Baker Hughes was formed in 1987 with the merger of Baker International and Hughes Tool Company - both founded over 100 years ago when R.C. Baker and Howard Hughes conceived ground-breaking inventions that revolutionized the fledging petroleum era. In 1907, Reuben C. Baker developed a casing shoe that modernized cable tool drilling. In 1909, Howard R. Hughes, Sr. introduced the first roller cutter bit that dramatically improved the rotary drilling process. Over the ensuing eight decades, Baker International and Hughes Tool Company continued to lead the industry with innovative products in well completions, drilling tools and related services.