COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 334419

Other Electronic Component Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

80companies1865–2001founding years68still active12no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedCrane Co.
1865
FoundedDai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
1876
FoundedCTS Corporation
1896
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedNortel Networks Corporation
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedMotorola, Inc.
1928
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedTosoh Corporation
1935
FoundedNorthrop Grumman Corporation
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedCohu, Inc.FoundedTechnitrol, Inc.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedDover Corporation
1955
FoundedAmerican Locker Group Incorporated
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedHerley Industries, Inc.
1965
FoundedAnaren Microwave, Inc.
1967
FoundedSpectrum Control, Inc.
1968
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
FoundedPhoenix Mecano AG
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedMicron Technology, Inc.
1978
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedPlanar Systems, Inc.
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedBroadcom Corporation
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Crane Co. →
Active · founded 1865
Crane Co.
Crane Co. →
Active · founded 1865
Crane Co.
Nokia Corporation →
Active · founded 1865 · Finland
Nokia Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of mobile phones, with a worldwide market share of about 27…
Nokia Corporation →
Active · founded 1865 · Finland
Nokia Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of mobile phones, with a worldwide market share of about 27…
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1876 · Japan
Japan's first modern printing company, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1876 · Japan
Japan's first modern printing company, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
Marconi plc →
Active · founded 1886 · United Kingdom
The British company Marconi plc had been known as The General Electric Co.
Marconi plc →
Active · founded 1886 · United Kingdom
The British company Marconi plc had been known as The General Electric Co.
CTS Corporation →
Active · founded 1896
Established in 1896 to make telephones and switchboards, CTS Corporation has become a leading manufacturer of passive…
CTS Corporation →
Active · founded 1896
Established in 1896 to make telephones and switchboards, CTS Corporation has become a leading manufacturer of passive…
BMC Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1907
BMC Industries, Inc.
BMC Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1907
BMC Industries, Inc.
Nortel Networks Corporation →
Active · founded 1914 · Canada
Nortel Networks Corporation is one of the world's leading providers of networking products and services, with a…
Nortel Networks Corporation →
Active · founded 1914 · Canada
Nortel Networks Corporation is one of the world's leading providers of networking products and services, with a…
FKI Plc →
Active · founded 1920 · United Kingdom
FKI Plc has evolved into one of the United Kingdom's major engineering groups.
FKI Plc →
Active · founded 1920 · United Kingdom
FKI Plc has evolved into one of the United Kingdom's major engineering groups.
Motorola, Inc. →
Active · founded 1928
Electronic communications pioneer Motorola, Inc.
Motorola, Inc. →
Active · founded 1928
Electronic communications pioneer Motorola, Inc.
Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG →
Active · founded 1933 · Germany
Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co.
Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG →
Active · founded 1933 · Germany
Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co.
ADC Telecommunications, Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1935
ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
ADC Telecommunications, Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1935
ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
Tosoh Corporation →
Active · founded 1935 · Japan
Tosoh Corporation is one of Japan's leading manufacturers of industrial and specialty chemicals.
Tosoh Corporation →
Active · founded 1935 · Japan
Tosoh Corporation is one of Japan's leading manufacturers of industrial and specialty chemicals.
Molex Incorporated →
Active · founded 1938
Late 1940s:Krehbiel's son, John H.
Molex Incorporated →
Active · founded 1938
Late 1940s:Krehbiel's son, John H.
Northrop Grumman Corporation →
Active · founded 1939
Northrop Grumman Corporation is the number three defense firm in the United States, behind The Boeing Company and…
Northrop Grumman Corporation →
Active · founded 1939
Northrop Grumman Corporation is the number three defense firm in the United States, behind The Boeing Company and…
Tech-Sym Corporation →
Active · founded 1944
When Tech-Sym Corporation was purchased by Veritas Capital Fund L.P.'s Integrated Defense Technologies (IDT) unit in…
Tech-Sym Corporation →
Active · founded 1944
When Tech-Sym Corporation was purchased by Veritas Capital Fund L.P.'s Integrated Defense Technologies (IDT) unit in…
Cohu, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
Cohu, Inc.
Cohu, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
Cohu, Inc.
EG & G Incorporated →
Active · founded 1947
EG & G Incorporated is a diversified technology company that develops and provides products for public and private…
EG & G Incorporated →
Active · founded 1947
EG & G Incorporated is a diversified technology company that develops and provides products for public and private…
Technitrol, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
A fast-growing supplier to the data communications, telecommunications, housing, and automobile industries, Technitrol,…
Technitrol, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
A fast-growing supplier to the data communications, telecommunications, housing, and automobile industries, Technitrol,…
Omron Corporation →
Active · founded 1948 · Japan
Omron Corporation is a world leader in the field of automation.
Omron Corporation →
Active · founded 1948 · Japan
Omron Corporation is a world leader in the field of automation.
Winegard Company →
Active · founded 1954
1980s:John Winegard retires and is succeeded by his son, Randy Winegard.
Winegard Company →
Active · founded 1954
1980s:John Winegard retires and is succeeded by his son, Randy Winegard.
Dover Corporation →
Active · founded 1955
Dover Corporation is a diversified industrial manufacturing holding company composed of about 50 subsidiaries with…
Dover Corporation →
Active · founded 1955
Dover Corporation is a diversified industrial manufacturing holding company composed of about 50 subsidiaries with…
General Atomics →
Active · founded 1955
General Atomics is involved in a number of high-tech ventures, including fusion research and gas-cooled nuclear…
General Atomics →
Active · founded 1955
General Atomics is involved in a number of high-tech ventures, including fusion research and gas-cooled nuclear…
American Locker Group Incorporated →
Active · founded 1958
Through its wholly owned subsidiary American Locker Security Systems, Inc., American Locker Group Incorporated ranks as…
American Locker Group Incorporated →
Active · founded 1958
Through its wholly owned subsidiary American Locker Security Systems, Inc., American Locker Group Incorporated ranks as…
National Semiconductor Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1959
National Semiconductor Corporation is a leading U.S.
National Semiconductor Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1959
National Semiconductor Corporation is a leading U.S.
Herley Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1965
Herley Industries, Inc.
Herley Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1965
Herley Industries, Inc.
Hutchinson Technology Incorporated →
Active · founded 1965
Late 1970s:Company refocuses on the disk drive market.
Hutchinson Technology Incorporated →
Active · founded 1965
Late 1970s:Company refocuses on the disk drive market.
Anaren Microwave, Inc. →
Active · founded 1967
Anaren Microwave, Inc.
Anaren Microwave, Inc. →
Active · founded 1967
Anaren Microwave, Inc.
Ceradyne, Inc. →
Active · founded 1967
Ceradyne, Inc.
Ceradyne, Inc. →
Active · founded 1967
Ceradyne, Inc.
Spectrum Control, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Based near Erie, Pennsylvania, Spectrum Control, Inc.
Spectrum Control, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Based near Erie, Pennsylvania, Spectrum Control, Inc.
II-VI Incorporated →
Active · founded 1971
II-VI Incorporated develops and manufactures optical and optoelectronic devices used in laser and sensor systems.
II-VI Incorporated →
Active · founded 1971
II-VI Incorporated develops and manufactures optical and optoelectronic devices used in laser and sensor systems.
Nam Tai Electronics, Inc. →
Active · founded 1975 · Hong Kong
From its early days as a simple calculator manufacturer, Nam Tai Electronics, Inc.
Nam Tai Electronics, Inc. →
Active · founded 1975 · Hong Kong
From its early days as a simple calculator manufacturer, Nam Tai Electronics, Inc.
Phoenix Mecano AG →
Active · founded 1975 · Switzerland
Phoenix Mecano AG produces a variety of electrotechnical and mechanical components.
Phoenix Mecano AG →
Active · founded 1975 · Switzerland
Phoenix Mecano AG produces a variety of electrotechnical and mechanical components.
Solectron Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1977
Solectron Corporation operates as the world's largest electronics manufacturing services company.
Solectron Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1977
Solectron Corporation operates as the world's largest electronics manufacturing services company.
Micron Technology, Inc. →
Active · founded 1978
Micron Technology, Inc., is a holding company for subsidiaries engaged in the design and production of computers,…
Micron Technology, Inc. →
Active · founded 1978
Micron Technology, Inc., is a holding company for subsidiaries engaged in the design and production of computers,…
3Com Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1979
3Com Corporation is the world's number two provider of computer networking products, systems, and services, trailing…
3Com Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1979
3Com Corporation is the world's number two provider of computer networking products, systems, and services, trailing…
Planar Systems, Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
Planar Systems, Inc.
Planar Systems, Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
Planar Systems, Inc.
Cisco Systems, Inc. →
Active · founded 1984
Cisco Systems, Inc.
Cisco Systems, Inc. →
Active · founded 1984
Cisco Systems, Inc.
Broadcom Corporation →
Active · founded 1991
Broadcom Corporation is one of several companies contributing to the infrastructure that will bring high-speed Internet…
Broadcom Corporation →
Active · founded 1991
Broadcom Corporation is one of several companies contributing to the infrastructure that will bring high-speed Internet…
Agere Systems Inc. →
Defunct · founded 2000
Agere Systems Inc.
Agere Systems Inc. →
Defunct · founded 2000
Agere Systems Inc.
AU Optronics Corporation →
Defunct · founded 2001 · Taiwan
AU Optronics Corporation is Taiwan's largest producer of flat panel displays--that is, thin film transistor liquid…
AU Optronics Corporation →
Defunct · founded 2001 · Taiwan
AU Optronics Corporation is Taiwan's largest producer of flat panel displays--that is, thin film transistor liquid…
Build It Today

Starting a other electronic component manufacturing company now

Each week we rebuild one of these stories for today's tools and capital.