General Electric Company, also called GE, was one of the largest corporations of the 1900’s. The company first became known for producing light bulbs. But GE became a highly diversified company that was famous for technological innovation. Its products eventually included electric motors, household appliances, jet engines, locomotives, medical equipment, power-generating equipment, and renewable energy.
The American inventor Thomas Alva Edison formed a lighting company in 1878. By 1879, his company had produced the first practical incandescent bulb. General Electric was founded in 1892 when Edison’s company merged with another maker of electric lights. Over the next several decades, General Electric grew tremendously through mergers and acquisitions.
During the 2000’s, GE faced major financial problems, and eventually sold several of its best-known divisions. In the early 2020’s, GE split into three separate companies: (1) GE Aerospace, based in Evendale, Ohio; (2) GE Healthcare, based in Chicago, Illinois; and (3) GE Vernova, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. GE Vernova received GE’s power and energy businesses.
See also Borazon; Invention (Corporate invention); Light bulb.
