Planar Systems

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Planar Systems, Inc.

Type	Public
Founded	1983
Headquarters	Hillsboro, Oregon
Key people	Gerald K. Perkel, President and CEO
Industry	Technology
Products	Monitors, Display Screen & Projectors
Employees	590 (2006)
Website	www.planar.com

Planar Systems, Inc. NASDAQ: PLNR is a U.S. digital display manufacturing corporation based in Hillsboro, Oregon. Planar was founded in 1983 by Jim Hurd, Chris King and John Laney as a spin off of the Tektronix display department. It was the first U.S. manufacturer of electroluminescent (EL) computer screen type displays. Planar also makes medical displays and CRT and LCD monitors. It had a manufacturing plant of their EL displays in Hillsboro, but it was closed in 2002. Their EL manufacturing was consolidated into Planar's Finland facility. Planar is the ninth largest manufacturer of flat panel displays in North America. On July 19, 2006, Planar announced its intention to acquire Clarity Visual Systems, which is completed on September 12, 2006.

On May 23, 2007 Planar acquired Runco International, a leading brand in the high-end, custom home theater market.

In the late 80's a division spun off from Planar to work on projection technology, InFocus.

Planar electroluminescent displays are considered the "king" of flat panel displays to the modding scene but are extremely rare.