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Bang & Olufsen (B&O) is a Danish company that designs and manufactures audio products, television sets, and telephones. It was founded in 1925 by Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen, whose first significant product was a radio that worked with alternating current, when most radios were run from batteries. In 2004, the company opened a factory in the Czech Republic where it employs approximately 250 staff producing mainly audio products.

History

Peter Bang (1900-1957), son of Camillo Bang, a successful Danish businessman, showed great interest in radio technology from an early age. After graduating as an engineer in 1924, he spent six months working in a radio factory in the United States where he became familiar with the latest developments in the field. On his return to Denmark, he clubbed together with his student friend Svend Olufsen (1897-1949) whose parents made the attic of their manor house near Struer in Jutland available for experiments. When they officially opened their business in 1925, Bang concentrated on the technology while Olufsen dealt with the business interests. There were a number of successful developments in the 1930s and 1940s, including a sound recording system for the film industry, roof-mounted loud-speakers for circus and army vehicles and the iconic Beolit 39 radio with a bakelite cabinet.

Products

Products by B&O are often of different and distinctive design when compared to mainstream rivals. B&O hires designers rather than directly employing them in the company. Many of its products in the 1970s and 80s were designed by Jacob Jensen, whose design firm still operates today. From the 1980s onwards B&O's chief designer has been David Lewis

In the 1990s B&O opened dedicated B&O stores selling directly to users, instead of selling through retailers. Production of audio separates was discontinued in favor of mini-type audio systems sold, as was usual for B&O, at a price higher than the industry average.

Due to the economic crisis of 2008 the company experienced a sharp decline in sales and announced significant losses. A restructuring plan included 300 layoffs in Denmark on 21 October 2008, and the abandonment of development of new mobile phones, MP3 players and stand-alone systems like DVD2 and HDR2. Instead the company will focus on its traditional strengths: high quality audio and video products as well as sound systems for the automotive industry.

Many B&O audio components did not use the RCA connectors widely used in the U.S., instead using European DIN connectors.