COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 335211

Electric Houseware and Fan Manufacturing

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

13companies1806–1999founding years13still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedColgate-Palmolive Company
1806
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedBraun GmbH
1921
FoundedMelitta Unternehmensgruppe Bentz KG
1923
FoundedGroupe SEB
1926
FoundedWhirlpool Corporation
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
1935
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedSalton, Inc.
1943
FoundedBodum Design Group AG
1944
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedSANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
1950
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedConair Corporation
1959
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedBSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
1967
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedMacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc.
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.
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.
FoundedWater Pik Technologies, Inc.
1999
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

Colgate-Palmolive Company →
Active · founded 1806
Colgate-Palmolive Company's growth from a small candle and soap manufacturer to one of the most powerful consumer…
Braun GmbH →
Active · founded 1921 · Germany
Braun GmbH is one of the world's leading manufacturers of small electric appliances.
Melitta Unternehmensgruppe Bentz KG →
Active · founded 1923 · Germany
Melitta Unternehmensgruppe Bentz KG is the holding company of the Germany-based Melitta group of companies, a leading…
Groupe SEB →
Active · founded 1926 · France
France's Groupe SEB is one of the world's leading manufacturers of small appliances and other products for the home.
Whirlpool Corporation →
Active · founded 1929
From its beginning as a manufacturer of electrically powered clothes washers, Whirlpool Corporation has become the…
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1935 · Japan
The Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
Salton, Inc. →
Active · founded 1943
Salton, Inc.
Bodum Design Group AG →
Active · founded 1944 · Switzerland
Bodum Design Group AG is a Switzerland-based manufacturer of household appliances, table service, and utensils…
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1950 · Japan
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
Conair Corporation →
Active · founded 1959
Conair Corporation is one of the world's largest privately held health and beauty and small appliance companies.
BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH →
Active · founded 1967 · Germany
BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH, a joint venture between German industrial giants Robert Bosch GmbH and Siemens…
MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc. →
Active · founded 1984
MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc.
Water Pik Technologies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1999
Water Pik Technologies, Inc.
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