Our Story

In 1988, Peter Jungvid, founder of Bellman & Symfon, wrote down his ideas for the Bellman Ringer – a telephone amplifier that would let you choose between ring signals.

In the office where he used to work, all the telephones sounded the same. From the staff room it was impossible to tell whose phone was ringing. Every coffee break someone got up and ran to their phone unnecessarily. Most chose to sigh or laugh it off. However, Peter sensed something in the back of his mind that would soon grow into a bigger idea.

From humble beginnings

Trained in economics and commerce, but an inventor and entrepreneur at heart, he created and tested the first products in his own apartment, operating the budding company from home.

This marked the start of a 30+ years of dedication to helping deaf and hard of hearing people, leading up to today's product portfolio containing a world-renowned alerting system, digital listening systems, and custom-made earplugs.

1992

Meet the helpful home

In close collaboration with the hearing clinics, the Bellman company developed a system that could help the deaf and hard of hearing to keep track of the various signals in the home. Bellman Visit featured doorbell and telephone detection, baby monitoring, and fire protection. It alerted the user with amplified sound, flashing light, and vibrations.

Because of the diligent research behind it, Bellman Visit grew in popularity and quickly established itself as the market leader.

1995

Adding hearing aids to the offer

In 1995 a deal was done to acquire part of the established Häggstrands Elektriska in Gothenburg. The purchase was made to acquire Häggstrand’s auditory activities, which included being the agent for Unitron hearing aids from Canada. Overnight, the company grew from three to ten employees.

1997

Introducing
Bellman & Symfon AB

Another Gothenburg-based company was acquired, Symfon Hörapparater AB, which had developed its own analog hearing aid. Also including its range of custom-molded ear protectors. The idea behind the purchase of Symfon was to gain access to Symfon’s customer base to introduce Unitron’s new digital hearing aids and thus gain a stronger platform to export Bellman’s products.

The acquisition doubled the size of the organization and the name was changed to Bellman & Symfon AB.

1998

2003

To boldly go into a new millennium

The whole world prepared nervously for the millennium, and for Bellman & Symfon, adverse winds began to feel increasingly evident. The acquisition of Symfon meant that two corporate cultures would become one. The digital hearing aid started to become a serious player and digital technology soon became a requirement for local authority public procurement. Unitron’s digital development was delayed and it could not deliver as planned. At the same time sales of Symfon’s analog hearing aids plummeted.

The company was facing a great challenge – and responded strongly. Operations were streamlined, and hearing aid servicing and private practice were sold off to enhance the focus on core business.

2004

Make it twice the size

A new board was formed, and the new chairman Lars Brodd set an extremely tough goal: to more than double Bellman & Symfon turnover within five years! There now started an intensive period of activity on all levels, product development, marketing, further internationalization. Many new activities were started, both in terms of the development of new solutions and export sales.

2005

2007

Surpassing the expectations

A common saying is that first impressions last. From consistently working with adding a 'wow factor', the ambition to always surpass what partners and customers expect, Bellman & Symfon became favored over larger and more well-known brands. Turnover from Unitron products increased from SEK 500 000 to SEK 10 million per year.

The following year, Unitron asked to buy back the agency rights in Sweden. Bellman & Symfon made a fair deal, could focus even more on the core business, and still has an excellent relationship with Unitron.

2007

Better hearing in busy surroundings

The new personal listener Maxi was introduced. Maxi was designed for people with impaired vision or low dexterity. It is robust and user friendly with high contrast indicators and a rubberized grip. Within its humble looks, it was a break-through in technology and provided true digital sound processing.

This means it offered improved speech intelligibility even in busy surroundings like shopping malls, restaurants, or cars. You could even connect it to your hearing aids via a neck loop.

Maxi Classic

2008

A regional office in China's third-largest city

Peter Jungvid moved to China to form the first regional office in Guangzhou, a port city northwest of Hong Kong. Guangzhou is China's third-largest city and has been one of the world's major trading centers for more than 2000 years. The regional office handles assembly and manufacturing as well as sales activities for the Asia-Pacific, New Zealand, Australia, and Middle East markets.

The year marked a start for further development of the personal amplifier product range. Bellman & Symfon also celebrated its success in reaching its 2004 target - to double the turn-over.

2009

Defining our purpose, position and profile 

Bellman & Symfon had to change from being a technology-based manufacturer of functional specialty products to being a company that best understood the needs of hard of hearing people, helping them with solutions that make their lives easier.

The branding project was carried out with one of Sweden's leading experts in branding, Sven-Olof Bodenfors, who founded the advertising agency Forsman & Bodenfors. The new graphic branding strategy was produced and launched, and forms the basis for how Bellman & Symfon looks and acts today.

The new wireless listening system Domino was introduced. Domino was the first true digital listening system with both digital sound processing and digital radio communication and offered a unique sound quality also for remote listening.

2011

Award-winning design

The new digital Alarm Clock was introduced, both as a stand-alone solution and as a system Alarm Clock in the Bellman Visit system. In total five models were developed for the first world-wide introduction under the newly developed marketing campaign concept named Pulse®.

Domino won the 2011 Grand Award of Design, awarded by the The Association of Swedish Engineering Industries. The interplay between technological product development and elegant design had become an important success factor for Bellman & Symfon. In five years, Bellman & Symfon had doubled its turnover, whilst growing into a highly respected force with innovation and renewal as its clear trademarks.

Domino Pro

2013

Visit alerts for incoming calls and texts

The Mobile Phone Sensor was launched as an accessory to the Visit System, in an answer to that people more frequently use mobile phones and tablets as their main communication tools. The Mobile Phone Sensor was developed to detect various notifications on smart devices, such as an incoming phone call, text message, or video call.

The Visit Flash receivers underwent a major design update, resulting in two new models; BE1441 and BE1442 that featured a battery backup.

Visit Smart Home

2014

Celebrating 25 years

Three new in-ear products were launched, Bellman Chill, Bellman Drive, and Bellman Swim, further expanding the hearing protectors offer and solidifying Bellman & Symfon's market position.

Bellman & Symfon lionized the company's 25th Anniversary with a celebratory musical event and a hardcover anniversary book. A special thanks to everyone who was part of the first 25 years and made this journey possible.

Read the book

2017

Securing the senior home

A new fall prevention system was launched in the last quarter, following extensive testing at local elderly homes.

Light My Way is a Bluetooth powered fall prevention system that makes the senior home safer at night, automatically lighting a safe path from the bedroom to the bathroom.

Light My Way