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Böwe Bell & Howell is a U.S.-based former manufacturer of motion picture machinery.

According to its charter, Bell & Howell Company was incorporated February 17, 1907. It was duly recorded in the Cook County Record Book eight days later. The first meeting of stockholders took place in the office of Attorney W. G. Strong on February 19 at 10 a. m. The first board of directors was chosen for a term of one year: Donald Joseph Bell, chairman; Albert Summers Howell, secretary; and Marguerite V. Bell (wife of Donald Bell), vice chairman.

Founded by two projectionists to manufacture motion picture equipment, the firm is currently headquartered in Wheeling, Illinois, the Bell & Howell Company merged with Böwe Systec Inc. in 2003 to become Böwe Bell & Howell. Currently, the company provides document processing, microfilmers, scanners, and financial services.

The trademark is also licensed to makers of various electronic consumer products.[1]

Contents

History

Historically, Bell & Howell Co. was an important supplier of many different media technologies. The firm added microfilm products in 1946.

The firm built its name making products such as

  • a rotary framer on 35mm film projectors in 1907
  • a 35mm film perforator in 1908
  • Professional 35mm motion-picture film cameras from 1909 on
  • Printing equipment used by motion-picture film laboratories since 1911
  • The Standard Cinematograph Type 2709 hand-cranked camera (used in early silent films, it was so expensive that only Charlie Chaplin and three other people owned one [2]. The rest were owned by studios)
  • Newsreel and amateur film cameras such as the Filmo (end of 1923) and Eyemo (1925), and Autoload EE (1956)
  • Military 16mm film camera “GSAP” (Gun Sight Air Pilot)
  • Regular-8 and Super-8 film cameras and projectors (all models)
  • 16mm silent and sound projectors (all models)
  • Slide projectors (2" X 2")
  • Overhead presentation projectors (all models)

Bell & Howell has been the leading supplier of media equipment for schools and offices.

The firm dropped the production of movie cameras in the early 1970s. The film laboratory line is now a separate company, BHP Inc, which is a division of Research Technology International.


Bell & Howell Becomes ProQuest Company: Story Details On June 6, 2001 Bell & Howell became ProQuest Company (NYSE "PQE").


Bell & Howell 16mm silent film projector Filmo 129

Bell & Howell 8mm amateur camera Filmo Straigt Eight

Bell + Howell Zoomatic movie camera, in the collection of the US National Archives

Bell & Howell 8mm home camera

Consumer products

Currently, third-party companies offer a number of consumer products "licensed" under the Bell & Howell namecitation needed, including:

  • Digital Camera (Optical Zoom, Digital Zoom, and Flip Out LCD models)
  • Sunlight Floor Lamp
  • Sunlight Desk Lamp
  • Ionic Whisper Air Purifier and Ionize
  • Alarm System
  • Sonic Earz
  • Bio7 Pain Therapist
  • Solar Powered Flood Lights
  • Noise Reduction Headphones
  • ZX-7 Shaver

The licensing of their name in the consumer products area is clearly a "cash-grab" by the company, as even their Licensing Page indicates that "The Bell & Howell brand name boasts a strong presence in the minds of consumers with over 80 percent brand awareness among adults 35 and older. People associate Bell & Howell with a strong reputation for high quality, dependable products and services."

In fact, the majority of the Bell & Howell consumer products that are for sale "on TV" are distributed by Emson USA - a "TV-only" sales organization not unlike Guthy-Renker or K-Tel. This most likely won't affect Bell & Howell's core business in the future, as the products/software/services they produce and distribute themselves are focused on the Business-to-Business market, as opposed to the Consumer market.

Apple II

For more information see the main article: Apple II

Bell & Howell briefly marketed a version of the Apple II in a dark-grey case to educational institutions.[1]

See also

External links

References

  1. ^ The World According to The Mac Geek, viewed November 18, 2007
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