Xerox Corp. stands as a major U.S. corporation with a history rooted far deeper than its iconic copiers. The company began in 1906 as the Haloid Co., originally focused on manufacturing and selling photographic paper. It was not until nearly six decades later that the brand identity shifted. In 1958, the company became Haloid Xerox Co., before finally dropping the “Haloid” prefix entirely to become Xerox Corp. in 1961.
The turning point arrived in 1960 with the marketing of the first xerographic, plain-paper copier. This product was a massive success. However, that success created a unique legal and cultural challenge. The term “Xerox” became so ubiquitous that the company has since waged a continuing campaign to prevent the trademark from becoming a generic term for photocopying itself.
Beyond the machines that defined its rise, Xerox has expanded its portfolio significantly. Today, the company sells scanners, fax machines, printers, software, and servers for networked printing. The corporation remains headquartered in Stamford, Conn.
