From ARVic, original post here.

The demise of the International Crystal Manufacturing Company of Oklahoma USA is being seen as a change in technology with some lamenting its departure.  Founded in 1951 it became a trusted providers of quartz crystals, oscillators, filters are the like, both to industry and radio amateurs.

While the loss is another sign of the times particularly in industry-sensitive US, those who were its clients and still needed crystals had other options.  Crystal based frequency and accuracy were required in many products creating enormous demand throughout the world, a point grabbed by Singapore when it enticed the Australian Hy-Q International to set up a manufacturing plant.  Hy-Q then entered the European and North American markets.

The International Crystal Manufacturing story is really one of a dwindling market, costly production, and the use of frequency synthesizer technology.  Gone will be the customer service, one-off cut to order crystals and knowledge of equipment 30 or more years old.

There are those who say not all cannot be done with a frequency synthesizer, and that a few other crystals suppliers are still available.