COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 333293

Printing Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing

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

16companies1817–1999founding years16still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedKoenig & Bauer AGFoundedKoenig & Bauer AG
1817
FoundedA.B.Dick CompanyFoundedA.B.Dick Company
1884
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedZebra Technologies CorporationFoundedZebra Technologies Corporation
1969
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
FoundedMatthews International CorporationFoundedMatthews International Corporation
1972
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1980
EnvironmentSuperfund law makes polluters pay for cleanup.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedPunch International N.V.FoundedPunch International N.V.
1982
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedPresstek, Inc.FoundedPresstek, Inc.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
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.
FoundedMetso CorporationFoundedMetso Corporation
1999
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
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

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG →
Active · Germany
1920s:Company begins production of platen presses.
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG →
Active · Germany
1920s:Company begins production of platen presses.
Koenig & Bauer AG →
Active · founded 1817 · Germany
Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA) sees itself as the world's third-largest manufacturer of printing machines.
Koenig & Bauer AG →
Active · founded 1817 · Germany
Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA) sees itself as the world's third-largest manufacturer of printing machines.
A.B.Dick Company →
Active · founded 1884
A.B.Dick Company is still going strong after 114 years in business and, after the turn of the new millennium, will be…
A.B.Dick Company →
Active · founded 1884
A.B.Dick Company is still going strong after 114 years in business and, after the turn of the new millennium, will be…
Zebra Technologies Corporation →
Active · founded 1969
The mysterious series of lines and numbers called bar coding has provided a thumbprint of products since the 1970s,…
Zebra Technologies Corporation →
Active · founded 1969
The mysterious series of lines and numbers called bar coding has provided a thumbprint of products since the 1970s,…
Matthews International Corporation →
Active · founded 1972
Matthews International Corporation is one of the most prominent designers and manufacturers of custom-made…
Matthews International Corporation →
Active · founded 1972
Matthews International Corporation is one of the most prominent designers and manufacturers of custom-made…
Punch International N.V. →
Active · founded 1982 · Belgium
Punch International N.V.
Punch International N.V. →
Active · founded 1982 · Belgium
Punch International N.V.
Presstek, Inc. →
Active · founded 1987
Headquartered in Hudson, New Hampshire, Presstek, Inc.
Presstek, Inc. →
Active · founded 1987
Headquartered in Hudson, New Hampshire, Presstek, Inc.
Metso Corporation →
Active · founded 1999 · Finland
Metso Corporation, a leading worldwide manufacturer of forestry, pulping, and paper machinery, is the product of the…
Metso Corporation →
Active · founded 1999 · Finland
Metso Corporation, a leading worldwide manufacturer of forestry, pulping, and paper machinery, is the product of the…
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