malmö in 1981 by Ingegerd Engfelt, the daughter of millionaire construction entrepreneur William Engfelt. In the Swedish press and later accounts, Ingegerd earned the nickname "Kassettdrottningen" - the "Cassette Queen."
The goal was ambitious: to create a manufacturer capable of competing with leading Japanese companies such as Sony, Maxell, and TDK.
Early Track tapes suffered from quality issues, specifically a sound that was too "muffled." Although the problem was later rectified, the brand's initial image had already been damaged.
Track sought to distinguish itself not only through technical specifications but also through striking design and marketing.
The distinctive cassette shell - featuring the word "TRACK" in huge letters, with the letter "A" serving as the viewing window - was created by designer Anders Weste.
Advertising campaigns utilized the slogan "Svenska Track – utmanar japanerna," meaning "Swedish Track – challenging the Japanese".
In 1982, Sweden introduced a tax on blank audio cassettes, placing the company at a competitive disadvantage.
Ultimately, Track Tape was unable to withstand competition from Japanese manufacturers and filed for bankruptcy in 1985. Following the bankruptcy, Engfelt’s life spiraled downward, marked by the loss of her fortune, her departure from Sweden, and subsequent personal struggles. She took her own life in 1989 at the age of 35.
In her youth, Engfelt joined the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement and found herself in the circle of the Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It is suggested that the idea of using cassette tapes to disseminate Maharishi’s teachings was one of the inspirations for the initial concept behind the cassette tape venture.
In 2019, a documentary film about the history of Track Tape and Ingegerd Engfelt was produced in Sweden. In 2022, Sveriges Radio dedicated a documentary program titled "Kassettbandsdrottningen" (The Cassette Queen) to the story.