Tektronix, historically widely known as Tek, is an American company best known for manufacturing test and measurement devices such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and video and mobile test protocol equipment. Originally an independent company, it is now a subsidiary of Fortive, a spinoff from Danaher Corporation.
The company traces its roots to the electronics revolution that immediately followed World War II. It was founded in December 1945 as Tekrad. The name was similar to that of a California company, Techrad, so in 1946, the four partners, Howard Vollum, Jack Murdock and Miles Tippery, who had both served in the Coast Guard, and accountant Glenn McDowell, formed Tektronix, Inc. Each contributed an initial 2,600forequalshares.HowardVollumhadgraduatedin1936fromReedCollegewithadegreeinphysicsandakeeninterestinoscilloscopes,thenworkedasaradiotechnicianatJackMurdock′sMurdockRadioandApplianceCompany(M.J.MurdockCompany)priortotheoutbreakofwar,duringwhichheservedintheSignalCorps.FollowingthefoundingofTektronix,Volluminventedtheworld′sfirsttriggeredoscilloscopein1946,asignificanttechnologicalbreakthrough.Thisoscilloscope—refinedanddevelopedbyTektronix—wasthemodel511producedfrom1947to1953.Themodel511wasatriggered−sweeposcilloscope.Thefirstoscilloscopewithatruetime−basewastheTektronixModel513.TheleadingoscilloscopemanufactureratthetimewasDuMontLaboratories.DuMontpioneeredthefrequency−synchtriggerandsweep.AllenDuMontpersonallytriedthe511atanelectronicsshowandwasimpressed,butwhenhesawthepriceof795 (equivalent to $ today), which was about twice as much as his equivalent model, he told Howard Vollum at the show that they would have a hard time selling many.
Tektronix was incorporated in 1946 with its headquarters at SE Foster Road and SE 59th Avenue in Portland, Oregon, just six blocks from Murdock's first family home. In 1947 there were 12 employees.