Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., usually known as Philips, is one of the largest consumer electronics producers in the world.
The company was founded in 1891 by Gerard Philips in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Their first products were light bulbs. Their first factory remains as a museum. In the 1920s, the company started to manufacture other products, and in 1939 their first electric shaver, the Philishave was introduced. Philips introduced the compact audio cassette tape, which was wildly successful, though their attempt at a standard for video cassette recorders, the V2000, was unsuccessful in the face of competition from the Betamax and VHS standards.
In 1983, Philips launched the compact disc.
ASML Lithography is a spin-off from a division of Philips.
Past and present CEO:
- Anton Philips
- ...
- Dekker
- Van der Klugt
- Jan Timmers
- 199?--2001: Cor Boonstra
- 2001 to date: Gerard Kleisterlee
Companies acquired by Philips through the years include Magnavox, Signetics, GTE Sylvania and Westinghouse.