Hewlett Packard - A Brief History

Hewlett Packard have become a name that's synonymous with inkjets and quality. HP inkjet cartridges are one of the top selling inkjet consumables worldwide and one of the most copied in terms of technology, quality and style.

Way back in 1934 Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard came up with the idea of going into business developing electronic goods. Their first product the HP200A - a product designed to test sound equipment. Disney ordered 8 of these to test the sound equipment in the movies showing Fantasia in 1940. Hewlett Packard were now on the map.

World War II brought a flood of orders from the US Government for electronic products and Hewlett Packard profits soared. Bill Hewlett notably serves as a US Army officer until 1947 when he then returned to run the company with his partner.

In 1947 Dave becomes president of HP while Bill signs on as Vice president of the company.

In the 1950s Hewlett Packard realized that how much a company grows should be tied in directly to how the company itself grows and as a result HP became one of the first US companies to have both a social and employee "conscience".

More History

For the remainder of the 1950's HP grew from strength to strength with both revenue and employee levels surging forwards.

The 1960s saw HP branch out into developing their first computer and also developing a name for being a great company to work for with a vision to the future. They also developed the first desktop calculator and atomic clock before the end of that decade.

The 1970s saw HP develop the first handheld calculator and the introduction of flexi hours in their business. At this stage in their business Bill Hewlett retires as CEO (Dave having become involved in the US Department of Defense several years earlier) handing over the business to John Young. The final feats for HP in the 1970s were developing the first minicomputer based on DRAM and also developing the first multi-function watch.

Even though HP has produced an impressive array of products before the 1980s saw them blossom in a way nobody really expected. They produced the first affordable laser printer, touch screen technology and the introduction of the HP Deskjet printer in 1982. HP also celebrates its 50th anniversasry in 1989.

In the years leading up to the New Millenium HP built on their already solid foundation of high quality products and a positive, progressive working enrivonment. THe happy employees that Hewlett Packard developed helped them release the first cost effective color inkjet printer - the HP500c. In quick succession HP went on to release the first series of Palmtop PCs (HP Jornada series) and then to take this a step further to the Pocket PC series of computers. This all happened in tandem with HP building a hugely successful home and corporate computer presence.

The rest as they say is history.