Early Years
(1930’s)
The company was originally rather unfocused, working on a wide range of electronic products for industry and even agriculture. Eventually they elected to focus on high-quality electronic test and measurement equipment.From the 1940s until well into the 1990s the company concentrated on making electronic test equipment: signal generators, voltmeters, oscilloscopes, frequency counters, thermometers, time standards, wave analyzers, and many other instruments. A distinguishing feature was pushing the limits of measurement range and accuracy; many HP instruments were more sensitive, accurate, and precise than other comparable equipment.
Following the pattern set by the company's first product, the 200A, test instruments were labelled with three to five digits followed by the letter "A". Improved versions went to suffixes "B" through "E". As the product range grew wider HP started using product designators starting with a letter for accessories, supplies, software, and components.
The garage, 367 Addison Avenue, Palo, California, 1939
Bill and Dave begin part-time work in the rented garage with $538 (U.S.) in working capital, consisting of cash and a used drill press.
Drawing on Bill’s study of negative feedback, Bill and Dave produce HP's first product, the resistance-capacitance audio oscillator, used to test sound equipment. They name it the HP Model 200A.
The Walt Disney Company ordered eight HP Model 200B oscillators to prepare movie theaters to show Fantasia
(1940’s)
HP moves from the garage to rented buildings in Palo Alto.
Construction begins on the first HP-owned building. Its open floor plan—designed for versatility—has the serendipitous effect of sparking creativity.
HP enters the microwave field, setting the stage for future leadership in signal generators.
(1950’s)
 Original 1954 Hewlett-Packard trademark |
Al Bagley, head of HP’s Frequency and Time Division, with the HP 524A, 1951HP invents the 524A high-speed frequency counter, greatly reducing the time required to measure high frequencies. Frequency counters and related products will account for billions in future revenue for HP.
Aerial photo of Palo Alto, 1955
The 1950s were a time of tremendous growth for both HP and the city of Palo Alto. The city’s population more than doubled during the decade, and the fruit orchards that characterized the town in the past were cleared to make way for highways, businesses and schools. Palo Alto was on its way to becoming the high-tech center it is today.
Bill looks inside an oscilloscope, 1966 HP produces its first oscilloscopes, which will go on to represent a significant part of HP’s test and measurement product line. HP introduces its corporate objectives to empower decentralized decision making. Spanning seven categories—profit, customers, fields of interest, growth, people, management and citizenship—the principles help distinguish HP from the top-down management style of most companies and serve as as the basis for the HP Way.
HP holds its IPO on November 6, with shares selling for $16 (U.S.). The IPO was issued for two reasons: to help with estate planning for its founders and to enable employees to share in the company.
HP headquarters, 1961 HP begins manufacturing in its first building in the Stanford Industrial Park in Palo Alto. The new site is innovately designed to maximize employee creativity and comfort.
In 1958, Dave Packard typed up “11 Simple Rules” in preparation for the company’s annual management convention. Discovered in Dave’s correspondence file, these rules show his philosophy of work and life. - Think first of the other fellow.
- Build up the other person's sense of importance.
- Respect the other man’s personality rights.
- Give sincere appreciation.
- Eliminate the negative.
- Avoid openly trying to reform people.
- Try to understand the other person.
- Check first impressions.
- Take care with the little details.
- Develop genuine interest in people.
- Keep it up.
(1960’s)
HWP on the NYSE, 1961HP is first listed on the New York Stock Exchange on March 17.
HP 2116A, 1966HP introduces its first computer, the HP 2116A. The world’s first go-anywhere, do-anything computer, it is designed to withstand environmental extremes.
HP 9100A, 1968HP introduces the world’s first desktop scientific calculator, the HP 9100A. It is ten times faster than most machines at solving science and engineering problems. Ads call it a “personal computer.” on the first documented uses of the term.
(1970’s)
Hewlett-Packard logo, mid-1970s
The HP 3000 introduces distributed data processing. HP expands into business computing with the HP 3000, which introduces the era of distributed data processing.
The HP-35 handheld calculator was small enough to fit in a shirt pocket.
HP introduces the HP-35, the world’s first scientific hand-held calculator. Small enough to fit in a shirt pocket, it makes the slide rule obsolete. In 2000, Forbes ASAP names the HP-35 one of the “all time products” that changed the world.
HP-01 wrist instrumentHP introduces the HP-01 wrist instrument, a combination digital wristwatch, calculator and personal calendar. It is one of the world’s first personal information devices.
(1980’s)
HP’s first personal computer, the HP-85, 1980HP introduces its first personal computer, the HP-85. The unit had input/output modules that allowed it to control instruments, add on more powerful peripherals and even to talk to other computers.
HP 9000, 1982HP introduces the HP 9000 technical computer. The first “desktop mainframe,” it’s as powerful as the room-size computers of the 1960s.
HP’s 150 Touchscreen personal computer HP introduces the HP-150 Touchscreen PC, allowing users to activate features simply by touching the screen.
HP LaserJet, 1984HP introduces the HP LaserJet, which quickly becomes the world’s most popular personal desktop laser printer.
HP Garage, California Historical Landmark 976, Birthplace of Silicon Valley
The birthplace of the company—Bill and Dave’s rented garage—is dedicated as a California Historical Landmark.
(1990’s)
HP rolls out a global corporate branding campaign featuring a new logo and brand identity focused on the them of “invent.”
HP OfficeJet, 1994HP introduces the HP OfficeJet personal printer-fax-copier, the world’s first mass-market all-in-one device.
Dave PackardDave Packard dies at age 83. Flags fly at half-staff across Silicon Valley and at HP offices around the world for the man headlines describe as “a Silicon Valley founding father and guiding spirit.”
“We have tried to capture the spirit of the original HP in what we call the ‘rules of the garage.’ The garage is a special place for us. It represents that entrepreneurial, inventive spirit that is special about HP.“ –Carly Fiorina, 2000
- Believe you can change the world.
- Work quickly, keep the tools unlocked, work whenever.
- Know when to work alone and when to work together.
- Share—tools, ideas. Trust your colleagues.
- No politics. No bureaucracy. (These are ridiculous in a garage.)
- The customer defines a job well done.
- Radical ideas are not bad ideas.
- Invent different ways of working.
- Make a contribution every day. If it doesn’t contribute, it doesn’t leave the garage.
- Believe that together we can do anything.
(2000’s-2011’s)
Bill Hewlett Bill Hewlett dies at age 87. HP employees, business leaders and friends around the world mourn the loss of a man described as one of the true pioneers and giants of the electronics industry
Hewlett-Packard Deskjet 3845 printer
The current two dimensional HP logo used on corporate documents, letterheads, etc.
HP's recent campaign, The Computer is Personal Again, features several celebrity endorsements, including a TV commercial with Gwen Stefani.
HP Presario F700 F767CL
In 1998 Compaq had already taken over the Digital Equipment Corporation. That is why HP still offers support for PDP-11, VAX and AlphaServer.
The merger occurred after a proxy fight with Bill Hewlett's son Walter, who objected to the merger. Compaq itself had bought Tandem Computers in 1997 (which had been started by ex-HP employees), and Digital Equipment Corporation in 1998. Following this strategy, HP became a major player in desktops, laptops, and servers for many different markets. After the merger with Compaq, the new ticker symbol became "HPQ", a combination of the two previous symbols, "HWP" and "CPQ", to show the significance of the alliance and also key letters from the two companies Hewlett-Packard and Compaq (the latter company being famous for its "Q" logo on all of its products.)
In the year 2004 HP released the DV 1000 Series, including the HP Pavilion dv 1658 and 1040 two years later in May 2006, HP began its campaign, The Computer is Personal Again. The campaign was designed to bring back the fact that the PC is a personal product. The campaign utilized viral marketing, sophisticated visuals, and its own web site (www.hp.com/personal). Some of the ads featured well-known personalities, including Pharrell, Petra Nemcova, Mark Burnett, Mark Cuban, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, Gwen Stefani, and Shaun White.
On May 13, 2008, HP and Electronic Data Systems announced that they had signed a definitive agreement under which HP would purchase EDS. On June 30, HP announced that the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 had expired. "The transaction still requires EDS stockholder approval and regulatory clearance from the European Commission and other non-U.S. jurisdictions and is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the other closing conditions specified in the merger agreement." The agreement was finalized on August 26, 2008, and it was publicly announced that EDS would be re-branded "EDS an HP company." As of September 23, 2009, EDS is known as HP Enterprise Services.
On November 11, 2009, 3Com and Hewlett-Packard announced that Hewlett-Packard would be acquiring 3Com for $2.7 billion in cash. The acquisition is one of the biggest in size among a series of takeovers and acquisitions by technology giants to push their way to become one-stop shops. Since the beginning of the financial crisis in 2007, tech giants have constantly felt the pressure to expand beyond their current market niches. Dell purchased Perot Systems recently to invade into the technology consulting business area previously dominated by IBM. Hewlett-Packard's latest move marked its incursion into enterprise networking gear market dominated by Cisco.
The 2010s
A Hewlett-Packard Mini 1000 netbook computer, a type of notebook computer
On August 6, 2010, CEO Mark Hurd resigned amid controversy and CFO Cathie Lesjak assumed the role of interim CEO. On September 30, 2010, Léo Apotheker was named as HP's new CEO and President.
Apotheker’s appointment sparked a strong reaction from Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison, who complained that Apotheker had been in charge of SAP when one of its subsidiaries was systematically stealing software from Oracle. SAP accepted that its subsidiary, which has now closed, illegally accessed Oracle intellectual property.
On August 18, 2011 HP announced that it would strategically exit the smartphone and tablet computer business, focusing on higher-margin "strategic priorities of cloud, solutions and software with an emphasis on enterprise, commercial and government markets" They also contemplated spinning off their personal computer division into a separate company. HP's fundamental restructuring to quit the 'PC' business, while continuing to sell servers and other equipment to business customers, was similar to what IBM did in 2005.
On September 22, 2011, Hewlett-Packard Co. named former eBay Inc. Chief Executive Meg Whitman its president and CEO, replacing Léo Apotheker, while Raymond Lane became executive chairman of the company.