History

OSRAM celebrated its 107th birthday in 2013. For more than 100 years, OSRAM has been "passionate about intelligent light". As a globally operating company, we also explicitly encourage socially and environmentally responsible policies around the world.
86.924: This was the register number in the Trademark Directory, the start of an exciting story in the history of German industry. It is one of the most traditional brand names in the world, synonymous with light around the globe and first saw the light of day itself more than one hundred years ago. On April 17, 1906 the brand name of OSRAM was entered in the Trademark Directory of the Imperial Patent Office in Berlin.

Who would have thought in 1906 that one day OSRAM would produce sales of 5 billion euros ? Who would have thought hundred years ago, that the electronic in light sources – not exclusively in light emitting diodes (LED) and other opto-semiconductor products – would play a bigger role in the lighting market?

The brand name of OSRAM was "born" in 1906 and registered by the Deutsche Gasglühlicht-Anstalt (also known as Auer-Gesellschaft). The world famous name from 1906 was created from the names of the two materials that were needed at the time to produce filaments - initially Osmium and later Wolfram (or tungsten as it is now more commonly known). 13 years later (on July 1, 1919) it became part of a company name: OSRAM Werke GmbH Kommanditgesellschaft.

At the time, Auer-Gesellschaft, AEG and Siemens & Halske AG combined their lamp production activities. From 1978 to 2013, Siemens has been the sole shareholder. Since then, the Group has been listed on the stock exchange as OSRAM Licht AG.

In 1919, the world famous picture logo with the light bulb also made its first appearance. Today, the stylised lamp in our picture logo is a symbol not only for light but also for good ideas and our passion for intelligent light.