Travelpro will celebrate its 25th Anniversary of the invention of Rollaboard luggage throughout 2012 with an array of promotions, dynamic new product introductions, special events and media co-ops.

Boca Raton, Fla. – It all started when Hinda Miller and Lisa Lindahl, inventors of an early sports bra

Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce, inventors of the computer chip

Bob Frankston and Dan Bricklin, inventors of the spreadsheet

Buckminster Fuller, inventor of the geodesic dome

Melitta Bentz, inventor of the coffee filter

George Ferris, inventor of the Ferris Wheel

Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes, inventors of Bubble Wrap

Is there anything we do more than connect? And has anyone influenced how we connect more than Tim Berners-Lee? The creator of the World Wide Web was a teenager when he discovered the power of linking things to other things; he developed hypertext to track complex projects while a consultant at the European nuclear-research facility CERN. By 1990 the Internet had been around for two decades, but with his invention of the first Web pages, server, and browser, Berners-Lee transformed it into the Swiss Army knife to end all Swiss Army knives. He is the father of e-everything, and remains among the Web’s guiding spirits as it evolves into 2.0 and beyond.

As one of the most prolific inventors of all time, Jerome Lemelson (on the right, above) devised technology that was used in products ranging from cordless phones to warehouse robots to camcorders. But the inventor is perhaps best known for the fact that he filed and was awarded more than 600 patents–more than any other American except for Thomas Edison. And like Edison, Lemelson wasn’t afraid to pursue infringement claims. Though he lost some major lawsuits, Lemelson eventually won an estimated $500 million in various settlements. He died in 1997, and left part of his fortune to a foundation that now presents a half-million dollar prize each year to great inventors for their work.

Robert Plath, a pilot for Northwest Airlines, changed the physical orientation of luggage from horizontal to vertical, added large wheels and an extension handle; hence, inventing the Rollaboard, an entirely new way to transport personal belongings while traveling.

“When Travelpro founder, Robert Path, invented the original Rollaboard in his garage in 1987, he not only changed the way people traveled but his new invention helped energize the entire travel goods industry,” said Scott Applebee, Vice President of Marketing for Travelpro. “The Rollaboard also led to the creation of the company, Travelpro, which immediately became an industry leader due to his powerful innovation.”

Plath founded Travelpro and began providing Rollaboard luggage to airline flight crews and pilots. The idea was so universally successful with the airline crews, Travelpro launched the product commercially through retail stores in the early 90’s and has been changing the way consumers travel ever since.

In 1994, Travelpro was ranked as one of the fastest growing private companies by Inc. Magazine. Recently, Inc. Magazine listed Plath’s Rollaboard invention as one of the top innovations in modern history. In November 2011, in a Discovery Channel program entitled, “What’s America Worth?” the invention was highlighted as one of the leading examples of how innovation adds value to a country’s net worth.  Numerous awards have followed including winning the 2009 and 2010 Leading Edge Award from Executive Travel Magazine for “The Best Carry-on Case.” Its luggage also had a co-starring role in the multi-Oscar nominated film “Up in the Air”, starring George Clooney.

Today, Travelpro has continued to grow its reputation of innovation and style as one of the leading luggage brands worldwide.  Travelpro luggage is now used by over 80 airlines globally and is sold commercially throughout the world.

Travelpro manufactures numerous luggage collections including Platinum® 7, Crew™ 8, FlightPro® LITE, Walkabout® Lite 4, Maxlite® 2 Rollaboards and Spinners, Executive Pro™ and Tpro® Bold ™. These collections represent the best of the best for innovation, quality and value.

Additionally, Travelpro purchased the well-respected Atlantic Luggage and Austin House to fortify its brand presence in the Luggage and Travel Accessories industry.

For more information about Travelpro, please visit www.travelpro.com.

About Travelpro

For over two decades, Travelpro International has prided itself on design innovation and durability in crafting the highest quality luggage for travellers worldwide.

Since transforming the ease of modern day travel with The Original Rollaboard^® wheeled luggage, Travelpro® has been the brand of choice for flight crews and frequent travelers worldwide. Travelpro is dedicated to building a lifelong relationship with its customers by consistently understanding and exceeding their needs. The company offers a variety of innovative, high-quality luggage collections and computer briefs; each aimed at a specific user lifestyle and rigorously tested. Travelpro was the winner of the 2009 and 2010 Leading Edge Award from Executive Travel Magazine for “The Best Carry-on Case.”  Please visit Travelpro at www.travelpro.com for a complete list of the latest products and retail locations. You can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TravelproINTL and Twitter at www.twitter.com/travelprointl.