COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 334515

Semiconductor Test Equipment Manufacturing

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

22companies1892–1990founding years22still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedGeneral Electric CompanyFoundedGeneral Electric Company
1892
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.
FoundedFKI PlcFoundedFKI Plc
1920
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
FoundedRohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG
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.
FoundedCohu, Inc.FoundedCohu, Inc.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedFrequency Electronics, Inc.FoundedFrequency Electronics, Inc.
1961
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedLeCroy Corporation
1964
FoundedMark IV Industries, Inc.FoundedMark IV Industries, Inc.
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
FoundedRenishaw plcFoundedRenishaw plc
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
FoundedKLA-Tencor Corporation
1976
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.
FoundedSLI, Inc.FoundedSLI, Inc.
1985
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
FoundedVeeco Instruments Inc.
1990
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

General Electric Company →
Active · founded 1892
The history of General Electric Company is a significant part of the history of technology in the United States.
General Electric Company →
Active · founded 1892
The history of General Electric Company is a significant part of the history of technology in the United States.
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.
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.
Cohu, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
Cohu, Inc.
Cohu, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
Cohu, Inc.
Frequency Electronics, Inc. →
Active · founded 1961
Based in Mitchel Field, New York, Frequency Electronics, Inc.
Frequency Electronics, Inc. →
Active · founded 1961
Based in Mitchel Field, New York, Frequency Electronics, Inc.
LeCroy Corporation →
Active · founded 1964
LeCroy Corporation is a world leader in the development, manufacture, and distribution of mid- to high-end digital…
LeCroy Corporation →
Active · founded 1964
LeCroy Corporation is a world leader in the development, manufacture, and distribution of mid- to high-end digital…
Mark IV Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1970
Mark IV Industries, Inc.
Mark IV Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1970
Mark IV Industries, Inc.
Renishaw plc →
Active · founded 1973 · United Kingdom
Renishaw plc is the world's leading manufacturer of test-probe and measurement equipment for Co-ordinate Measuring…
Renishaw plc →
Active · founded 1973 · United Kingdom
Renishaw plc is the world's leading manufacturer of test-probe and measurement equipment for Co-ordinate Measuring…
KLA-Tencor Corporation →
Active · founded 1976
KLA-Tencor Corporation is the global leader in the design, manufacture, and marketing of yield management and process…
KLA-Tencor Corporation →
Active · founded 1976
KLA-Tencor Corporation is the global leader in the design, manufacture, and marketing of yield management and process…
SLI, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
For the past 29 years, SLI, Inc.
SLI, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
For the past 29 years, SLI, Inc.
Veeco Instruments Inc. →
Active · founded 1990
Veeco Instruments Inc.
Veeco Instruments Inc. →
Active · founded 1990
Veeco Instruments Inc.
Build It Today

Starting a semiconductor test equipment manufacturing company now

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