Bourns, Inc.

Marlan and Rosemary Bourns started the company in their 384-square-foot (35.7 m2) garage in Altadena, California, in 1947. Their invention of linear-motion and vane position potentiometers provided a method for accurately determining an aircraft's pitch, and helped grow their business into a global corporation.

Headquartered in Riverside, California, Bourns makes and provides a broad range of electronic components and circuit protection devices including automotive sensors, circuit protection solutions, magnetic and inductor products, specialty engineering and manufacturing services, precision potentiometers, panel controls, encoders and resistive products.

In 1952, Bourns patented the trimming potentiometer, trademarked "Trimpot". In 1995, Bourns acquired VRN's Trimmer assets and introduced the first 4 mm surface-mount sealed tact switch. In 2008, Bourns acquired the Transient Blocking Unit (TBU) assets of Fultec Semiconductor, Inc.

2001: Joslyn GDT Division assets

2003: Telecom Protection assets from Texas Instruments Sensors & Controls Division

2003: Microelectronic Modules Corporation assets

2004: MMC's Switch Power Products assets