GE 2002 Annual Report Download - page 17
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1919
Edison Electric Light
Company formed.
General Electric
Company formed.
Medical Systems
X-RAYS
GE’s Elihu Thomson builds electrical
equipment for production of X-rays;
in 1913, GE’s William D. Coolidge devel-
ops hot cathode, high vacuum X-ray
tube, enabling first modern X-ray tube.
2002 Medical Systems revenues:
$9.0 billion
Global Research
CORPORATE LAB
GE Research Labratory, proto-
type of corporate R&D center, is
established with a 3-person staff.
2002 Global Research scientists
and technical resources: 15,000
Commercial Finance
FINANCIAL SERVICES
The Electric Bond and
Share Co. is organized to
provide financing to small
utilities; precursor of
Commercial Finance.
2002 Commercial Finance
revenues: $16.0 billion
RESINS
Molding of plastic parts
is begun using phenolic
resins; GE forms Plastics
Department in 1930.
Aircraft Engines
LIBERTY ENGINE
Ground tests of Liberty airplane
engine equipped with a supercharger
designed by GE researcher Sanford
Moss. Moss’s principles lead to GE’s
development of first jet engine and
GE’s leadership in power turbines.
2002 Aircraft Engines
revenues: $11.1 billion
CANAL
Panama Canal opens, with
GE-designed motors and
controls powering the world’s
largest electrical installation.
Consumer Products
REFRIGERATORS
GE starts production of
first hermetically sealed
home refrigerators,
the basic type still in
use today.
NBC
BROADCASTING
GE organizes its radio and other com-
munications resources into the inde-
pendent Radio Corporation of America,
parent company of NBC. GE purchases
RCA in 1986.
2002 NBC revenues: $7.1 billion
RADIO
GE radio station WGY, Schenectady
begins operation; four years later
NBC establishes the nation’s first
permanent radio network.
NOBEL PRIZE
GE researcher Irving Langmuir is first
industrial scientist in U.S. to win a
Nobel Prize. Langmuir’s innovations at
GE included the development of vacuum
tubes, high-intensity incandescent lamps
and electrical controls. In 1973, physi-
cist Ivar Giaever became the second
GE scientist to win a Nobel Prize.
TELEVISION
First home television reception takes
place at a Schenectady, N.Y. residence with
signal from GE’s WGY. In 1928, WGY
initiates thrice-weekly TV programming.
LIGHTING
GE announces commercial
availability of first fluores-
cent lamps.
GLARELESS GLASS
GE researcher Katherine
B. Blodgett develops the
prototype for the coatings
used on virtually all camera
lenses and optical devices.
Consumer Finance
CREDIT
General Electric Credit
Corporation formed to help
consumers purchase GE
appliances over time.
2002 Consumer Finance
revenues: $10.3 billion
Consumer Products
LIGHTING
Edison invents the first carbon-filament
incandescent lamp.
2002 Consumer Products
revenues: $8.5 billion
Industrial Systems
REGULATORS
Edison develops regulator to keep
light bulb filaments burning evenly. Over
the next decade, Edison-associated
companies manufacture fixtures, meters,
motors, fuses, wiring and other electrical
system components.
2002 Industrial Systems
revenues: $5.0 billion
Power Systems
DYNAMO
Edison and team develop first
dynamos capable of powering
neighborhood-wide lighting systems.
2002 Power Systems
revenues: $22.9 billion
Plastics and
Specialty Materials
FILAMENTS AND INSULATION
Edison searches for materials for prac-
tical filaments for light bulbs, begins
quest for insulating materials for elec-
trical wires.
2002 Plastics and Specialty Materials
revenues: $7.6 billion
Transportation Systems
ELECTRIFIED RAILWAYS
Edison colleague Frank Sprague
develops first successful urban
electric railway technology.
Sprague Electric Motor later
becomes part of GE.
2002 Transportation Systems
revenues: $2.3 billion
WIRELESS
World’s first voice radio broadcast
is made possible by GE engineer
Ernst F.W. Alexanderson’s develop-
ment of a high-frequency alternator.
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1896 1933
For 125 years breakthroughs have grown our business.