Planar Systems
Planar Systems is a U.S. display-technology company specializing in professional LED, LCD, video-wall, projection, and other specialty display solutions.
Last updated September 23, 2026
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Overview
Planar Systems is an American professional-display company headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon. The business began in 1983 as a spin-off from Tektronix's Solid State Research and Development Group and became the first manufacturer in the United States to produce electroluminescent digital displays. Its early work established the company in a specialized segment of flat-panel and industrial display technology, while later expansion moved Planar into medical imaging, control-room visualization, digital signage, home theater, projection, and large-format LED systems. The company developed through a mixture of internal innovation, acquisitions, divestitures, and changes in manufacturing geography. In the 1980s, a Planar division focused on projection technology separated to form InFocus. During the 1990s, Planar expanded internationally through its purchase of Finnish competitor FinLux, whose Espoo facility became an important European base. Planar also acquired Tektronix's avionics-display business in 1994 and purchased Standish Industries, a Wisconsin flat-panel LCD manufacturer, in 1997. The Standish plant was ultimately closed in 2002 as LCD production increasingly shifted toward East Asia. Planar became a public company in 1993 and traded on NASDAQ under the symbol PLNR until its later acquisition. During the 2000s, Planar broadened its portfolio beyond electroluminescent displays. It acquired DOME Imaging Systems in 2002, creating a medical-display business, and purchased both Runco International and Clarity Visual Systems in 2006. Runco added a premium custom-home-theater business, while Clarity strengthened Planar's position in control rooms and signage. Planar sold the medical unit to NDS Surgical Imaging in 2008, demonstrating a continuing effort to concentrate on display markets where it could build differentiated technology and channels. In 2012, it also announced the sale of its electroluminescent business to Beneq Oy. Leyard Optoelectronic Co. acquired Planar in 2015 for a reported transaction value of $157 million, taking the company private and making it a Leyard subsidiary. Planar retained its Oregon headquarters, leadership structure, employees, and operating identity. In 2016, Planar announced a merger agreement with NaturalPoint, a developer of infrared tracking systems marketed under brands including OptiTrack, SmartNav, and TrackIR; the transaction was completed in January 2017, with NaturalPoint continuing as a separate business. Planar's current activities center on the design, assembly, integration, servicing, and deployment of professional display systems. Its portfolio includes LED video walls, LCD displays, projection systems, specialty displays, and solutions for command centers, public venues, education, corporate facilities, government users, and digital signage. Manufacturing and integration have been distributed across the United States, Finland, and France, while Hillsboro remains the principal headquarters and service base. Examples of later deployments include a large Planar TVF Series LED wall at a New Mexico 911 call center, curved CarbonLight CLI Flex LED installations at the University of Oregon's Matthew Knight Arena, and extensive display installations at Clemson University. In 2020, the company also expanded its U.S. government division and product-security program to address public-sector customer requirements.
History
Planar Systems originated within Tektronix in Oregon. On May 23, 1983, Jim Hurd, Chris King, John Laney, and other members of Tektronix's Solid State Research and Development Group established Planar as an independent spin-off. The new company focused on electroluminescent digital displays and became the first U.S. manufacturer in that field. Its early specialization gave it a position in industrial, technical, and other applications where durable specialty displays were required. Planar's technology portfolio began to diversify during the 1980s. A division that worked on projection technology separated from Planar in 1986 and became InFocus. In 1991, Planar acquired FinLux, a competitor based in Espoo, Finland. The Finnish operation later served as the company's European headquarters and became the location where Planar consolidated electroluminescent manufacturing. Planar went public in 1993, listing on NASDAQ. The following year it acquired Tektronix's avionics-display business and operated it as Planar Advance, although that initiative was short-lived. In 1997, Planar bought Standish Industries, a flat-panel LCD manufacturer in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. The global structure of display manufacturing changed significantly around the turn of the century. Planar closed the Standish plant in 2002 as LCD production increasingly moved to East Asia. In the same year, it acquired DOME Imaging Systems and used the business to establish a medical-display unit. Planar continued expanding through acquisitions in adjacent display markets. On June 19, 2006, it acquired Runco International, a prominent premium custom-home-theater brand. On September 12 of the same year, it purchased Clarity Visual Systems, a company founded by former InFocus employees. Clarity became associated with Planar's control-room and signage activities, while Runco broadened its presence in high-end home theater. Planar later reduced its exposure to some of these businesses. In August 2008, it sold the medical unit to NDS Surgical Imaging. In November 2012, it announced the sale of its electroluminescent business to Beneq Oy. The transaction included a stated base price of $6.5 million, with part paid in cash and the remainder represented by a promissory note. These moves left Planar more focused on professional display products, integration, and specialized visualization markets. On November 27, 2015, Planar completed its sale to China's Leyard Optoelectronic Co., an LED-display company. The transaction reportedly valued Planar at $157 million. Planar became an independent subsidiary rather than continuing as a NASDAQ-listed company, while its headquarters, employees, and leadership remained in the Hillsboro, Oregon area. In November 2016, Planar announced a merger agreement with NaturalPoint, whose products included OptiTrack infrared tracking systems used in applications such as computer-generated imagery, along with SmartNav and TrackIR products. The merger closed in January 2017, and NaturalPoint continued as a separate operation. In the 2020s, Planar continued supplying large-format LED and LCD systems for institutional and public environments. A nearly 32-foot-long Planar TVF Series LED video wall was installed at the Lea County Communication Authority's 911 call center in 2020. The company also completed a later installation at the University of Oregon, adding curved CarbonLight CLI Flex LED walls at Matthew Knight Arena after earlier deployments at the university's Hatfield-Dowlin Complex and Student Recreation Center. Clemson University expanded its use of Planar products with LCD displays and LED video walls in its business and innovation facilities. Planar also announced an expansion of its U.S. government division and product-security program in November 2020. The company remains associated with Leyard while continuing to operate from Oregon and serve international professional-display markets.
- 2020
Government security program expanded
[1]Planar expanded its U.S. government division and product-security program.
- 2017
NaturalPoint merger completed
[1]The merger with NaturalPoint closed, with NaturalPoint remaining a separately operated business.
- 2015
Leyard acquisition completed
[1]Planar was acquired by Leyard Optoelectronic Co. and ceased to operate as an independent NASDAQ-listed company.
- 2012
Electroluminescent business divested
[1]Planar announced the sale of its electroluminescent business to Beneq Oy.
- 2008
Medical business sold
[1]Planar sold its medical business unit to NDS Surgical Imaging.
- 2006
Runco and Clarity acquisitions
[1]Planar acquired Runco International and Clarity Visual Systems, expanding into premium home theater, control rooms, and digital signage.
- 2002
DOME Imaging Systems acquired
[1]The acquisition created Planar's medical-display business unit; the Standish manufacturing plant also closed during the year.
- 1997
Standish Industries acquired
[1]Planar purchased Standish Industries, a Wisconsin manufacturer of flat-panel LCDs.
- 1994
Tektronix avionics-display business acquired
[1]Planar acquired Tektronix's avionics-display business and created the short-lived Planar Advance operation.
- 1993
Planar becomes publicly traded
[1]The company completed a public listing on NASDAQ under the symbol PLNR.
Products and positioning
A professional-display and visualization specialist serving control rooms, digital signage, corporate and education environments, government facilities, public venues, and other applications requiring large-format or specialty displays.
LED video walls
TVF Series
The TVF Series is a professional LED video-wall line used for large-format visual communication and institutional installations. A 2020 deployment at a New Mexico 911 call center illustrates its use in public-safety and command-center environments where a large, continuous display surface is required.
Flexible LED video walls
CarbonLight CLI Flex
CarbonLight CLI Flex is a pliable LED video-wall platform designed for curved or otherwise customized installations. Planar used the system in two curved installations at the University of Oregon's Matthew Knight Arena, demonstrating its application in architectural and venue-based display environments.
LCD displays
Planar LCD displays and video walls
Planar's LCD portfolio includes individual large-format displays and multi-display video-wall systems for education, corporate facilities, control rooms, signage, and government applications. Institutional deployments at Clemson University included extensive collections of Planar LCD displays alongside LED video walls.
Projection
Planar projection systems
Projection technology has been part of Planar's broader display heritage since the 1980s. The company continues to identify projectors and projection-related systems among the display products it assembles, services, and integrates.
Specialty displays
Specialty and industrial displays
Planar developed from an electroluminescent-display specialist into a broader supplier of specialty displays for technical, industrial, visualization, and institutional applications. Its historical portfolio included avionics and medical displays, although those businesses were later divested or reorganized.
Brand decisions
2016
NaturalPoint merger agreementM&ABackground
NaturalPoint operated infrared tracking businesses serving computer-generated imagery, assisted computing, and gaming applications.
Action taken
Planar entered a merger agreement with NaturalPoint; the transaction closed in January 2017.
Aftermath
NaturalPoint continued as a separate business with its own executive team, customers, and market initiatives.
2015
Acquisition by LeyardM&ABackground
Planar was a publicly traded display company operating in professional and specialty markets, while Leyard was an expanding LED-display manufacturer.
Action taken
Leyard Optoelectronic Co. acquired Planar and made it an independent subsidiary.
Aftermath
Planar ceased trading independently on NASDAQ, while its Oregon headquarters, employees, leadership, and operating identity remained in place.
Reported acquisition value. $157 million (2015 acquisition)
2012
Sale of electroluminescent businessM&ABackground
Planar had been founded around electroluminescent digital displays, but its business portfolio had broadened substantially into other display categories.
Action taken
Planar agreed to sell the electroluminescent business to Beneq Oy for a stated base consideration of $6.5 million.
Aftermath
The transaction transferred the legacy electroluminescent operation to Beneq and left Planar more concentrated on professional display solutions.
Base purchase price. $6.5 million (2012 transaction announcement)
2008
Divestiture of medical-display businessM&ABackground
Planar had entered medical imaging through its 2002 acquisition of DOME Imaging Systems.
Action taken
The company sold its medical business unit to NDS Surgical Imaging.
Aftermath
The transaction reduced Planar's exposure to medical displays and supported a greater focus on other professional-display markets.
Recent events
Reported
PLANAR announces planned 98-inch 98Q70S TV launch at Gome[3]
PLANAR announced that its new 98-inch 98Q70S smart television would be launched at Gome during the upcoming 618 shopping season; the source describes a planned launch, not a completed release.
Reported
PLANAR announces planned China launch of 98-inch 98Q70S television[4]
PLANAR announced that its 98-inch 98Q70S smart television would be launched at Gome Retail during the upcoming 618 shopping season; the source describes the launch as forthcoming.
Reported
PLANAR and Gome Retail sign strategic cooperation agreement[4]
PLANAR and Gome Retail signed a strategic cooperation agreement concerning television products and jointly promoting large-screen televisions in China.
Reported
Planar launches EverNew managed service program[5]
Planar launched EverNew, a multi-year leasing program for Planar display solutions in the United States and Canada. The program allows customers to lease solutions at a fixed monthly cost.
Reported
PLANAR unveils Micro LED televisions[6]
Leyard's PLANAR brand unveiled 135-inch and 120-inch 8K ultra-high-definition Micro LED smart televisions.
Sources6 sources
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