Dell History

- 1984
Michael Dell founds Dell Computer Corporation

- 1985
Company introduces the first computer system of its own design; the Turbo, featuring Intel 8088 processor running at eight megahertz

- 1987
Dell is first computer systems company to offer next-day, on-site product service
International expansion begins with opening of subsidiary in United Kingdom

- 1988
Dell conducts initial public offering of company stock, 3.5 million shares at $8.50 each

- 1990
Manufacturing center in Limerick, Ireland, opened to serve European, Middle Eastern and African markets

- 1991
Introduces its first Latitude notebook computer

- 1992
Dell included for first time among Fortune 500 roster of world's largest companies

- 1993
Dell joins ranks of the top-five computer system makers worldwide
Subsidiaries in Australia and Japan are company's first entries into Asia-Pacific region

- 1995
$8.50 shares of Dell stock worth $100 on presplit basis

- 1996
Dell opens original Asia Pacific manufacturing center in Penang, Malaysia
Customers begin buying Dell computers via Internet at www.dell.com
Dell begins major push into network-server market
Company added to Standard & Poor's 500 stock index

- 1997
Dell ships its 10-millionth computer system
Per-share value of common stock reaches $1,000 on presplit basis
Dell introduces its first workstation systems
Dell launches its U.S. Consumer business

- 1998
Company expands manufacturing facilities in the Americas and Europe, and opens a production and customer center in Xiamen, China
Dell introduces its PowerVault storage products

- 1999
Dell opens second major U.S. location in Nashville, Tenn.
Dell opens manufacturing facility in Eldorado do Sul, Brazil, to serve Latin America
Dell introduces "E-Support Direct from Dell" online technical support

- 2000
Company sales via Internet reach $50 million per day
For the first time, Dell is No. 1 in worldwide workstation shipments
Dell introduces PowerApp appliance servers
Dell ships its one millionth PowerEdge server

- 2001
For the first time, Dell ranks No. 1 in global market share
Dell is No. 1 in the United States for standard Intel architecture server shipments
Dell introduces PowerConnect network switches

- 2002
Dell names its Austin Manufacturing Campus the Topfer Manufacturing Center
Dell ships its 2 millionth port in the PowerConnect line of network switches
U.S. consumers choose Dell as their No. 1 computer systems provider
Dell ships its first "blade" server, enters the handheld market with the Axim X5, introduces a standards-based point-of-sale offering for retail customers and enters the projector market with the introduction of the 3100MP projector

- 2003
Dell introduces printers for businesses and consumers
Dell launches Dell Recycling to enable customers to recycle or donate to charity computer equipment from any manufacturer
The name change to Dell Inc. is official, reflecting the evolution of the company to a diverse supplier of technology products and services
Dell enters consumer electronics, a natural extension of the company's existing product portfolio that provides customers with a single resource for consumer technology needs

- 2004
Kevin Rollins becomes Dell's next chief executive officer
Dell announces third U.S. manufacturing facility in North Carolina

- 2005
Dell tops list of "America's Most Admired Companies" in Fortune Magazine
Opens third major U.S. manufacturing location in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

- 2006
Dell ships more than 10 million systems in a single quarter (Q4, FY06) for the first time in its history

- 2007
Michael Dell returns as Chief Executive Officer