PHILPS Century (four): why PHILPS?

PHILPS radio factory. (photo: PHILPS official website)

Anton while taking advantage of a world war, the international situation is volatile, massive mergers and acquisitions, expansion of PHILPS production capacity, led PHILPS to stand on the top of the world. Later, with the general electric, OSRAM sun god cartel agreement to consolidate its profits in the lighting industry. However, PHILPS is still a part of the supplier does not have a personality, there is no patent of their own.

Reach the peak of perfection: to conquer the world by radio

In 1893, Edison's nemesis: Nicola Tysla (Nikola Tesla) published a method of wireless communication; on Christmas Eve 1906, Canadian scientist Fan Xinda (Reginald Aubrey Fessenden) to show the radio for the first time to the world: he used the radio broadcast, his fiddle of Christmas Eve, and read the bible.

After the end of world war one, radio became a new business, and PHILPS's R & D lab NatLab did not miss this great opportunity. The real advantage of the radio is the invention of a vacuum multipole tube that can amplify electronic signals. And PHILPS and General Electric (GE), then was the most vacuum tube manufacturing technology and patents.

PHILPS in 1926 launched a multistage tube Pentode. (source: PHILPS official website)

Since the establishment of NatLab physics laboratory in 1913, PHILPS has made great achievements in the field of vacuum tubes. In the field of radio, PHILPS is not the first pioneer, but it is one of the largest manufacturers of commercial radio vacuum tubes.

Is one, not the only. Another large opponent called RCA, from the American General Electric Group; once again, the two above in the field of radio electronics Empire territories, and, in some key areas, PHILPS at a disadvantage.

Just after the first World War, the United States suffered huge losses, the American people are unable to get to their fight a "war in Europe", so the whole society to embrace the isolationism: Europeans leave the United States, similarly, Americans or Europe. In the face of the emerging radio competition, the Ge soon on PHILPS has proposed non patent authorization solicitation of an ignorant person:

PHILPS in the world (in addition to Germany) free use of general electric and RCA radio patents on condition that PHILPS must completely abandon the U.S. lighting market. General Electric to Europe to PHILPS, in exchange for the Atlantic on the west side of the country.

In the face of such a major concession of the competition, Anton did not want to agree. In 1925, founded the sun god cartel next year, PHILPS has been officially authorized Ge; now, in the lighting and radio field, PHILPS has become the world class manufacturers.

PHILPS radio: the age of brand

After Gerard retired in 1922, Anton adjusted the company's development strategy. In the past, PHILPS focused on the production of vacuum tubes, as well as the valve parts of these electronic products; and in 1927, PHILPS began to produce "complete product".

Charged in September 1927 ute (Utrecht) trade show, PHILPS for the first time to show the world by PHILPS design and manufacture of the radio; at the same time, set up a shortwave radio station PCJJ, with a variety of language broadcast around the world; the following year, the radio began a Sunday program "Happy Station", invited the special guest interview, Holland life, playing popular songs.

1927 PHILPS launched the first generation of radio (source: PHILPS official website)

That year, the radio plus radio program, just like the current smart phone + complement each other as app. From the transformation of electronic parts manufacturers to become consumer products manufacturers, radio stations in the production of their own radio advertising production - in 1927, it is the first year of PHILPS brand management (note).

It's easy to make a complete radio, but not so. If you have the opportunity to find a documentary shooting in 1931, "Philips: Radio", will be absolutely amazing:

First of all, in the PHILPS radio factory, workers with silica glass, heating to manufacture dozens of glass master is hard blowing a glass tube (used in the manufacture of vacuum tube electronic signal amplification). This is really only in the sigh art of high difficulty, after three minutes, the screen switches to automatic glass tube manufacturing equipment, PHILPS has just made those Shifu glass tube in the factory which was quickly mold blown well, and each are as like as two peas.

The entire film for nearly thirty minutes, you can see how PHILPS from a pile of sand into a huge radio (1927 prototype), I personally believe that the work process is absolutely more than one hundred stations. Half finished huge belt and cable cars moving in different area; a huge supply of gas pipeline with high temperature; the workers skilled in winding, assembly, test of the factory, even to modern, also is a modern factory, can imagine in 1930s, let the Dutch PHILPS radio factory how proud.

President Anton, PHILPS, absolutely not heart