Bell and Howell

In 1907 Chicago movie projectionist Donald Bell and camera repairman Albert Howell developed a partnership in Chicago, which was at the time ground zero for the motion picture industry in the United States. The fledgling partnership, which was founded as a projector and camera company with $5,000 in capital, has survived for nearly a century and continues to thrive as a result of maintaining the flexibility to satisfy market demands through diversification, expansion and reinvention. Bell sold his interest in the company to Howell in 1921.

The firm became a leader in the motion picture photography and projection industries by introducing improvements that Revolutionized film making. Most notably, they Took the flicker out of early flicks, and introduced the industry?s first all metal camera. Bell and Howell developed reputation for innovation and quality, which was rewarded with four Academy Awards in 1954, 1962, 1975, and 1981.

While making headway in the film industry between 1940 and 1970, Bell and Howell was establishing inroads in optical equipment, electronic instrumentation, educational publishing, technical training and micro-graphics. Bell and Howell?s primary focus became specialized business equipment by the 1970?s and expanded thereafter into information management.

Bell & Howell was first introduced to the New York Stock Exchange in 1945. In 1988 Bell & Howell was taken in a leveraged buyout by a management team led by financier Robert Bass, and in May 1995 Bell & Howell again issued public stock.

In 2000 the company began transformation to an information company focused on electronic publishing. In 2001 it completed its transformation to a high-growth, high-margin electronic publisher by selling its slower growing businesses and changing its name to ProQuest Company.