COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 33422

Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing

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

18companies1933–1960founding years18still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedRohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KGFoundedRohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedTech-Sym CorporationFoundedTech-Sym Corporation
1944
FoundedSennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co. KGFoundedSennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co. KG
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
FoundedCohu, Inc.FoundedCohu, Inc.FoundedPioneer Electronic CorporationFoundedPioneer Electronic Corporation
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedOmron CorporationFoundedOmron Corporation
1948
FoundedScientific-Atlanta, Inc.FoundedScientific-Atlanta, Inc.
1951
FoundedTaurusHolding GmbH & Co. KGFoundedTaurusHolding GmbH & Co. KG
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedSemtech CorporationFoundedSemtech Corporation
1960
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
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.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
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.
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

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.
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…
Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co. KG →
Active · founded 1945 · Germany
Based near Hannover, Germany, Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co.
Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co. KG →
Active · founded 1945 · Germany
Based near Hannover, Germany, Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co.
Cohu, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
Cohu, Inc.
Cohu, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
Cohu, Inc.
Pioneer Electronic Corporation →
Active · founded 1947 · Japan
Pioneer Electronic Corporation is one of the leading electronics firms in the world.
Pioneer Electronic Corporation →
Active · founded 1947 · Japan
Pioneer Electronic Corporation is one of the leading electronics firms in the world.
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.
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. →
Active · founded 1951
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc.
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. →
Active · founded 1951
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc.
TaurusHolding GmbH & Co. KG →
Active · founded 1956 · Germany
TaurusHolding GmbH & Co.
TaurusHolding GmbH & Co. KG →
Active · founded 1956 · Germany
TaurusHolding GmbH & Co.
Semtech Corporation →
Active · founded 1960
Semtech Corporation, headquartered in Newbury Park, California, develops and manufactures analog and mixed-signal…
Semtech Corporation →
Active · founded 1960
Semtech Corporation, headquartered in Newbury Park, California, develops and manufactures analog and mixed-signal…
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