Belkin facts for kids
 |
|
Former headquarters in Playa Vista (before 2021 move)
|
|
|
Trade name
|
Belkin |
|---|---|
| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Consumer electronics |
| Founded | April 18, 1983 |
| Founder | Chet Pipkin |
| Headquarters | El Segundo, California, U.S. |
|
Key people
|
|
|
Number of employees
|
1001-5000 |
| Parent | Foxconn |
Belkin International, Inc. is an American company that makes electronics for people to use at home and with their computers. Its main office is in El Segundo, California.
Belkin creates many useful devices. These include wireless chargers, power banks, and different kinds of cables. They also make headphones, smart speakers, screen protectors, and Wi-Fi routers. Belkin also offers smart home products and docking stations.
Belkin owns other brands too. These include WeMo, which makes smart home devices, and Phyn, a company for managing water in homes. In 2018, a big electronics company called Foxconn bought Belkin. Belkin now works as its own separate company under Foxconn.
Contents
How Belkin Started and Grew
Chet Pipkin started Belkin in 1983. He was a student at UCLA at the time. He noticed that people needed special cables to connect their new personal computers to printers.
Chet began making these computer cables in his parents' home in Hawthorne. He sold them to local computer stores. As his business grew, his family and friends helped him assemble the cables. In 1982, Chet left college to focus completely on his growing company.
On January 1, 1983, Belkin moved into a proper office. Chet hired his first full-time workers. At first, Belkin made all its cables in the United States. This helped them deliver products quickly to customers. By 1985, Belkin also started working with factories in Asia to make more products for people around the world.
In the 1990s, Belkin added new products like surge protectors and USB storage devices. In the early 2000s, they started making accessories for smartphones and tablets. These included chargers and connector cables.
Belkin was a private company for a long time. In 2002, a company called Summit Partners bought a small part of Belkin. But Chet Pipkin bought those shares back a few years later. Around 2008, Belkin started focusing even more on products for smartphones.
In 2012, Belkin launched a new brand called WeMo. This brand makes smart home products. In 2013, Belkin bought the Home Networking Business Unit from Cisco Systems. This included the popular Linksys brand and its products. In 2016, Belkin partnered with a water company called Uponor to create Phyn. Phyn helps manage water use in homes.
In September 2018, Foxconn bought Belkin. Foxconn is a very large electronics company from Taiwan. In January 2021, Chet Pipkin stepped down as CEO of Belkin. He became the Executive Chairman of the Board. Steve Malony, who was a Senior Vice President, became the new CEO.
Where is Belkin Located?
Belkin's main office is in El Segundo, California. Before this, their offices were in nearby cities like Hawthorne and Compton.
Belkin also has offices in many other countries around the world. These include places like Russia, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
What is the Belkin Logo?
From 1983 until 2012, the Belkin logo was just the word "Belkin." In 2012, Belkin introduced a new logo. It has a small human figure made of dots. These dots match the dot on the "i" in Belkin. The team that created the logo called the human figure "PIP." This stands for "People-Inspired Products."
How Does Belkin Help the Environment?
In 2009, Belkin promised to reduce its electricity use by 25 percent around the world by 2017. By 2018, they had actually reduced it by 37 percent! Belkin made many changes to save energy. They installed solar panels and charging stations for electric cars in their parking lots. They also put in motion-sensor lights in their offices and warehouses.
Belkin's Brands
What is WeMo?
WeMo started in 2012. It makes smart home products that can connect with other smart devices. These include Apple Homekit, Nest, and Google Home.
What is Linksys?
In 2013, Belkin bought Linksys. Linksys is a company that makes networking hardware. They are known for their wireless internet products.
What is Phyn?
Phyn was created in 2016. Belkin started this company with Uponor, a water solutions company. Phyn makes technology to help manage water in homes.
Belkin and the Community
Belkin has supported different community programs. They have worked with the LASD in Compton on a safety program. They also support the "Everybody Wins" reading program.
Belkin helps the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization fight breast cancer. They have raised money for this cause through special pink ribbon iPod cases. In 2007, Belkin also donated to the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project. This project provides laptops to children in developing countries.
Belkin is also a partner with Da Vinci Schools. This is a group of charter schools that focus on "hands-on learning." Their goal is to prepare students for college and careers. In 2015, Belkin started an internship program for Da Vinci students. This program helps students get real-world work experience.
What Products Does Belkin Make?
Belkin makes many different types of electronic products.
Audio Products
Belkin started making stereo cables and speaker wires in 2002. Today, they sell many audio products. These include digital audio adapters, speakers, and headphones. In 2019, Belkin launched its first line of headphones called RockStar. These headphones work with iPhones and Android devices. In 2020, Belkin released its Soundform True Wireless Earbuds. They also launched their first smart speaker, the Soundform Elite Hi-Fi Smart Speaker. This speaker was made with Devialet and was named a "Best Smart Speaker" by Rolling Stone magazine.
Charging and Power Products
Belkin sells many ways to charge your devices. They make wall chargers, car chargers, and power banks. They also offer surge protectors and wireless chargers. These work with smartphones, tablets, smart watches, laptops, and other electronics.
Cables and Adapters
Belkin is known for its cables. They make charging cables, data cables, audio/video cables, and network cables. When Belkin first started, they focused on making cables that were hard to find. For example, in 1983, they released the Hamlet cable. This cable let people connect their Apple IIc computers to printers that weren't made by Apple. In 2016, Belkin released an adapter for iPhones. This adapter allowed users to charge their iPhone and listen to headphones at the same time.
Smart Home Products
Belkin sells smart home products that help automate your home. These include smart Wi-Fi light switches and plugs. They work with Google Assistant, Google Home, Nest, and Apple Homekit. These products are sold under Belkin's WeMo brand. They also offer water monitoring devices through their Phyn brand.
Health and Wellness Products
In 2020, Belkin also started making health and wellness products. These include things like facemasks and wipes for cleaning electronic screens.
See also
In Spanish: Belkin para niños
