Regarded as a founder of the electronics accessory industry, Herbert Borchardt created the systems that enabled dealers to expand their business offerings and profits with accessory products. Some of his first accessory products included 78-rpm phonograph replacement needles, record covers, cleaning materials and other phono accessories. At Recoton, he helped develop new innovative electronic accessories like 45 rpm records, eight track cartridges, audio video devices, phone accessories and antennas, standard cassettes, CB radios, television, cell phones, DVDs and videogames. He also planned accessories for emerging technologies, like digital HDTV. Borchardt was born in Germany and began his career there, working at Brunswick Records. He later founded Polydor Records in Paris in 1929, and then Bost Records when he arrived in New York in 1941. After this, Borchardt began his involvement with Recoton.