2015 Event Nokia announces that it will purchase Alcatel-Lucent for $16.6 billion, creating the second-largest manufacturer of mobile communication products behind Ericsson 2014 Event U.S. pharmaceutical company InterMune has been bought by Roche, the Swiss drug manufacturer, for $8.6 million; Roche will pay cash, offering a 38% premium on InterMune's current stock price of approximately $54/share 2014 Event Drug manufacturer Mapp Biopharmaceutical states that it has run out of its experimental Ebola treatment drug; the company has been shipping all available stock without charge to West Africa in an attempt to treat victims of the current epidemic 2014 Event In an effort to diversify into home systems automation, Samsung Electronics is buying SmartThings, a manufacturer of remote control applications for home appliances and other devices 2014 Event Electronics manufacturer Samsung is diversifying into the pharmaceutical industry; after besting Apple in the smartphone market, Samsung has now set a goal to become the leader in the growing biotechnology sector 2014 Event Google is partnering with solar manufacturer SunPower to form a financing program to help families afford solar power for their homes 2014 Event Chinese auto manufacturer FAW Group begins taking orders for its luxury Red Flag L5 custom-made auto; the vehicle is priced similarly to a Ferrari at approximately $803,000 2013 Event The robot manufacturer Boston Dynamics is purchased by Google for an undisclosed amount; previously contracted by the U.S. military 2013 Event Caterpillar, a heavy construction equipment manufacturer, announces plans to lay off 300 additional employees at its Decatur, Illinois facility by July 2013 2013 Event Drug manufacturer Roche announces that Kadcyla, a late-stage drug approved for the treatment of breast cancer, has been approved by the FDA 2013 Event In Europe, ready-meal manufacturer, Findus, withdrew its beef lasagne meals from supermarkets after confirming beef supplied by French manufacturer, Comigel contained horsemeat 2013 Event Research In Motion, the Canadian manufacturer of wireless devices, releases the Blackberry 10, its newest operating system for Blackberrys; the company also announces two smartphones, the Z10 and Q10 1994 Death Petrus HJ van Doorne, bus manufacturer/owner (BOVA), dies at 58 1994 Death Marcel Bich, Italian/French baron/pen manufacturer (Bic), dies at 79 1994 Death Avery Fisher, U.S. audio manufacturer (1st hi-fi), dies at 87 1991 Death Libero Grassi, Italian underwear manufacturer/anti mafia, dies 1990 Death An Wang, computer manufacturer (Wang), dies at 70 of cancer 1988 Death Enzo Ferrari, Italy, sportscar manufacturer (Ferrari), dies at 90 1983 Death Tullio Campagnolo, Italian bicycle manufacturer, dies 1979 Death Hubert van Doorne, auto manufacturer (DAF), dies at 79 1978 Death Charles Eames, U.S. chair manufacturer, dies at 71 1978 Death Wim van Doorne, Dutch auto manufacturer (DAF), dies at 71 1978 Death Willem Bruynzeel, Dutch timber/lumber/wood manufacturer, dies at 76 1973 Death Harvey S Firestone, Jr., U.S. tire manufacturer, dies at 75 1972 Death Neil H McElroy, soap manufacturer/minister of Defense (1957-59), dies 1971 Death Georg von Opel, German auto manufacturer, dies at 59 1969 Death Helena Rubinstein, U.S. cosmetic manufacturer, dies at about 89 1966 Death Jean Peugeot, French auto manufacturer, dies 1966 Death Elizabeth Arden, U.S. cosmetic manufacturer, dies 1965 Death John Bata, Czechoslovakian shoe manufacturer, dies at 67 1963 Death William Richard Morris, 1st viscount Nuffield motor manufacturer, dies 1960 Death Adriano Olivetti, Italian engineer/manufacturer, dies at 58 1947 Death Ettore Bugatti, Italian/French car manufacturer, dies 1947 Birthday Alan Sugar, English multi-millionaire/computer manufacturer, Amstrad 1946 Death Anthony Overton, publisher/cosmetics manufacturer/banker, dies at 81 1944 Event 140 Lancasters bomb airplane manufacturer in Toulouse 1943 Birthday Wensley Haydon-Baillie, English pharmaceutical manufacturer 1942 Birthday Anita Roddick, English cosmetic manufacturer, Body Shop 1942 Birthday Phil Harris, English carpet manufacturer/multi-millionaire 1942 Birthday Gordon Roddick, English cosmetic manufacturer, Body Shop 1942 Death Gerard L F Philips, Dutch manufacturer (Philips), dies at 83 1941 Death Lord Herbert Austin, motor manufacturer, dies 1941 Death Andre Michelin, French tire manufacturer, dies at 88 1940 Event Airplane manufacturer in Woolston bombed, 30 killed 1938 Birthday Peter Michael, English electronic manufacturer, UEI, Paintbox 1938 Birthday Wilf Corrigan, English/U.S. electronic manufacturer, LSI Logic 1937 Birthday Stephen Rubin, English attorney/shoe manufacturer, Reebok, Adidas 1934 Death Anton CR Dreesmann, German/Netherlands manufacturer (Devout and D), dies 1933 Birthday Robin Phillips, English multi-millionaire manufacturer, hand-dryer 1932 Birthday Arnfried G D P, Dutch manufacturer, breadcrumbs, drugs dealer 1929 Birthday Timothy Colman, English manufacturer/multi-millionaire, Reckitt and Colman 1929 Birthday Adrian Cadbury, candy manufacturer, Cadbury, Schweppes 1929 Event General Motors acquires German auto manufacturer Adam Opel 1927 Birthday Rene Firino-Martell, cognac manufacturer 1925 Birthday Leslie Silver, English paint manufacturer/multi-millionaire 1923 Birthday Lord Laing, English biscuit manufacturer/pilot/multi-millionaire 1922 Event Dutch auto/airplane manufacturer Trompenburg declares bankruptcy 1919 Death Madame C J Walker, wealthy cosmetics manufacturer, dies at 51 1916 Birthday Joe Bamford, British manufacturer/multi-millionaire 1915 Death Gerrit Jan van Heek, Dutch textile manufacturer/politician, dies at 78 1913 Birthday Kenneth Horne, English paper manufacturer/multi-millionaire 1912 Birthday Georg von Opel, German auto manufacturer 1911 Birthday Ronald Diggens, English fabric manufacturer/multi-millionaire 1907 Birthday Alfred Alwin Felix Krupp, Essen Germany, arms manufacturer 1906 Birthday Hazel Bishop, chemist/cosmetics manufacturer 1906 Birthday Wim van Doorne, Dutch car manufacturer, DAF 1904 Death Justus van Maurik, cigar manufacturer/author/head of Red Guard, dies 1904 Birthday [Francis] Max Factor, cosmetics manufacturer, Max Factor 1902 Death Matthias Hohner, German manufacturer (harmonica), dies at 68 1902 Death Friedrich A Krupp, cannon manufacturer, commits suicide 1902 Birthday William Lear, engineer/manufacturer/CEO, Lear Jet Corp 1901 Birthday Tullio Campagnolo, Italy, bicycle manufacturer, Fiat 1901 Birthday Adriano Olivetti, Italian engineer/manufacturer, typewriter 1901 Birthday Andries D Copier, Dutch glass manufacturer, Gildeglass 1900 Death John Power, Irish baronet/whiskey manufacturer, dies in battle 1900 Birthday Hubert van Doorne, Dutch auto manufacturer, DAF 1898 Birthday Jan Bata, Czechoslovakian shoe manufacturer 1898 Birthday Enzo Ferrari, Italy, sportscar manufacturer, Ferrari 1898 Birthday Enzo Ferrari, racing car manufacturer, Modena 1896 Birthday Jean Peugeot, Frans auto manufacturer, Peugeot 1895 Event 1st auto manufacturer opens-Duryea Motor Wagon Company 1895 Death Adam Opel, German manufacturer (motorcars), dies at 58 1895 Death Friedrich English, German textile manufacturer/marxist, dies 1895 Birthday Reginald J "R" Mitchell, English aviation manufacturer, Spitfire 1892 Death Willem A Scholten, manufacturer (potatoes), dies at 89 1887 Birthday Oscar Bossaert, Belgium, chocolate manufacturer/Minister of Middenstand 1887 Death Coenraad J van Houten, Dutch cocoa manufacturer, dies at 86 1883 Death Lydia Estes Pinklham, patent-medicine manufacturer, dies 1882 Birthday Helena Rubinstein, U.S. cosmetic manufacturer 1877 Birthday Charles Stewart Rolls, British auto manufacturer, Rolls-Royce Ltd 1868 Event Congress abolishes manufacturer's tax 1867 Birthday William Cadbury, England, chocolate manufacturer, Cadbury 1864 Birthday Ransom Eli Olds, auto, Oldsmobile, and truck, REO, manufacturer 1858 Birthday Gerard L F Philips, Dutch engineer/manufacturer, Philips 1857 Birthday Milton S Hershey, chocolate manufacturer/philanthropist 1855 Birthday John M Browning, U.S., weapons manufacturer 1854 Birthday Anton CR Dreesmann, German/Netherlands manufacturer, Vroom and Dreesman 1854 Birthday Friedrich A. Krupp, German arms manufacturer 1853 Birthday Andre Michelin, France, industrialist/tire manufacturer, Michelin 1846 Birthday Justus van Maurik, Dutch cigar manufacturer/writer/editor, Groene 1844 Birthday Karl F Benz, German designer/auto manufacturer, 4-taktmotor 1837 Birthday Adam Opel, German manufacturer, cycling, motorcars 1833 Birthday Matthias Hohner, German manufacturer, harmonica 1819 Birthday Willem A Scholten, Dutch potato-flour manufacturer 1805 Birthday Antoon Jurgens, Dutch margarine manufacturer 1804 Birthday John Deere, pioneer manufacturer of agricultural implements 1801 Birthday Coenraad J van Houten, Dutch cocoa manufacturer 1782 Death John de Mol, porcelein manufacturer, dies 1752 Birthday Sebastien Erard, piano and harp manufacturer 1730 Birthday Josiah Wedgwood, England, pottery designer/manufacturer, Wedgwood 1715 Event French manufacturer debuts 1st folding umbrella (Paris)
