A company that opened in 1969 is still going. In fact, this has been their biggest year in sales. National Audio Company makes cassette tapes. Surprised?

The company manufactured about 20 million cassettes last year and this year that number has increased around 20%. Why? The company’s president, Steve Stepp, puts it down to nostalgia:

Probably the thing that has really enlarged our business at a faster phase than anything is the retro movement.

What he’s pretty much saying is

The company, who still uses machines from the 1970s, started selling cassettes to the trend-setting independent record labels and their sales have grown since, even supplying major labels like Sony and Universal.

I guess you wouldn’t be surprised if I told you there are a few Cape Town bands who have released cassettes in the past year.

[source: bloomberg]