Bourns, Inc.

Bourns, Inc. is an American private, global electronics corporation that develops, manufactures and supplies a wide range of electronic components for a variety of industries including automotive, industrial, instrumentation, medical electronics, consumer equipment, computers and peripherals, telecommunications, portable electronics and more.

Established in Altadena, California in 1947 by Marlan and Rosemary Bourns, graduates of the University of Michigan, the company was originally founded to develop and sell electronic components and sensors to the aerospace industry. Today, headquartered in Riverside, California, Bourns makes or provides a broad range of electronic components and circuit protection devices including automotive sensors, circuit protection solutions, magnetic and inductor products, specialty engineering and manufacturing services, precision potentiometers, panel controls and encoders and resistive products.

Bourns has 14 manufacturing facilities around the world and has continued growing through the development of new products and technologies as well as through acquisitions. The company has approximately 5000 employees worldwide.

History

More than 60 years ago, co-founders Marlan and Rosemary Bourns set up shop in their tiny 384-square-foot (35.7 m²) garage in Altadena, California. Their idea to provide a method of accurately determining an aircraft's pitch attitude solved a crucial problem for pilots. The invention of the first miniature linear motion and vane position potentiometers propelled their small business into the global corporation that it is today.

Technology Innovations/Milestone

In 1952, Bourns patented the trimming potentiometer, trademarked "Trimpot". In 1995, Bourns acquired VRN's Trimmer assets and introduced the first 4 mm surface-mount sealed tact switch. In 2008, Bourns acquired the Transient Blocking Unit (TBU) assets of Fultec Semiconductor, Inc.

Acquisitions

Bourns has acquired the following companies:

2009: Acquired Central Office Surge Protection Products assets from Corning Cable Systems LLC

2008: Acquired the Protection Products assets of Emerson Network Power Energy Systems

2008: Acquired the Transient Blocking Unit (TBU) assets of Fultec Semiconductor, Inc.

2006: Acquired Polymer PTC division of Therm-O-Disc, Inc.

2006: Acquired the Automotive Controls Division assets of SSI Technologies

2006: Acquired J.W. Miller Magnetics Business

2005: Acquired Tyco/Meggitt's Fuel Card Product assets

2004: Acquired RUF Automotive Group

2004: Acquired MMC's Switch Power Products assets

2003: Acquired Microelectronic Modules Corporation assets

2003: Acquired Telecom Protection assets from Texas Instruments Sensors & Controls Division

2001: Acquired Joslyn GDT Division assets

External links

• Corporate website
• Dialog: With Gordon L. Bourns, CEO of Bourns Inc. (Electronic Product News)
• EDN: 19th Annual Innovation Awards