Barco history

In 1949, a receiver mast is installed near the office, which makes it possible to test different types of transmission signals from London and Lille.

The first of these came in 1965, when the company developed an automated control system for a Belgian maker of weaving looms.

However, LED technology (visible or infrared) was hugely expensive until 1968, so its story in practical use starts there.

GIMV also led a breakup of Barco, which was divided into its two core companies, Barco Industries and Barco Electronics in 1981.

1986: Barco Industries goes public on Brussels exchange.

The GIMV remained the majority shareholder of both companies, however, and, in 1989, the two companies were again combined together under the single Barco name.

1997: Barco acquires Denmark's RE, Pulsarr, of the Netherlands, and the United States's Electronic Image Systems.

The first markets for LED walls were the fixed installations (mainly for retail and public signage) and the rental markets (for tradeshows and events). Barco was an LED pioneer and launched its first product in 1998.

Together these three companies combined to generate sales of EUR 751 million in 2000, of which more than 90 percent was made outside of Belgium, and more than 50 percent outside of Western Europe.

Barco expected its business to grow substantially from the end of 2001--the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York was expected to step up demand for many of the company's core specialties, including air traffic monitoring components.

Exceptional growth for 2 years (2002)

The story of creative LED started in 2003, with the introduction of Barco Mipix.

In 2009, the NX series was upgraded to also show 3D in 120Hz.

Released in 2015, this solution made LED also applicable for smaller DOOH (Digital Out-Of-Home) displays.