Planar Systems

Planar Systems, Inc.
Public
Industry Technology
Founded 1983
Headquarters Hillsboro, Oregon, USA
45°31′41″N 122°53′00″W / 45.52794°N 122.88345°WCoordinates: 45°31′41″N 122°53′00″W / 45.52794°N 122.88345°W
Key people

Gerald K. Perkel, President and CEO

Ryan Gray, VP and CFO
Products Monitors, Display Screen & Projectors
Revenue $166.8 million USD(2013)[1]
Decrease $167K USD(2013)[1]
Increase $387K USD(2013)[1]
Number of employees
 456 (2010)
Slogan When Image Experience Matters.
Website www.planar.com

Planar Systems, Inc. NASDAQ: PLNR is a U.S. digital display manufacturing corporation based in Hillsboro, Oregon. Founded in 1983 as a spin-off from Tektronix, it was the first U.S. manufacturer of electroluminescent (EL) digital displays. Planar currently makes a variety of other specialty displays. The company, with $166.8 million in revenue (2013), is headed by chief executive officer and president Gerald K. Perkel.

History

1980s

Planar was founded in 1983 by Jim Hurd, Chris King, John Laney and others as a spin-off from the Solid State Research and Development Group of the Beaverton, Oregon, based Tektronix.[2] In 1986, a division spun off from Planar to work on projection technology, InFocus.[3]

1990s

In 1991, FinLux, a competitor in Espoo, Finland was purchased and is now the company's European headquarters.[4] Planar's executives took the company public in 1993, listing the stock on the NASDAQ boards [5] Planar acquired Tektronix's avionics display business, creating the short-lived Planar Advance in 1994.[6] Standish Industries, a manufacturer of flat panel LCDs in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, was sold to Planar in 1997.[7] This plant was closed in 2002 as worldwide LCD manufacturing shifted to East Asian countries.

2000s

Company headquarters

On April 23, 2002, DOME Imaging Systems was purchased by Planar and became the company's medical business unit.[8] Planar acquired Clarity Visual Systems (founded by former InFocus employees) on September 12, 2006, now referred to as the Control Room and Signage business unit.[9] On May 23, 2007, Planar acquired Runco International, a leading brand in the high-end, custom home theater market.[10] On August 6, 2008, Planar sold its medical business unit to NDS Surgical Imaging.[11]

2010s

In November 2012, Planar announced the sale of its electroluminescent business to Beneq Oy, a supplier of production and research equipment for thin film coatings. Under the terms of the transaction, consideration consists of a $6.5 million base purchase price, of which $3.9 million was paid in cash at closing and $2.6 million was paid in the form of a promissory note.[12]

Operations

Planar currently assembles and services videowalls, projectors, and other displays in Hillsboro. Planar's EL manufacturing operations were consolidated into Planar's Espoo, Finland facility in 2002.[13] Additional large-format displays are assembled and integrated in Albi, France.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Planar Announces Fiscal Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2013 Financial Results". Planar Systems. November 20, 2013.
  2. ↑ A History of Electroluminescent Displays J. A. Hart, Indiana University; S.A. Lenway, and T. Murtha, University of Minnesota September 1999
  3. ↑ InFocus through the years The Oregonian/OregonLive Silicon Forest Blog April 13, 2009
  4. ↑ U.S. Project Hobbled by Japan's Lead New York Times, December 18, 1990 Section D page 1
  5. ↑ "Planar Systems gets in step with area trend to go public". The Oregonian, October 30, 1993
  6. ↑ "Planar Inc. maps deal, set to soar". The Oregonian, July 15, 1994
  7. ↑ "Standish of Lake Mills Sold to LCD Competitor". The Capital Times, August 27, 1997
  8. ↑ Planar Systems Acquires DOME Imaging Systems Photonics.com May 1, 2002
  9. ↑ Planar buys Clarity for $46M Portland Business Journal July 19, 2006
  10. ↑ Planar’s Acquisition of Runco: No End to the Party CEPro, May 24, 2007
  11. ↑ NDS Surgical Imaging buys Dome Imaging Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal, August 6, 2008
  12. ↑ Planar Announces Sale of Electroluminescent (EL) Business to Beneq
  13. ↑ Planar consolidation means 55 layoffs Portland Business Journal, August 16, 2002
  14. ↑ 2008 10-K Filing 2008 10-K filing with SEC

External links