Tyco Electronics is a US$12.8 billion global provider of engineered electronic components for thousands of consumer and industrial products; network solutions and systems for telecommunications and energy markets; and wireless systems for critical communications, radar and defense applications. We manufacture approximately 500,000 precision-engineered products – all backed by nearly 100,000 committed employees with a singular commitment to bringing a performance advantage to every technology, product and service we provide. Tyco Electronics’ rich history is based on two great companies, each with impressive engineering prowess and heritage. AMP Incorporated, founded in 1941, developed a solderless method of attaching electrical terminals to wire which improved connection consistency and manufacturing efficiency. For over 60 years, AMP led the fast-paced connector industry and was the leading maker of terminals, connectors and related products – components found in virtually any finished electronic device from toasters to supercomputers. The company was quick to adopt a global strategy, first establishing operations in France in 1952 and Japan in 1956. By the late 1990’s, AMP’s global footprint extended to over 50 countries and annual sales exceeded US$5 billion. Raychem Corporation, established in 1957, had as its basis the then-new field of radiation chemistry technology (hence Raychem), which company founders combined with expertise in materials science to develop products such as aircraft wire and heat-shrinkable tubing. Raychem later applied these core technologies to introduce more products, including innovative circuit protection products that could automatically reset after circuit faults were cleared. In 1999, AMP merged with Tyco International Ltd. Later that same year, Raychem was acquired. These two electronics industry leaders combined to form the basis of Tyco Electronics.