General Electric | History, Acquisitions, Products, & Facts

General Electric (GE), in full General Electric Company, major American corporation and one of the largest and most-diversified corporations in the world. GeneralElectric Sections Article Introduction FastFacts Facts&RelatedContent AdditionalInfo MoreArticlesOnThisTopic Contributors ArticleHistory Home Politics,Law&Government Banking&Business GeneralElectric Americancorporation Alternatetitles:GE,GeneralElectricCompany Print Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/General-Electric More GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites OfficialSiteofGeneralElectric EngineeringandTechnologyHistoryWiki-GeneralElectric By TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannica | ViewEditHistory Date: 1892-present ...(Showmore) Headquarters: Fairfield ...(Showmore) AreasOfInvolvement: electronics jetengine electricalandelectronicsengineering manufacturing ...(Showmore) RelatedPeople: J.P.Morgan NickHolonyak,Jr. HenryVillard GerardSwope RichardE.Stearns ...(Showmore) Seeallrelatedcontent→ GeneralElectric(GE),infullGeneralElectricCompany,majorAmericancorporationandoneofthelargestandmost-diversifiedcorporationsintheworld.Itsproductsincludeelectricalandelectronicequipment,aircraftengines,andfinancialservices.HeadquartersareinBoston.Thecompanywasincorporatedin1892,acquiringalltheassetsoftheEdisonGeneralElectricCompanyandtwootherelectricalcompanies.EdisonGeneralhadbeenfoundedastheEdisonElectricLightCompanyin1878byThomasAlvaEdisontomarkethisincandescentlampandotherlaterproducts.EdisonremainedassociatedwithGeneralElectricthroughhispatentsandconsultingduties.GeneralElectricestablishedanindustrialresearchlaboratoryin1900,andmanyofitslaterproductsweredevelopedbyin-housescientists.Itproducesoneofthelargestlinesofelectricalconsumergoodsintheworldand,throughitsGeneralElectricandHotpointappliancebrands,becameatopsellerofvarioustypesofhomeappliances.In1986GEpurchasedtheRCACorporation(whichithadhelpedtofoundin1919),includingtheRCA-ownedtelevisionnetwork,theNationalBroadcastingCompany(NBC),Inc.In1987,however,GEsoldRCA’sconsumerelectronicsdivisiontoThomsonSA,astate-ownedFrenchfirm,andpurchasedThomson’smedicaltechnologydivision.In1989GEagreedtocombineitsEuropeanbusinessinterestsinappliances,medicalsystems,electricaldistribution,andpowersystemswiththeformerlyunrelatedBritishcorporationGeneralElectricCompany.Whileitsconsumerproductsaremostvisibletothegeneralpublic,theyaccountforaminorityofthecompany’sannualsales.Asubstantialportionofthecompany’ssalesaretotheU.S.DepartmentofDefense.GE’sbusinessgroupsintheearly21stcenturywereintheareasofcommercialfinance,consumerfinance,infrastructure(includingdiesellocomotives,jetengines,watertreatmentsystems,andenergydeliverysystemssuchaspowergrids),consumerandindustrialtechnologies(includingappliancesandlightingproducts),healthcare(includingdiagnosticandimagingproducts),andmediaandentertainmentthroughNBCUniversal.In2011GEsoldamajoritystakeinNBCUniversaltoComcast,whichacquiredtheremainingsharestwoyearslater.In2016GEmoveditsheadquartersfromFairfield,Connecticut,toBoston. ThisarticlewasmostrecentlyrevisedandupdatedbyAmyTikkanen.