Rohde & Schwarz history

Their first assignment from abroad came in 1934 from an English company that ordered one of the measurement instruments they had publicized.

1938: PTE develops the world's first portable quartz clock.

In 1944 Rohde & Schwarz purchased a knitting factory in Memmingen and took over its 60 employees who were trained for assembling and soldering jobs.

In 1948, the year of the West German currency reform, Rohde & Schwarz employed 400 people in Munich and 80 in Memmingen.

Dynamic Growth After 1949

In 1950 the company exported one third of its total measurement instrument production to 24 different countries.

Encouraged by the success of its radio broadcast stations, beginning in 1952 Rohde & Schwarz developed transmitters and receivers for other uses such as telegraphy and telephone communication in the 100W to 20 kW range.

In 1957 the first automatic VHF-guidance system developed by Rohde & Schwarz was installed at Munich's Riem airport.

In 1958 the company introduced oscillography-measurement stations.

1964: The company sets up Europe's first air-traffic noise monitoring system.

In 1969 Rohde & Schwarz delivered equipment for the German satellite project AZUR. To realize the million dollar plus deal, Rohde & Schwarz specialists were sent to the polar circle to set up and test the stations.

KG. 1971: Friedrich Schwarz becomes company's third CEO in history.

An automated component assembly line started putting together CAD-designed circuit boards in the Memmingen plant beginning in 1979.

In 1980 an office was set up in Silicon Valley to learn about the latest trends in semiconductors and to promote Rohde & Schwarz technology in the Californian high-tech Mecca.

In 1982 the company organized 'the world's largest guidance beacon show' at Munich-Riem airport which was attended by 400 experts from all over the world.

On July 25, 1985 co-founder Doctor Lothar Rohde passed away after a short illness.

The reconstruction after the war was only possible because of the complete mutual trust and understanding between two friends.' Doctor Hermann Schwarz turned 80 in 1988.

In 1991 the company initiated the project Halbe Zeit zum Markt (HZM) ('to the market in half the time'), which cut the time needed from the first product idea to its introduction in the market in half.

1992: Cooperation agreement is forged with Japanese measurement instrument maker Advantest Corp.

1993: Cooperation with Tektronix Inc. in the United States begins.

In 1997 the company was chosen by British satellite communication company ICO Global Communications (later known as New ICO) to develop technologies for so-called dual-mode cell phones which were able to communicate with terrestrial as well as satellite-based signals.