The WISI Timeline
Wilhelm Sihn founds the company in the southern German town of Niefern at the age of 29. With five employees, he manufactures radio detector receivers, banana plugs and radio parts in rented facilities.
The company's first factory is built in Niefern. 80 employees manufacture a product line to which insulators and lightning arrester circuit-breakers for long-wire aerials have been added.
Start of antenna production. First tests of community antennas. The workforce has grown to 150.
A workforce of 410 manufactures and distributes aerials for FM radio and television, tube amplifiers and accessories. First complete WISI community antenna program.
Begin of the TV antenna production at the new facility in Breisach on the Rhine. 635 white and blue-collar workers work for WISI.
WISI expands its product range once more by relays, controllers, program control units and high-frequency connectors. A workforce of 750 is employed at the two locations.
The production of RF filters and amplifiers at the subsidiary plant in Oberhausen near Bruchsal begins. Over 1,000 employees now work in three production plants at WISI.
Production of UHF antennas starts in order to receive the newly founded second program of German television (ZDF).
The first international subsidiary, WISI FRANCE S.A.R.L., is founded.
Frank Sihn joins his father's company as general partner. 1,150 employees produce a broad assortment of 1,200 articles.
The subsidiary plant in Colmar is now producing antennas for the French market. Another subsidiary company, WISI Antenn AB, is founded in Malmö, Sweden.
First test series in 12-GHz directional radio relay. In 1974 already, construction of a countrywide 12-GHz directional radio feeder network for Swiss cable system headends (GAZ) starts. WISI develops and produces the first active car antenna.
The Swiss subsidiary WILHELM SIHN AG is founded in Zurich. The VN amplifier system for community antenna systems is introduced into the market.
WISI develops new products for cable TV, satellite reception and antenna measuring instruments. The production and sales subsidiary, Mantenna WISI Engineering Co.Ltd., is established in Hong Kong.
The German Federal PTT begins with the development of the cable network all over Germany. WISI delivers building terminal points and 300 MHz amplifiers. Introduction of private broadcasting.
WISI advances the production of electronically operated automatic car antennas. The Niefern parent plant is expanded by a 2,500 m² production facility.
Start of the ASTRA DTH satellite system. WISI manufactures a broad spectrum of satellite antennas and receivers. First fiber optic technology products.
Further expansion of the parent plant in Niefern. The subsidiaries WISI-COMMUNICATIONES, S.A. in Barcelona/Spain (1990) and WILHELM SIHN jr. & Co. Ges.m.b.H. in Wien / Austria (1991) are founded.
Product portfolio to include GSM mobile radio communication antennas, 50 Ohm connector jumper cable. Market introduction of the WISI-ORBIT TOP-LINE for satellite reception.
Axel Sihn, son of Frank Sihn, joins the WISI corporate management. Many new products, from SAT-Compact, TOPLINE-HEADEND to GPS car antennas.
WISI develops the GLOBAL LINE and VALUE LINE series for HFC networks. First digital UPLINK station for closed-loop control of the Usingen/Taunus earth station is set up. WISI is the winner of the Cable & Satellite Awards in the category Most Innovative Product or Application in the area of cable television.
WISI establishes the "Mobile Communication" profit center; independently organized development, engineering, production and sales. Development of the new multi-switch system TOPLINE MULTISYSTEM II and the multimedia box for TV / radio / data. WISI is OEM of leading automobile brands in Europe.
Integration of all components in the Network Management System (NMS) based on the HMS standard. Completion of the first turnkey projects in Germany. WISI is market leader in the upgrade of the German CATV networks to interactive HFC networks. Introduction of WISI TOPLINE HEADEND II and SAT-Compact II.
WISI is the system provider for modern multimedia networks and celebrates its 75th corporate anniversary.
Market leader for HFC equipment in Germany, important player in Europe.
Acquisition of A2B Electronics. Strategic focus on digital video and FTTH solutions.
Extension of portfolio and market segments through acquisition of Germany based 2wcom GmbH.
The Swedish subsidiaries WISI Antenn AB and A2B Electronics merge into WISI Norden AB.
Wilhelm Sihn jr. GmbH & Co. KG becomes the majority owner of the Canadian company INCA Networks.
Building and start-up of the warehouse at the Niefern headquarter. A new sales subsidiary, WISI Middle East, opens in Dubai.
Inca Networks now operates as WISI America.
Consolidation of all WISI online presences into the common global website wisigroup.com.