Wikipedia 2012:
Bang & Olufsen wurde 1925 von Peter Bang (1900–1957) und Svend Olufsen (1897–1949) gegründet. Erstes Produkt des neu gegründeten Unternehmens war der Eliminator, der es ermöglichte, die vorher batteriebetriebenen Radiogeräte am lokalen Stromnetz zu betreiben. 1927 baute B&O ein neues Fabrikgebäude in Struer, das so konzipiert wurde, dass es im Falle einer Insolvenz der Firma auch als Schule dienen könnte. Ein Meilenstein in der Radioentwicklung war der von Peter Bang entworfene Beolit 39, der zu Weihnachten 1938 auf den Markt kam. Es war einer der ersten Radioapparate, der ganz aus Bakelit gepresst war, und das erste Mal, dass der Produktname „Beo…“ verwendet wurde.

1941 erweiterte die Firma ihre Fabrik. In der Nacht vom 14. auf den 15. Januar 1945 zerstörte ein Sprengstoffanschlag dänischer Nazi-Kollaborateure das Fertigungsgebäude. Schon im September desselben Jahres legte Peter Bang den Grundstein für den Neubau. Im Jahre 1947 war die neue Fabrik fertig und die Produktion wieder in vollem Gange. Dank des Marshallplans konnte Bang & Olufsen neue Maschinen installieren.

Wikipedia 2012:
Peter Bang og Svend Olufsen oprettede Bang & Olufsen den 17. november 1925 med hjælp af kapital fra deres fædre. Aktiekapitalen var på 10.000 kroner. Virksomheden havde sine første lokaler på Olufsens fars gods Quistrup. I begyndelsen fremstillede B&O batterieliminatorer og ladere til batteridrevne radioapparater, men efterhånden som teknikken udvikledes, blev produkterne flere.

Takket være Peter Bangs initiativ og teknisk, innovativt kundskab begyndte Bang & Olufsen at producere højtalere og mikrofoner og fra 1928 også radioapparater, som ikke kørte på batterier, men på strøm fra stikkontakten.

I slutningen af 2. verdenskrig sprængtes fabrikken i Struer fuldstændigt ved sabotage. For at hurtigt komme i gang igen producerede fabrikken elektriske barbermaskiner, da det var enklere at fremstille dele til dem. Barbermaskiner var i sortimentet fra 1945 til 1955.

I 1952 kom Bang & Olufsens første TV-apparat (TV 508 S "Trillebøren") på markedet og i 1958 introduceredes et modulsystem udformet af arkitekten Ib Fabiansen. Med dette fleksible system kunne B&O enkelt kombinere TV, radio og højttalere. I 1967 kom "Beovision 3000 Colour", virksomhedens første farve-TV og 1974 den første fjernkontrol.

Wikipedia 2012:
Peter Bang (1900–1957), son of Camillo Bang, a successful Danish businessman, showed great interest in radio technology from an early age. After graduating as an engineer in 1924, he spent six months working in a radio factory in the United States where he became familiar with the latest developments in the field. On his return to Denmark, he clubbed together with his student friend Svend Olufsen (1897–1949) whose parents made the attic of their manor house in Struer in Jutland available for experiments. When they officially opened their business in 1925, Bang concentrated on the technology while Olufsen dealt with the business interests. There were a number of successful developments in the 1930s and 1940s, including a sound recording system for the film industry, roof-mounted loud-speakers for circus and army vehicles and the iconic Beolit 39 radio with a Bakelite cabinet. Their work with radios and loudspeakers led them to the principle that their products should be capable of high fidelity musical reproduction: in Danish Ærlig musikgengivelse, meaning "honest music reproduction". They held the ideal that the music you experienced through their sets and speakers should reach your ears uninfluenced by the limitations of technology. To this end, psychoacoustics is an important factor in design and testing of B&O products as instrument-based testing.

It was, however, many years before their business became significantly profitable. One huge setback, towards the end of World War II was that pro-Nazi saboteurs burnt down their factory at Gimsing in Struer in Northwestern Jutland as punishment for the management's refusal to collaborate with the Germans. Undeterred, Bang and Olufsen rebuilt the factory and went on to develop a range of radio, radiogram and television sets in the 1950s which took on new design aspects when Ib Fabiansen joined the company in 1957. David Lewis, who became involved in B&O in 1965 went on to design most of the company's products after 1980.

Products by B&O are often of different and distinctive design when compared to mainstream rivals. B&O hires designers rather than directly employing them in the company. Many of its products in the 1970s and 80s were designed by Jacob Jensen, whose design firm still operates today. From the 1980s onwards B&O's chief designer has been David Lewis.[citation needed]

In the 1990s B&O opened dedicated B&O stores selling directly to users, instead of selling through retailers. Production of audio separates was discontinued in favor of mini-type audio systems sold, as was usual for B&O, at a price higher than the industry average.

Due to the economic crisis of 2008 the company experienced a sharp decline in sales and announced significant losses. A restructuring plan included 300 layoffs in Denmark on 21 October 2008, and the abandonment of development of new mobile phones, MP3 players and stand-alone systems like DVD2 and HDR2. Instead, the company will focus on its traditional strengths: high quality audio and video products as well as sound systems for the automotive industry.