Plantronics

Plantronics, Inc.
Company type	Public (until 2022 acquisition)
Industry	Electronics
Founded	May 18, 1961; 65 years ago in Santa Cruz, California, United States
Founder	Courtney Graham, Keith Larkin
Fate	Acquired by HP Inc. in August 2022
Headquarters	Santa Cruz, United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Joe Burton (former CEO), Robert Hagerty (interim CEO as of 2020)
Products	Audio communication devices, unified communication tools, mobile accessories, gaming peripherals, music audio equipment
Parent	HP Inc. (since 2022)
Website	www.poly.com

Plantronics, Inc. is a U.S.-based electronics firm that focuses on audio communication devices tailored for both corporate and consumer sectors. Their range of products encompasses unified communication tools, mobile accessories, gaming peripherals, and music audio equipment. The company's headquarters are situated in Santa Cruz, California, while its manufacturing operations are mainly conducted in China and Mexico.

On March 18, 2019, after acquiring Polycom, Plantronics underwent a rebranding to become Poly. Despite the name change, it remained listed on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol POLY, which replaced its former symbol PLT in May 2021.

Subsequently, on March 28, 2022, HP Inc. revealed plans to acquire Poly in a cash transaction valued at $1.7 billion. This acquisition aimed to strengthen HP's portfolio in hybrid work solutions, particularly in headsets and videoconferencing equipment. Including debt, the total transaction was appraised at $3.3 billion and finalized in August 2022.

History

During the early 1960s, airline headsets were cumbersome, leading pilots to prefer handheld microphones. The advent of jet aircraft created a need for more compact and lightweight headsets. In 1961, United Airlines initiated a search for improved designs. Pilot Courtney Graham collaborated with Keith Larkin—who had prior experience developing transistor radio eyewear—to create a compact and durable headset that complied with airline requirements. Their innovation incorporated two miniature hearing aid–style transducers mounted on a headband and received approval from United Airlines. This achievement motivated Graham and Larkin to establish Pacific Plantronics (now Plantronics, Inc.) on May 18, 1961. The following year, they introduced the MS-50, recognized as the first lightweight communications headset.

By the mid-1960s, Plantronics was designated by the Federal Aviation Agency as the sole supplier of headsets for air traffic controllers and subsequently for Bell System operators.

SPENCOMM and NASA

In 1961, NASA astronaut Wally Schirra requested Courtney Graham’s assistance in designing a lightweight headset suitable for use aboard Mercury spacecraft. To address this need, Pacific Plantronics created its Space Environmental Communications (SPENCOMM) division dedicated to delivering dependable communication solutions. SPENCOMM worked closely with NASA’s Johnson and Kennedy Space Centers and incorporated input from astronauts such as Gordon Cooper.

Within just 11 days, SPENCOMM collaborated with NASA to develop a functional microphone design utilized by Schirra during the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission. These headsets were engineered with extensive redundancy—each microphone circuit included two transducers while each receiver contained five—and were issued in pairs. The SPENCOMM-NASA headsets continued to be used throughout the Mercury and Apollo missions and remain operational today. Notably, Neil Armstrong’s famous transmission from the Moon was delivered through a Plantronics headset.

MS-50

Following Pacific Plantronics’ collaboration with NASA, the MS-50 headset gained widespread acceptance within communication industries. Organizations such as the FAA, Western Electric, and various call centers adopted the MS-50 as an upgrade over previous headset models.

On May 18, 1965, U.S. Patent No. 3,184,556 was granted to W.K. Larkin for a...

StarSet

In 1970, engineer Ken Hutchings, affiliated with Pacific Plantronics, secured a patent for the "StarSet". The U.S. Patent 3548118 details this invention.

Wireless products

During the 1980s, Plantronics introduced cordless devices utilizing infrared technology, akin to TV remote controls but without the necessity for FCC telecommunications approval. Their inaugural product established an "echo-free" speakerphone connection between a compact transmitter and a base unit linked to telephone networks. This transmitter could be either hand-held or attached to clothing to ensure optimal voice capture.

Wireless office headsets

Plantronics launched the CS50 wireless office phone headset in 2003. Following this, their wireless lineup expanded to include models such as the CS70N, CS500 Series, and Savi 700 Series. More recently, the company has concentrated on Unified Communications headsets and speaker solutions designed to improve collaboration in professional environments.

Mobile and Bluetooth mobile headsets

The company manufactures mobile headsets, including Bluetooth-enabled devices like the Pulsar 590, which is compatible with Bluetooth- and A2DP-enabled mobile phones.

Computer and gaming headsets

Plantronics has developed headsets for PC audio and gaming markets under brands including GameCom, .Audio, and RIG Gaming. Entering the multimedia headset sector in 1999 with products like the HS1 and DSP-500 (which incorporated built-in digital signal processing), Plantronics partnered with Microsoft in 2002 to produce the Xbox Communicator headset, facilitating voice communication on Xbox Live. In 2004, they released a specialized headset tied to the Halo 2 game. However, in 2019, Plantronics exited the gaming and consumer segments to focus exclusively on enterprise collaboration solutions through its Poly brand.

Corporate expansion and acquisitions

Plantronics broadened its range of products through targeted acquisitions.

Clarity

In 1986, Plantronics purchased Walker Equipment based in Ringgold, Georgia, a company known for amplified handsets designed for individuals with hearing impairments. Walker later acquired Ameriphone in 2002 and rebranded as Clarity—a U.S.-based provider of amplified telephones. In 2015, Plantronics introduced the Clarity 340 handset tailored for unified communications.

Altec Lansing

Plantronics acquired computer speaker manufacturer Altec Lansing in 2005 for approximately $166 million. Despite efforts to revitalize the brand, Altec Lansing faced financial challenges and was sold in 2009 to Prophet Equity for around $18 million.

Volume Logic

In 2005, Plantronics acquired Octiv, Inc., which was subsequently renamed Volume Logic. Octiv specialized in audio technology for producing 5.1 surround sound soundtracks. Although Volume Logic products were eventually discontinued as standalone offerings, their technology was integrated into Plantronics' telephony solutions.

Polycom

On March 28, 2018, Plantronics announced its acquisition of Polycom for nearly $2 billion, thereby enhancing its portfolio of video conferencing technologies.

2005 to present

In October 2016, longtime CEO S. Kenneth Kannappan stepped down and was succeeded by Joe Burton, who had joined the company in 2011. On February 10, 2020, Robert Hagerty was named interim CEO, replacing Burton as part of a leadership transition focused on reinforcing strategic direction and driving business growth.

External links