Electronic Design's golden anniversary has us wondering... how many electronics companies have also hit the 50-year mark? Probably more than you think. So here's a look at 50 companies that have passed the half-century milestone of plying their trade in the electronics industry. The list includes manufacturers of many different products, ranging from components to computers to communications systems. Remarkably, some of the companies have been successfully selling the same products for over 50 years. While this selection of firms is by no means comprehensive, it provides a fascinating snapshot of some stalwart industry survivors. Here is the honor roll, organized by the year that the company was founded. It starts with the eldest at over 150 years of age and progresses to the youngest at 51. Congratulations to one and all!
1847 Siemens AG (Infineon Technologies AG)
In 1847, Werner von Siemens constructed the pointer telegraph. This invention enabled him to lay the cornerstone of his company, Munich-based Siemens & Halske Telegraph Construction Co. The name was changed to Siemens & Halske AG in 1903, then to Siemens AG in 1966. Semiconductor operations, spun off into Infineon Technologies AG in 1999, produces communications, automotive electronics, and memory products.
1875 Toshiba Corp.
Beginning as Tanaka Engineering Works, this was Japan's first manufacturer of telegraphic equipment. It later became Shibaura Engineering Works, merged with Tokyo Electric Co. in 1939, and was named Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co. It officially became Toshiba in 1978. Currently, it manufactures a wide range of products, including electronic components, consumer electronics, and communications systems.
1885 Honeywell International Inc.
This started as the Butz Thermo-Electric Regulator Co., which developed a furnace regulator and alarm. In 1927 the company became the Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Co., and it developed the electronic autopilot during World War II. The company's name changed to Honeywell Inc. in 1963. Although it dabbled in computers, the company is now involved in aerospace electronics, industry control systems, and sensor products.
1886 Energizer
Founded as the National Carbon Co., it marketed the first battery for consumer use in 1896, the 6-in. Columbia used to power home telephones. After several mergers, the company became known as the Eveready Battery Co./Energizer, which still manufactures battery products today.
1891 Philips Electronics N.V.
The company got its start by making carbon-filament lamps, but it is now active in many areas, including digital technologies for television and displays, wireless communications, speech recognition, and storage and optical products.
1895 Harris Corp.
Two Harris brothers started the Harris Automatic Press Co. by developing an automatic sheet feeder for the printing press. It became Harris-Intertype, and finally Harris Corp. in 1974. The company decided to enter the communications industry in the 1950s. Harris offered semiconductors for a time, but now the company's products include system-level communications systems and network test equipment.
1896 Chicago Telephone Supply (CTS) Corp.
CTS began with switchboard apparatus and later moved on to making potentiometers. During World War II it expanded into radio parts, then TV and automotive components. Today it manufactures electronic components and assemblies, including sensors, resistor networks, oscillators, and switches.
1899 NEC Corp.
It began as Nippon Electric Co. Ltd., manufacturer of telephone and switching equipment, and officially became NEC Corp. in 1983. Now it produces communications, computers, and semiconductor IC products.
1906 Rayovac Corp.
Founded as the French Battery Co., it was renamed Rayovac Co. in the mid-1930s. It develops and manufactures battery products.
1909 Cornell Dubilier Electronics Inc.
Launched as Dubilier Co., it joined with the Cornell Electric Manufacturing Co. in 1933 to form Cornell Dubilier Electric. It offers a wide range of capacitors and passive components.
1910 Hitachi Ltd.
Hitachi began as an electrical repair shop. Now the company manufactures a wide range of products, such as computers, semiconductors, consumer products, and power and industrial equipment.
1911 IBM Corp.
Started as CTR (Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co.), the company manufactured and sold machinery ranging from commercial scales and industrial time recorders to meat and cheese slicers, along with tabulators and punched cards. Within a few years, it focused on providing large-scale, custom-built tabulating solutions for businesses. It changed its name to IBM Corp. (International Business Machines) in 1924, and it currently provides computer hardware, semiconductors, software, and network products and services.
1918 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (Panasonic)
The company was originally founded as Matsushita Electric Devices Manufacturing Works, a small workshop with only two employees that set out to make and market an improved attachment plug. In 1935, it was incorporated as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. The Matsushita group of companies manufactures products ranging from electronic components to consumer electronic products to heavy machinery.
1920 Stanley Electric Co. Ltd.
What began as a manufacturer of automotive light bulbs now makes LEDs, LCDs, optical sensors, and other lighting products.
1921 RadioShack Corp.
The current chain of stores started as a one-store retail and mail-order operation in the heart of downtown Boston. The founders chose the name RadioShack, a term for the small, wooden structure that housed a ship's radio equipment, because it was appropriate for a store that would fill the needs of radio officers aboard ships, as well as ham radio operators. It's now a retailer of telecom, audio, computer, electronic parts, batteries, and accessories.
1922 Raytheon Co.
Founded as the American Appliance Co., the company changed its name to Raytheon Manufacturing Co. in 1925 because of its successful Raytheon radio tube. The company has consistently developed defense technologies and converted those technologies for use in commercial markets, such as its adaptation of World War II radar technology to invent microwave cooking. Today it focuses on government and commercial electronics applications, including aerospace and wireless technologies.
1924 Hirschmann Electronics GmbH
Beginning with the invention of the one/two connector (banana plug), the company now offers mobile transmitter and reception systems, analog and digital radio broadcast technology, and network components and fieldbus systems, among other products.
1924 J.W. Miller Magnetics
John Willard Miller started the business in his kitchen, making RF coils for friends and fellow radio amateurs. The company still manufactures magnetic and inductive components.
1925 Bell Laboratories (Lucent Technologies)
The company began as Bell Telephone Labs, the research and development arm of AT&T. In 1996, the systems and technology unit of AT&T spun off to form Lucent Technologies. Currently it's a research and development lab for emerging telecommunications and computer technologies.
1925 Ohmite Manufacturing Co.
Founded as an electronics components company, Ohmite still manufactures power resistors, rheostats, and tap switches.
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