Thorens AG 1883
- occupation:
- Manufacturer
- Nationality:
- Swiss
- born in:
- Sainte Croix, Vaud, Switzerland
1883 - business established by Hermann Thorens; first registered in Sainte-Croix (Ste-Croix), Switzerland to make musical boxes and clock movements;
1903 - start making Edison-type phonographs;
1906 - begins manufacture of horn-gramophones for shellac records;
1913-1964 - make cigarette lighters;
1914-1920, 1939-1952 - make harmonicas;
1927 - becomes a joint-stock company Thorens AG
1928 - develops first direct drive electric motor for gramophones.
1929 - develops first electric phono pick-up (magnet principle).
1933 - manufactures wireless appliances in cooperation with Strassfurt-Imperial Company of Germany.
1940-1950 - produces professional disc-cutting lathes and phono pick-up cartridges
1943 - produces first record changer.
1954-1960 - produce mechanical razor 'Thorens Riviera'
1957 - introduction of TD124 Hi-Fi record player
1963-1966 - Thorens merges with Paillard SA, St.-Croix, Switzerland.
1966 - Thorens-Franz AG take over business of Thorens record players and together with EMT Wilhelm Franz of Germany, establish research, development and manufacturing business in Lahr, Germany
1983 - company reorganised and divided into three independent companies: Thorens-Cabasse Vertriebs GmbH, (sales distribution in Germany), Thorens Produktions GmbH and ,(R&D and manufacturing in Lahr) and EMT-Franz GmbH (R&D of professional studio equipment)
2002 - restructuring of ownership and shareholders; new management re-launches the Thorens brand; Thorens Export Corporation Ltd. Kaiseraugst, Switzerland