- Logitech
-
Logitech International S.A. 
Type Public Traded as SIX: LOGN NASDAQ: LOGI Industry Computer peripherals Founded 1981 Headquarters Romanel-sur-Morges, Switzerland Area served Worldwide Key people Guerrino De Luca (Chairman and acting CEO), Erik Bardman (SVP, Finance and CFO) Products Computer peripherals Revenue 
$2.4 billion (2010)[1]Profit $128 million (2010)[1]Total assets $1.5 billion (2010)[1]Total equity $999 million (2010)[1]Employees 11,000 (2010)[1] Website www.logitech.com 
Logitech's Silicon Valley office in Fremont
Wireless Trackman Mouse
USB speakers
Precision PC game controllerLogitech International S.A. (SIX: LOGN, NASDAQ: LOGI) is a global provider of personal peripherals for computers and other digital platforms headquartered in Romanel-sur-Morges, Switzerland. The company develops and markets products like peripheral devices for PCs, including keyboards, mice, microphones, game controllers and webcams. Logitech also makes home and computer speakers, headphones, wireless audio devices, as well as audio devices for MP3 players and mobile phones.
In addition to its Swiss headquarters, the company has offices in Fremont, California, as well as throughout Europe, Asia and the rest of the Americas. Logitech's sales and marketing activities are organized into four geographic regions: Americas, EMEA, Asia Pacific and China.
Contents
Brand names
In the Japanese market, Logitech uses the brand name Logicool[2] since a company known as Logitec (ロジテック rojitekku) that focuses on computer peripheral devices has existed in that country since 1982, and its parent company, Elecom, has used the brand name since 1974. Similar-sounding trademarks in the same industry can be infringing; Logitech chose to avoid this situation.
In the UK, Logitech trades under 'Logi (UK) Ltd.'; a 'Logitech' based in Glasgow, Scotland manufactures precision cutting, lapping and polishing equipment for the materials processing industry. In Canada, Logitech International uses its own name without conflict with Logitech Electronics, an InterTAN Canada Ltd. supplier of consumer electronics since 1988.
Since the 1980s, Logitech has made computer mice and keyboards directly for Apple, HP, Dell and for other platforms including PlayStation.
History
Logitech International S.A. was co-founded in Apples, Vaud, Switzerland, in 1981 by two Stanford Masters alumni, Daniel Borel and Pierluigi Zappacosta, Jean-luc Mazzone and Giacomo Marini, formerly a manager at Olivetti.
The mass-marketed computer mouse was the product that made Logitech well-known. The range of products offered improvements over a product originally developed at LAMI (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) by professor Jean-Daniel Nicoud and engineer André Guignard, who was involved in the design changes of the computer mouse originally invented by Douglas Engelbart.
For a time during its formative years, Logitech's Silicon Valley offices occupied space at 165 University Avenue, Palo Alto, California, home to a number of noted technology startups.
From there, Logitech expanded its product line (see below) to encompass many mass market computer peripherals and beyond (such as the "Harmony" range of programmable universal remote controls).
In 2007, Logitech licensed Hillcrest Labs' Freespace motion control technology to produce the MX Air Mouse, which allows a user to use natural gestures to control a PC.[3][4]
In December 2008, Logitech shipped its one billionth mouse.[5]
In May 2010, Logitech, in partnership with Google introduced the internet enabled television; named Google TV.[6]
In July 2011, Logitech acquired the mobile visual communications provider, Mirial.[7]
Due to Tablet PC expanding market, the world's biggest maker of computer mice confirmed a significant drop in Q3 2011 operating Income to $23 million from $51 million a year ago.[8]
Production
The first Logitech mice were made in Le Lieu, in the Swiss Canton of Vaud by Dubois Depraz SA.
Production facilities were then established in the US, Taiwan, Ireland and moved subsequently to Suzhou, China. As of 2005[update], the manufacturing operations in China produce approximately half of Logitech's products. The remaining production is outsourced to contract manufacturers and original design manufacturers in Asia.
Products
- PC keyboards, mice, gamepads, and trackballs (wired and wireless models).
- QuickCam webcams.
- PC speakers, including stereo as well as 2.1 and 5.1 channel surround sound systems.
- Logitech 'G' series PC gaming hardware.
- PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360 and PSP gaming hardware, including game controllers, joysticks, keyboards and racing wheels.
- Headphones, headsets and desktop microphones.
- iPod, PSP, MP3 player and mobile phone accessories. Including iPod and PSP speaker docks.
- Harmony universal remotes.
- Squeezebox wireless music systems and adapter.[9]
- io2 Digital Writing System.
- Ultimate Ears headphones and in ear monitors.
- Logitech MOMO Force steering wheel
- Logitech Alert 750e Outdoor Master System security cameras
- Logitech Alert 750i Indoor Master System security cameras
See also
- 3Dconnexion (Subsidiary of Logitech)
- Labtec (Subsidiary of Logitech)
- LifeSize (Subsidiary of Logitech)
- Harmony (Subsidiary of Logitech)
- Ultimate Ears (Subsidiary of Logitech)
- Slim Devices (Subsidiary of Logitech)
- Mirial (Subsidiary of Logitech)
References
- ^ a b c d e "2010 Form 10-K, Logitech International S.A.". logitech.com. http://ir.logitech.com/?/&cl=us,en.
- ^ "Official Logicool Site". Logicool.co.jp. http://www.logicool.co.jp/. Retrieved 2011-06-12.
- ^ Techspot July 13, 2007. Logitech's MX Air Mouse with freespace motion control
- ^ Popular Mechanics October 1, 2009. Logitech's MX Air Cordless Laser Mouse: Best Pointer We've Tried (with Video).
- ^ "One Billion Logitech Mice | BLogitech". Blog.logitech.com. http://blog.logitech.com/2008/12/03/one-billion-logitech-mice/. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
- ^ "Google Unveils Google TV With Sony, Logitech, Intel as Partners | News & Opinion | PCMag.com". pcmag.com. 2011 [last update]. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2364007,00.asp. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
- ^ "Logitech Acquires Mirial - MarketWatch". marketwatch.com. 2011 [last update]. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/logitech-acquires-mirial-2011-07-20?reflink=MW_news_stmp. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
- ^ "Logitech Second-Quarter Profit Drops on America, Europe Sales; Asia Gains". http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-27/logitech-second-quarter-profit-drops-on-america-europe-sales-asia-gains.html. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
- ^ "Logitech: Wireless speaker adapter for WiDi enabled laptops". Vr-zone.com. 2011-01-09. http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-wireless-speaker-adapter-for-widi-enabled-laptops/10738.html. Retrieved 2011-06-12.
External links
Listen to this article (info/dl)
This audio file was created from a revision of Logitech dated 2006-06-09, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. (Audio help)More spoken articlesLogitech products Mice - MX-500
- MX-510
- MX-518
- MX Revolution
- G5
- G500
- G700
- G7
- G9
- G9x
- VX Revolution
Keyboards Remotes - Harmony
- MX Air
Speakers - G51
- mm50
- X-540
- Z-5500
Joysticks Other input devices Related Annual revenue:€1.482 billion Euro (2005) · Employees: 8,000 · Stock symbol: NASDAQ LOGI · Website: www.logitech.comCategories:- Companies listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange
- Companies listed on NASDAQ
- Companies of Switzerland
- Companies established in 1981
- Loudspeaker manufacturers
- Computing input devices
- Pointing devices
- Computer peripheral companies
- Music equipment manufacturers
- Electronics companies of Switzerland
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
