COMPANYHISTORIES
SIC 6140

Personal Credit Institutions

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

15companies1862–1972founding years15still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedBaldwin Piano & Organ Company
1862
FoundedDeere & Company
1868
FoundedSpiegel, Inc.
1893
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedHousehold International, Inc.
1925
FoundedTransamerica Corporation
1928
FoundedBeneficial Corporation
1929
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedRenault S.A.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedOakwood Homes Corporation
1946
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedJapan Leasing Corporation
1963
FoundedAmerican General Finance Corp.
1967
FoundedInternational Telephone and Telegraph Corporation
1968
FoundedAvco Financial Services Inc.FoundedNational Auto Credit, Inc.FoundedRoberds Inc.
1971
FoundedCredit Acceptance Corporation
1972
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.
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

Baldwin Piano & Organ Company →
Active · founded 1862 · email:bpao.com
At first glance Baldwin Piano & Organ Company would appear to be a rather staid, traditional manufacturer of musical…
Deere & Company →
Active · founded 1868
One of the five oldest companies in the United States, Deere & Company is the world's largest manufacturer of…
Spiegel, Inc. →
Active · founded 1893
Spiegel, Inc.
Household International, Inc. →
Active · founded 1925
Household International, Inc.
Transamerica Corporation →
Active · founded 1928
Transamerica Corporation is involved, largely through semi-independent subsidiaries, in life insurance, financial…
Beneficial Corporation →
Active · founded 1929
Beneficial Corporation is one of the oldest and largest consumer finance companies in the United States.
Renault S.A. →
Active · founded 1945 · France
One of the world's pioneering auto makers, Renault S.A.
Oakwood Homes Corporation →
Active · founded 1946
With about six percent of the highly fragmented $9.4 billion (retail) market, Oakwood Homes Corporation is America's…
Japan Leasing Corporation →
Active · founded 1963 · Japan
The Japan Leasing Corporation is one of the largest commercial leasing companies in Japan.
American General Finance Corp. →
Active · founded 1967
Among the largest consumer-credit companies in the United States, American General Finance Corp.
International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation →
Active · founded 1968
Once known primarily as a telecommunications company, the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation (ITT) has…
Avco Financial Services Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
A subsidiary of Textron Inc., Avco Financial Services Inc.
National Auto Credit, Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
National Auto Credit, Inc.
Roberds Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
Characterized as "one of the most successful retailers of appliances in the Dayton area" by the Dayton Daily News,…
Credit Acceptance Corporation →
Active · founded 1972
Credit Acceptance Corporation is a pioneer provider of a range of credit financing services to automobile dealers…
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