The world-famous manufacturer of computers, printers, fax machines and other office equipment began its activities back in 1908. That's when it appeared Ing. C. Olivetti & Co., SpA., founded by Camillo Olivertti and producing typewriters. This company was the first in Italy to start dealing with such products. It took place in the north-west of Italy in the town of Ivrea, which is located near Turin (Ivrea, Turin, Italy). Business did not develop very quickly until the Olivetti M1 model was introduced in 1911 at an exhibition in Turin. Its success as a showpiece drew attention to the manufacturer, whose business quickly took off.
Adriano Olivetti (Adriano Olivetti) - the son of Camillo, who since 1924 has been actively involved in the family business, brought a new stream to the development of the company. It was thanks to his efforts that in 1930 the products Olivetti appears for the first time abroad - the first foreign branch appears in Barcelona. Full management of the company passes to Adriano in 1930. Production of adding machines and office furniture begins.
For development Olivetti both world wars had, one might even say, even a positive impact - the company not only survived, but also developed its own production. So, after the First World War, the company began to independently manufacture the equipment necessary for the production of typewriters, which undoubtedly played the most positive role in its development. During World War II factories Olivetty retrained for the production of military orders - mainly they were fuses for shells. The devastation that followed the war did not break the company, which already in 1948 introduced the first electric calculator in Italy (not electronic - such a model would appear later, in 1959). At the same time, the Lettera 22 portable typewriter appeared, weighing some 4 kg, which was to become very popular - many famous writers and journalists worked for it.
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| Olivetty Lettera 22 |
1959 marked the advent of the electronic era Olivetti. The first electronic computer in Italy, named Elea 9003, appears. Since then, the development of the company has been almost inextricably linked with computer technology. In 1965, the Programma 101 appears - a computer that some historians of computing tend to consider the first personal computer in history. Well, or at least the world's first desktop computer, which in many ways was ahead of its time. Unfortunately, its mass production was never started.
But at the end of the 60s, difficult times fell in the history of the company, which began to experience financial difficulties. The reason is the illiterate actions of the management, which began the re-profiling of the company completely for the production of various electronics. The idea was good, but the execution didn't match it. Adriano, by that time, was no longer alive. It was possible to resist thanks to Carlo De Benedetti, who bought 51% of the company's shares in 1978 and headed its management, where he remained until 1995.
In the 1980s, the company began to expand the model range of its products. In 1983, an agreement was concluded with the American AT&T, as a result of which it is possible to enter the telecommunications market. The company was born in 1990 Omnitel and mobile operator infostrada.
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| OLIBOOK S1300 |
1995 was marked by the fact that the company completely abandoned the production of computers, where its success was not impressive enough. In 1997, PC production was sold. And in 1999 it was bought out by itself Olivetti - a controlling stake in its shares was acquired by a Luxembourg company Bell SA. Were sold Omnitel и infostrada. In 2001, the company was resold to a consortium of Benetton и Pirelli. And in 2003 there is a merger Olivetti и Telecom Italia. As a result of the acquisition, a new brand was born - Olivetti Tecnost, under which all the same office equipment and personal computers are now being produced, which it was once decided to abandon.
