History

About Us: History

Follow EFJohnson through our first 85+ years:

1923	EFJohnson Company is founded in Waseca, Minnesota by 24-year-old Edgar F. Johnson. The company begins as a mail order business, selling radio transmitting parts to amateurs and early radio broadcasters.
1925	The Company manufactures its first select radio transmitter products.
1939	The Company introduces its first public safety communications product - a mobile radio system for use by police cars in Minnesota cities.
1940-45	During World War II, the Company devotes 100% of production to defense needs.
1944	The Company wins prestigious Army-Navy E Award in recognition of outstanding production efficiency.
1949	The first complete amateur transmitter, the Viking I, is developed.
1961	EFJohnson enters the business/industrial radio market with the Messenger 202 AM transceiver.
1967	The Company introduces its line of FM business two-way radios.
1972	Mr. Johnson accompanies U.S. President Richard M. Nixon to China as a representative of American business.
1975	The Company signs a contract with Bell Telephone Laboratories to manufacture cell-site radio transmitters to be used in a trial of Bell's proposed cellular radio system.
1976	EFJohnson becomes a public company when its stock is first listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
1978	Transcrypt International commences operations in Lincoln, Nebraska as a marketer of voice privacy products.
1979	AT&T and Illinois Bell cellular trial system built in Chicago with EFJohnson cell-site base equipment.
1980	Clearchannel LTR® 800 MHz trunked radio system is introduced.
1989	Multi-Net® wide-area trunked radio system is introduced. First systems are built for Amoco in Texas City, TX and for the City of Eden Prairie, MN. Both are EFJohnson customers today.
1991	Mr. Johnson, who retired in 1983, passes away.
1995	Project 25 is endorsed by APCO, American Association of Railroads, the National Association of State Telecom Directors, the Department of Defense, National Security Agency, National Telecommunications & Information Administration, and Department of Justice. EFJohnson signs a Memorandum of Understanding to develop products that comply with the agreement.
1995	3e Technologies International is founded in Rockville, Maryland as a provider of wireless communications solutions to US military customers.
1997	Transcrypt International acquires EFJohnson. The parent company's name is changed to EFJ, Inc. with EFJohnson and Transcrypt operating as separate businesses.
1998	LTR-Net™ analog trunking - improves LTR® trunking by adding advanced user features, system management tools, and network technology - is introduced.
2001	EFJohnson introduces the first multi-protocol portable radio working in analog, Viking16, Multi-Net, and Project 25 systems.
2003	3e Technologies International receives the 2002 White House Tibbetts Award for small business innovation.
2003	EFJohnson celebrates 80 years in business.
2004	EFJ, Inc (EFJohnson's parent company) becomes listed on NASDAQ. The Company announces the concentration of engineering resources in Texas. EFJohnson's open house at the new Irving, TX location draws 300 people including a US Congressman.
2005	Transcrypt International receives "Exporter of the Year" award from the Midwest International Trade Association (MITA). Transcrypt is selected as a supplier of voice security modules for the U.S. Army “Military Bundle,” protecting our troops in the War on Terror.
2005	EFJohnson introduces trunked IP25™, a switchless, next generation Project 25 trunked infrastructure system that is specifically designed for first responders. This Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) based system meets the NTIA mandates for narrowband operation in VHF and UHF frequencies as well as DOD mandates for Project 25 compliance.
2006	EFJ, Inc. acquires 3e Technologies International.
2006	EFJohnson announces a $76 million order to the US Department of Defense (DOD), the largest single order in the Company’s 83 year history.
2007	EFJohnson introduces trunked IP25™ MultiSite, a modern, trunked Project 25 compliant infrastructure. The Company also introduces the ES Series Portable Radio, which is named the Hot Product by APCO’s Public Safety Communications magazine.
2008	EFJ, Inc changes its name to EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. The new name supports the Company’s vision as a provider of secure wireless communications to organizations whose mission is to protect and save lives. The strategic restructuring of our EFJohnson, Transcrypt International, and 3e Technologies International operations, brands and product lines into a single operating unit is completed.
2008	The Company celebrates 85 years in business, and 30 years for the Transcrypt brand. The Company announces a $10 million contract to provide the Yukon Territory with a Project 25 compliant infrastructure system and radios. The ES Series Mobile Radio is introduced, which is named the Hot Product by APCO’s Public Safety Communications magazine. The Lightning™ Control Head, the first mobile radio control head with electroluminescent technology, is introduced.
2009	EFJohnson Technologies continues its innovation by introducing the StarGate™ Dispatch Console, the next generation of IP-based dispatch consoles; the 3E-636S-2 series of FIPS-compliant inline encryptors; and Hybrid IP25™, the first Project 25 compliant wide-area conventional infrastructure system that will enable first responders to roam between trunked and conventional systems.
2009	StarGate is named the Hot Product by APCO’s Public Safety Communications magazine.
2010	EFJohnson designs the first portable radio engineered specifically for firefighters, the 51FIRE ES. Named the Hot Product by APCO’s Public Safety Communications magazine.

2011	EFJohnson introduces ATLAS System Solutions.
2012	Viking VP600 portable radio & Armada Programming Software introduced.
2013	Viking VP900 Multi-Band & Viking FIRE portables introduced.
2014	Viking VM600 mobile & ATLAS RConnect introduced. EFJohnson was acquired by JVCKENWOOD Corporation, a global manufacturer in electronics and entertainment products. The acquisition was integral to JVCKENWOOD’s overall strategic initiative to increase its focus on professional communications, especially the U.S. public safety market. EFJohnson continues to operate as its own company, with the backing of a large-scale communications focused parent. EFJohnson leads the overall corporate P25 initiatives, leveraging its P25 expertise and focus on mission critical quality products.
2015	Viking VM900 Multi-Band mobile & ATLAS 4500 P25 Phase 2 base station introduced.
2016-2017	The launch of the KENWOOD Viking 5000, 6000 and 7000 series begins a new generation of radios which combines the strengths of the KENWOOD brand - RF performance, clear crisp loud audio and hardware quality - with EFJohnson’s mission critical trunked radio software. Two companies - one superior product line KENWOOD Viking.