JBL is an American company that manufactures audio equipment, including loudspeakers and headphones. The firm contains two independent divisions: JBL Consumer serves the consumer home market, and JBL Professional serves the studio, installed sound, tour sound, portable sound (production and disc jockey (DJ)), and cinema markets. JBL is owned by Harman International Industries, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics. JBL was founded by James Bullough Lansing (1902–1949), an American audio engineer and loudspeaker designer best known for establishing two audio companies that bear his name, Altec Lansing and JBL, the latter taken from his initials.