Gerard Philips
Dutch engineer who co-founded Philips as a light-bulb factory
- Lived
- 83 yrs
- 1858 – 1942
- Works listed
- 0
- Career highlights
- Honours
- 0
- Awards & distinctions
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Gerard Philips was a Dutch engineer and industrialist who co-founded Philips with his father Frederik in Eindhoven in 1891 to make light bulbs. With his brother Anton he turned it into a global electronics company, and he founded its research laboratory in 1914.
Biography
Background
Philips studied mechanical engineering at Delft and worked in Glasgow on electrical equipment, becoming interested in light bulbs.
Founding Philips
In 1891, financed by his father, he bought a factory in Eindhoven to make incandescent lamps. His brother Anton joined to run sales, and they converted the business to NV Philips’ Gloeilampenfabrieken in 1912.
Research
Gerard focused on technology and founded the Philips NatLab research laboratory in 1914, which later made major contributions to electronics.
Legacy
He retired in 1922. Philips went on to pioneer radios, the cassette tape and the CD. His nephew Frits Philips later led the company.
Timeline
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1858
Born in Zaltbommel, Netherlands
-
1883
Graduates from Delft
-
1891
Co-founds Philips
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1912
Company incorporated
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1914
Founds NatLab
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1922
Retires
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1942
Dies
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1942
Died, aged 83
Did you know?
-
1
Karl Marx was a cousin of his father’s family.
-
2
Philips helped turn Eindhoven into a major city.
-
3
The PSV Eindhoven football club began as a Philips sports club.
Connections
Also born on 9 October
Frequently asked
Who is Gerard Philips?
Gerard Philips was a Dutch engineer and industrialist who co-founded Philips with his father Frederik in Eindhoven in 1891 to make light bulbs. With his brother Anton he turned it into a global electronics company, and he founded its research laboratory in 1914.
When did Gerard Philips die?
Gerard Philips died on 26 January 1942 at the age of 83.
Where is Gerard Philips from?
Gerard Philips was born in Zaltbommel, Netherlands.
What is Gerard Philips known for?
Gerard Philips is best known for Co-founding Philips (1891) in Eindhoven; incandescent lamps; founding Philips Research.
References
- Gerard Philips — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Gerard Philips (Q1351930) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Gerard Philips”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 4 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Gerard Philips.” TrackFame, last updated 4 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/gerard-philips
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