1898

THE EARLY YEARS
 

Within a decade of the invention of incandescent lighting in 1879, a new industry developed to serve society's insatiable appetite for electrical power. Two young Princeton classmates, Robert M. Thomas and Hobart D. Betts, joined forces and began selling rigid conduit to electrical distributors in New York in 1898 in an effort to capitalize on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

1912

MAKING A NAME IN MANUFACTURING

As the use of electricity spread, the Thomas & Betts sales agency prospered. Not content to merely sell the products of others, Thomas & Betts expanded into manufacturing by acquiring the Standard Electric Fittings Company of Stamford, Connecticut in 1912.

1917

T&B MAKES ITS HOME IN NEW JERSEY

Soon after the purchase of the Standard Electric Fittings Company, sales, engineering, and manufacturing were brought together under one roof in Elizabeth, New Jersey, which would be headquarters for the company until 1993. In 1917, the company incorporated and officially became The Thomas & Betts Company.

1921

$1 MILLION IN SALES AND GROWING

By the Roaring Twenties, Thomas & Betts had a presence on both coasts and in Chicago and sales exceeded $1 million. An ambitious young salesman, Nestor J. "Mac" MacDonald, joined the company in 1921 and began to introduce T&B products directly to end users - electrical contractors -- in order to create demand or "pull through" sales at the distributor. Mac would later become CEO and president. His focus on meeting the needs of the end user continues to be the foundation of the company's success.

1927

MOVING NORTH INTO NEW MARKETS

In 1927, company founder Hobart Thomas' nephew, G.C. Thomas, was named general manager at the company. G.C. recognized the untapped growth potential in Canada and soon expanded the company's operations into Northeast Canada. Today, Thomas & Betts is a recognized leader in supplying electrical components and emergency lighting equipment across Canada.

1927

INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP BASED ON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE

In the late 1920's, Thomas & Betts formalized its R&D effort with a goal of developing the highest quality products that lowered installation cost. This focus continues to guide the company's engineering team today.

During the same period, the company's management was active in developing and leading the newly created National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and driving the industry to standardize thread sizes and plating.

1930's

"WHEREVER ELECTRICITY GOES, SO DO WE"

In the 1930's, T&B adopted the advertising slogan: "Wherever Electricity Goes, So Do We" signifying the breadth of the company's product line and its commitment to the electrical industry.

Around this time, T&B introduced cast solderless lugs. Forerunners to Sta-Kon^® connectors, this innovative product eliminated the need to solder connections, saving time and increasing safety on high-visibility projects such as the expansion of the New York Subway and construction of the Empire State Building.

1937

THE T&B PLAN REDEFINES DISTRIBUTOR RELATIONS

In 1937, T&B revolutionized distributor relations when it published the T&B Plan of Wholesale Distribution, a 12-point program establishing distributors as company's primary marketing channel and partner.

The principles of the T&B Plan continue to drive how the company goes to market.

Late 1930's

TWO-TRACK MARKETING APPROACH SUPPORTS GROWTH

Following the publication of the T&B Plan of Distribution, marketing efforts at the company emphasized a two-track approach: developing strong relations focused on mutual growth with electrical distributors and harnessing the strength of the company's engineering team to keep a constant flow of innovative new products before the end-user customer.

1939-45

T&B PRODUCTS DECLARED CRITICAL TO WAR EFFORT

During World War II, T&B products transformed how planes, ships and tanks were wired and the company's Elizabeth, N.J. plant was declared one of the 12 most critical plants during the war. T&B showed its strong support for its distributors by persuading the military procurement agency that it was in the country's best interest for T&B to service the military through its well-established network of distributors, rather than selling directly to the U.S.government.. T&B was recognized with numerous awards for its work with the military.

Late 1940's

COLOR-KEYED SYSTEM DEFINES INDUSTRY STANDARD

After the war, construction in the U.S. boomed and T&B again made history by introducing an innovative new system of color-coded connectors and compression tools called Color-Keyed^®. The Color-Keyed system ensured that proper installation procedures would be used with each connector. Color-coded systems soon became the industry standard.

1950's

T&B INTRODUCES THE FIRST CABLE TIE AND CHANGES HOW THE WORLD HARNESSES WIRES

In 1958, Thomas & Betts secured a place in engineering history with the development of the Ty-Rap^® cable tie designed to facilitate assembling wire harnesses in airplanes. In the first month Ty-Rap sales were a modest $350. Today, T&B sells hundreds of millions of dollars of cable ties in 14 colors, 15 designs, 10 materials, and multiple lengths.

1953

T&B INNOVATION SUPPORTS FIRST NUCLEAR SUB

In 1953, T&B introduced the first high-performance liquid-tight, flexible conduit connectors, which were selected to build the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, the Nautilus. Soon, T&B products became the standard in electrical specifications for submarines.

1959

T&B JOINS THE RANKS OF PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANIES

Thomas & Betts went public in 1959, offering 300,000 shares of stock to the public at $17.50 per share (NYSE ticker symbol: TNB). Today, T&B has approximately 58 million shares and a market value of more than $1 billion.

In 1963, T&B was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

1960's

MOVING BEYOND NORTH AMERICAN MARKETS

In the 1960's, T&B entered the European market with Sta-Kon^® connectors and Ty-Rap^® cable ties. The company also expanded into Mexico and other international markets. Sta-Kon solderless terminals and Ty-Rap cable ties were easily adaptable to the metric system and proved a popular item for electricians and contractors outside the U.S.

1965

T&B INTRODUCES "T&B PLAN IN ACTION" PROGRAM

Distributors enthusiastically embraced a new marketing program by Thomas & Betts called "T&B Plan-in-Action" which featured national trade advertising about the economic importance of distributors. The company's continued strong support for its distributors distinguished Thomas & Betts within the industry.

This same year, Robert McK. Thomas, Jr., was named president of the corporation. Over 33 years with the company, Thomas had worked his way up through virtually every department.

1966

T&B ENTERS FASTER-GROWING ELECTRONIC MARKETS

In 1966, Thomas & Betts added electronic connectors and components to its product offering with the acquisition of the Arthur Ansley Manufacturing Company.

1968

NEW IDENTITY SIGNIFIES INCREASINGLY GLOBAL CHARACTER

After 72 years of growth, and five acquisitions in 10 years, the Thomas & Betts Company became the Thomas & Betts Corporation in 1968. The change reflected the increasingly global nature of the company's products, markets and interests. That same year, J. David Parkinson, who had led the company's non-U.S. operations, was elected president of the corporation and elected to the board of directors. Later, he would become CEO and lead the company for 11 years in this capacity. He would serve as chairman of the board until his retirement in 1991.

1970's

EXPANDING HORIZONS INTO COMMUNICATIONS

During the early 1970's, Thomas & Betts expanded into telecommunications when it signed contracts with General Telephone and ITT. In short order, the company's R&D efforts resulted in patented connector designs for the new-wave technology of fiber optics. By the end of the decade, T&B introduced the Kold-N-Klose^® spliced cable repair system - the first such product for telephone technicians not requiring the use of heat or flame.

1980's

MAKING OFFICE LIFE EASIER

Internal product development continued to drive T&B's growth in the 1980's even as the company pursued selective acquisitions. As modular office furniture grew in popularity, T&B set about designing products that offered more flexibility in wiring and managing ever-changing office configurations. Until T&B introduced its proprietary Versa-TrakTM under-carpet wiring system in 1980, gaining access to wiring after a commercial building was built was expensive and messy.

In January 1980, T. Kevin Dunnigan was elected president and chief operating officer. Dunnigan would remain in top leadership positions until his retirement in 2004.

1990's

ACQUISITION EXPANDS PRODUCT OFFERING AND DOUBLES SALES

In 1992, Thomas & Betts nearly doubled its size when the company acquired American Electric. With sales of more than $1 billion, the new company established itself as of the largest and strongest manufacturers of electrical components in North America.

Shortly after purchasing American Electric, the company moved its headquarters from New Jersey to Memphis, Tennessee.

1992

T&B ADDS LEADING BRAND OF HEATERS TO PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

With the acquisition of American Electric in 1992, Thomas & Betts expanded its presence in commercial and industrial markets with its purchase of the Reznor^® brand of heaters. With roots dating back to 1888 and a global reputation for excellent in engineering, Reznor products complemented the company's existing product portfolio.

1996

T&B CELEBRATES A CENTURY OF LEADERSHIP

T&B celebrated 100 years of electrical industry leadership, dedicated a new headquarters building in Memphis, TN, and opened a state-of-the-art central distribution center (CDC) in Byhalia, MS. The CDC is the central hub for a sophisticated global logistics system that allows T&B to offer 'one order, one shipment, one invoice' service - a unique competitive advantage.

Today


Today, the company continues to build its legacy of innovation and leadership. Its commitment to leadership in the electrical and construction industry and its focus on customer service and distribution to its major markets insures a strong and bright future for the Thomas & Betts family of brands as part of ABB.