Electronic Industries Alliance

The Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA; until 1997 Electronic Industries Association) was a standards and trade organization composed as an alliance of trade associations for electronics manufacturers in the United States. They developed standards to ensure the equipment of different manufacturers was compatible and interchangeable. The EIA ceased operations on February 11, 2011, but the former sectors continue to serve the constituencies of EIA.

History

In 1924 United States-based radio manufacturers formed a trade group called the Associated Radio Manufacturers. Later that same year, the group renamed itself the Radio Manufacturers Association (RMA). Over time, new electronic technologies brought new members and name changes, including Radio Television Manufacturers Association (RTMA) (1950), Radio Electronics Television Manufacturers (RETMA) (1953) and Electronics Industries Association (EIA) (1957). The group renamed itself for the last time in 1997, when the Electronics Industry Association became the Electronics Industries Alliance (EIA), reflecting the changing membership of the group, including non-manufacturer members.