Societate Anonimă Română Philips (S.A.R. Philips)
Strada Luterana 6, București

Philips România SRL (1992)

In 1927/1928 Philips Eindhoven (NL) opened a representation office in Bucharest, selling Argenta incandescent lamps. With the growth of the business the company was transformed into a Romanian public company (anonymous society). They mainly dealt in commercial activities, selling electrical components, radios, electronic tubes and radio spare parts produced in the Netherlands.

In 1933 the decision was made to build a manufacturing shop in Oradea (in the northwest of Romania) where radios were assembled with parts coming from Holland. In 1934 those facilities were moved to Bucharest.

To meet the demands of an expanding market in the south of Europe and the Balkans, Philips set up a new factory in the Baicului Str. 92/96 in Bucharestin 1938, with a projected production capacity of 10000 to 15000 radio sets per year.

In 1940, 13685 sets are built. SAR Philips comes under control of the German AEG Telefunken after the Netherlands have been invaded. Production drops to 6227 sets for 1942 and 8760 sets for 1943. In 1944 there is only production for the war effort.[1]

In 1945, 2860 radios leave the factory, the number dropping further to 1347 in 1946 and 922 in 1947.[1]

After a production of 60994 radio sets in the perdiod of 1938 until June 11th 1948, Philips was officially closed on October 29th 1948, when the communist government nationalized private properties and Philips, together with other small companies like Radiomet, Starck etc., formed a new business named Fabrica Radio Popular.

Philips Romania SRL was founded in 1992 as a wholesailer and distributor for Philips products.

[1] = Pro Radio Antic, Radio Collector's Association Romania