Olivetti, founded in 1908 by Camillo Olivetti in Ivrea, Italy, was a pioneering manufacturer of typewriters and later computers. The company grew under Adriano Olivetti's visionary leadership, became a global leader in office equipment, and ultimately merged into Telecom Italia in 2003, leaving a legacy of innovative design and social responsibility.
Camillo Olivetti founds the company in Ivrea, Italy, to manufacture typewriters. #business #history
Olivetti introduces its first typewriter, the M1, which gains acclaim for its innovative design. #product #innovation
Olivetti launches the Studio 40, a portable typewriter that expands its market reach. #product #portable
Adriano Olivetti, son of the founder, joins the company as an engineer, later becoming CEO and driving innovation. #leadership
Olivetti releases the MP1, a highly portable typewriter widely used by journalists. #product #design
Founder Camillo Olivetti dies, leaving leadership to his son Adriano. #legacy
The company goes public on the Milan Stock Exchange, raising capital for expansion. #finance #IPO
Adriano Olivetti takes over as president, initiating a period of social and industrial innovation. #leadership
Olivetti begins development of electronic calculators, entering the computing era. #technology #innovation
Olivetti acquires the American typewriter company Underwood, becoming the world's largest typewriter manufacturer. #mergers #acquisition
Olivetti launches the Elea 9003, one of the first fully transistorized mainframe computers, designed by Mario Tchou. #technology #computing
The iconic Lettera 32 portable typewriter is launched, becoming a bestseller and cultural icon. #product #design
Olivetti introduces the Programma 101, the first programmable desktop calculator, revolutionizing computing. #technology #innovation
The brightly colored Valentine typewriter is launched, designed by Ettore Sottsass, becoming a design icon. #design #product )
Olivetti launches the P203 minicomputer, targeting business users with integrated accounting software. #computing #business
The P6060 is introduced, one of the first integrated desktop computers with a built-in floppy disk drive. #PC #technology
Olivetti releases the P6040, a compact microcomputer using the Intel 8080 processor. #computing #innovation
The M20, Olivetti's first x86-based PC, is launched, competing with IBM's PC. #PC #business
The M24, an IBM PC-compatible machine, becomes a major success and boosts Olivetti's market share. #PC #success
AT&T acquires a 25% stake in Olivetti, aiming to strengthen presence in the European computer market. #partnership #telecom
Olivetti buys the office equipment division of Germany's Triumph-Adler, expanding its European operations. #mergers #acquisition
New PC models M380 and M480 are launched, featuring Intel 80386 processors. #PC #technology
Olivetti establishes the CET (Centro Elettronico di Tecnologia) research center in Ivrea. #research #innovation
The Quaderno, a lightweight notebook computer, is introduced, but fails to achieve commercial success. #product #failure
The company announces significant financial losses, leading to a major restructuring plan. #finance #restructuring
Olivetti sells its typewriter and office products division to focus on computers and telecommunications. #divestiture
Olivetti's personal computer business is sold to a group of Italian investors, forming a new company. #sale #divestiture
Olivetti begins acquiring shares of Telecom Italia, initiating a takeover battle. #finance #telecom
Olivetti successfully completes a hostile takeover of Telecom Italia, becoming the largest shareholder. #mergers #acquisition
The board approves a merger plan to integrate Olivetti into Telecom Italia. #mergers #corporate
Following the merger process, Olivetti is delisted from the Milan stock exchange. #finance #delisting
Olivetti formally merges into Telecom Italia, ending its independent corporate existence. #merger #end