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Gentex history
Gentex company history timeline
Gentex Corporation was founded in Zeeland, Michigan, by Fred Bauer in 1974 to make fire protection products.
Gentex bought the Derry, New Hampshire based JMR Systems Corporation in 1977.
Introduced World's First Automatically Dimming Mirror, 1982
The Pentagon said that 461,000 of the helmets made by the Gentex Corporation of Carbondale, Pa., did not meet the specifications of a production contract signed in February 1983.
The following year, 1985, marked the company's first year of profitability, as it reported net income of $570,000 on sales of $9 million.
To enhance its glass-working skills, Gentex acquired Zeeland-based Vanguard Glass Fabricators in 1986.
When Gentex first announced the electrochromic mirror in 1986, it was hailed as a technological breakthrough.
Sales of the motorized mirrors peaked in 1987 at 203,000 units.
In the first half of 1988 sales of the motorized mirrors took a downturn.
In 1989 the company also began to cultivate international markets.
About 3.36 percent of new 1989 cars carried the optional mirrors.
Adopted Shareholder Rights Protection Plan, 1991
Foreign sales made a strong contribution toward 1992's increase in sales, as the company expanded into Germany, Japan, Italy, Mexico, Canada, Korea, and Brazil.
During 1992 employment at Gentex increased from 375 employees at the beginning of the year to 541 at year-end.
By 1993 Gentex had brought suits charging that Donnelly's products infringed on three other Gentex patents.
Shares of Gentex rose 75 cents yesterday, to $24.75, in Nasdaq trading.By Bloomberg NewsMarch 29, 1994
The new system would debut on the 1995 BMW 700 series and was worth about $3 million in annual revenue to Gentex.
"Gentex Receives General Motors' Supplier of the Year Award," April 27, 1998 (press release).
In May 1998 Gentex also established a warehouse facility in Weinsberg, Germany, to provide logistics for local parts distribution.
Gentex announced a two-for-one stock split at its annual meeting in 1998.
In 2005 Gentex opened a new R&D facility located in Aurora, Illinois.
In 2011, it acquired Ops-Core, creator of the Future Assault Shell Technology helmet,and InterSense, which specialized in helmet-mounted displays.
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Gentex competitors
| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duracell | 1924 | $2.0B | 2,700 | 57 |
| Visteon | 2000 | $3.9B | 10,000 | - |
| Whirlpool | 1911 | $16.6B | 78,000 | 134 |
| Eaton | 1911 | $24.9B | 92,000 | 2,021 |
| IDEAL INDUSTRIES | 1916 | $500.0M | 1,225 | 7 |
| Parker Hannifin | 1917 | $19.9B | 57,170 | 791 |
| SPX | 1912 | $2.0B | 6,000 | 160 |
| Leggett & Platt | 1883 | $4.4B | 20,000 | 79 |
| Danaher | 1969 | $23.9B | 80,000 | 1,618 |
| Dover | 1955 | $7.7B | 23,000 | 517 |
Gentex history FAQs
Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Gentex, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Gentex. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Gentex. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Gentex. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Gentex and its employees or that of Zippia.
Gentex may also be known as or be related to GENTEX CORP, Gentex, Gentex Corp., Gentex Corporation and Klots Throwing Company, General Textile Mills.