Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company
1886 - 1945
Founded in 1886 as the Westinghouse Electric Company in East Pittsburgh with the profits from George Westinghouse's air brake company, the company popularized Nikola Tesla's alternating current. The name was soon changed in 1889 to the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company. By 1904, the main plant boasted 9000 workers. It was the largest of the Westinghouse family of companies. It not only produced AC driven products, but also electric railway motors. It was involved in many high-profile projects including the Interborough Rapid Transit Company in New York, the South Side Elevated Railroad Company in Chicago, the Niagara Falls Power Company, and the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
In 1919, the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company joined General Electric, AT&T, and United Fruit to create RCA. It entered the broadcasting industry with the establishment of the radio station KDKA in Pittsburgh and WBZ in Massachusetts in 1920 and 1921. In 1926, it partnered with GE and RCA to establish NBC broadcasting. (The Westinghouse Radio Stations, Inc. division was renamed Westinghouse Broadcasting Company in 1954 after the firm got into television. This division was based in New York City, while the parent company retained its headquarters in Pittsburgh.)
Other products in the early 1900s included electrical home appliances, electric stoves, a steam turbine manufacturing plant, a high-energery Van de Graaff electrostatic nuclear accelerator, airborne radar, jet engines, military helmets, and much more.
In 1943, Westinghouse purchased the lamp division of Ken-Rad (Kentucky Radio Corporation) in Owensboro, Kentucky.
In 1945, the company changed its name to Westinghouse Electric Corporation.
In 1952, the company opened a plant in Horseheads, New York devoted to three divisions for cathode ray tubes, electronic tubes, and industrial and government tubes.
In 1995, Westinghouse acquired CBS Inc., and in 1997, the company changed its name to the CBS Corporation.
In 1919, the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company joined General Electric, AT&T, and United Fruit to create RCA. It entered the broadcasting industry with the establishment of the radio station KDKA in Pittsburgh and WBZ in Massachusetts in 1920 and 1921. In 1926, it partnered with GE and RCA to establish NBC broadcasting. (The Westinghouse Radio Stations, Inc. division was renamed Westinghouse Broadcasting Company in 1954 after the firm got into television. This division was based in New York City, while the parent company retained its headquarters in Pittsburgh.)
Other products in the early 1900s included electrical home appliances, electric stoves, a steam turbine manufacturing plant, a high-energery Van de Graaff electrostatic nuclear accelerator, airborne radar, jet engines, military helmets, and much more.
In 1943, Westinghouse purchased the lamp division of Ken-Rad (Kentucky Radio Corporation) in Owensboro, Kentucky.
In 1945, the company changed its name to Westinghouse Electric Corporation.
In 1952, the company opened a plant in Horseheads, New York devoted to three divisions for cathode ray tubes, electronic tubes, and industrial and government tubes.
In 1995, Westinghouse acquired CBS Inc., and in 1997, the company changed its name to the CBS Corporation.
"Innovation That Changed The World," Westinghouse Nuclear, http://www.westinghousenuclear.com/About/History (accessed 05/19/2015)