Packard Bell 3rd-Largest PC Maker in the U.S.

Packard Bell Electronics Inc., the giant personal computer maker based in Westlake Village, moved past IBM Corp. to become the third-largest PC manufacturer in the United States last year, according to a study by a computer industry consulting firm.

Houston-based Compaq Computer Corp. jumped to the top spot among domestic computer makers in 1994, after finishing third a year earlier, according to a survey by International Data Corp. a consulting firm based in Framingham, Mass. Meanwhile, Cupertino-based Apple Computer slipped from first to second place.

The number of units shipped by Packard Bell soared 113% last year, while IBM fell 12%, said Bruce Stephen, an analyst at International Data Corp. As a result, Packard Bell rose from fourth in 1993 to third last year, while IBM, based in Armonk, N.Y., fell from second to fourth.

Packard Bell specializes in selling computers at large retail outlets, including department stores, warehouse clubs and consumer-electronics stores. Mal Ransom, vice president of marketing at Packard Bell, said the company’s growth “clearly supports our decision to focus on continuing to expand our market share in the mass retail channels.”

Worldwide, Packard Bell said it shipped a company record 2.48 million computers in 1994, up from 1.13 million a year earlier. The shipment surge helped Packard Bell improve its U.S. market share to 11.5%, up from 6.6% in 1993, the company said.