COMPANYHISTORIES
NAIC 424510

Grain and Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

4companies1851–1997founding years4still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedGroupe Louis Dreyfus S.A.
1851
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedAWB Ltd.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedGroupe Soufflet SA
1946
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
FoundedGlanbia plc
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Groupe Louis Dreyfus S.A. →
Active · founded 1851 · France
Groupe Louis Dreyfus S.A.
AWB Ltd. →
Active · founded 1939 · Australia
AWB Ltd.
Groupe Soufflet SA →
Active · founded 1946 · France
Groupe Soufflet SA is one of the world's leading agro-industrial groups with an emphasis on grain collection, cereal…
Glanbia plc →
Active · founded 1997 · Ireland
Glanbia plc is Ireland's top dairy foods producer and one of Europe's major dairy food groups, with a significant…
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