Story of Canon begins in 1973, where was established a small laboratory for the manufacture of high-quality cameras in a simple apartment in the Roppongi area of Tokyo
Youth began to work seriously in this simple laboratory until they were able in 1935 to build a prototype camera for the first Japanese high-quality cameras European competition, and in the same year Japan's first-ever 35mm focal-plane-shutter camera, the Hansa Canon, was born, along with the Canon brand.
In 1950, Canon's first president, Takeshi Mitarai, went to America for the first time to attend an international trade fair. Having seen modern factories and a high standard of living first hand, upon his return, he built a fireproof factory of steel-reinforced concrete in the Shimomaruko area of Tokyo, which he saw as essential for Canon to succeed in doing business with the world at large. Mitarai also made clear his respect for humanity by stressing the importance of the San-ji, or Three Selfs spirit, the guiding principle for Canon employees. In 1955, Canon made its first step into the global market with the opening of a U.S. office in New York City. In 1957, Canon set up its sole European distributor, Canon Europa, in Geneva, Switzerland. By 1967 exports already topped 50% of the company's total sales.
Soon after its founding, Canon was hard at work in 1941 on diversifying itself with the introduction of Japan's first indirect X-ray camera and other products. In the 1960s, the company took further steps toward diversification by adding electrical, physical and chemical technologies to its optical and precision technologies. In 1964, Canon entered the office equipment market with the debut of the world's first 10-key electronic calculator. In 1967, the management slogan "cameras in the right hand, business machines in the left" was unveiled and in 1969 the company changed its name from Canon Camera Co., Inc. to Canon Inc. Canon took on the challenge of developing Japan's first plain paper copying machine, which it introduced in 1970, and realized further diversification from one challenging field to the next.
In 1970, sales of Canon Inc. to 44.8 billion yen, and the number of employees the company to 5000 employees, but because of the low value of the dollar, the cause of the financial problems of the company, for the first time in 1975 failed Cherrkh Canon in the payment of dividends since becoming a public company , In 1976, Canon unveiled its Premier Company Plan, an ambitious strategy to transform Canon into an "excellent global company" through such means as introducing a vertical business group constitution and establishing a horizontal development, production and sales system. The plan proposed high ideals and pooled the strength of its employees, enabling the company to promptly recover .
Canon continued to grow under the Premier Company Plan. With the dawn of the personal computer age, Canon introduced to the world a series of products never before seen, among them a personal copying machine based on an all-in-one cartridge system, a laser printer with semiconductor laser, and a Bubble Jet inkjet printer. Canon also began promoting global production in earnest on the road to becoming an excellent global company. Then, in 1988, the 51st anniversary of the company's founding, Canon announced its second inauguration and unveiled its corporate philosophy of kyosei, an unfamiliar term at the time. It also began promoting such progressive and environmentally sound activities as toner cartridge recycling in addition to globalizing its development sites.,
In 1990
Canon forms the Environment Assurance Promotion Committee.
Canon launches its toner cartridge recycling system.
Canon Information Systems, Inc., is established in the U.S.A.
Canon Research Center America, Inc., is established.
Canon Information Systems Research Australia Pty. Ltd. is established.
Canon Information Systems R&D Europe Ltd. (today, Canon Research Centre France S.A.S.) is established.
Canon Zhuhai, Inc. is established in the PRC.
Canon Hi-Tech (Thailand) Ltd. is established.
Niigata Canotech Co., Inc. (today, Canon Imaging Systems Inc.) is established.
in 1994
Canon and IBM Corp. of the U.S. form tie-ups for the development and production of small computers using the PowerPC range of chips.
The 5,000th mask aligner is produced.
Inkjet printer production reaches 10 million units.
In the same year , Fujio Mitarai is appointed president of Canon Inc.
By 1959
Canon forms the CS (customer satisfaction) Promotion Committee.
Canon, in a first for a Japanese company, earns certification under the BS7750 international environmental standard for its Ami and Ueno plants.
Toner cartridge collection reaches 10 million units.
Custom Integrated Technology, Inc., a remanufacturing site for copying machines, is established in Virginia, U.S.A.
By 2000
Canon Inc. begins listing its American Depositary Receipts on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Canon Inc. begins listing its American Depositary Receipts on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Canon holds Canon Expo 2000 global technology and product exhibitions.
The Optics R&D Center opens in Utsunomiya, Japan.
Canon receives the Miles Supreme Award from the Society of Japanese Value Engineering.
Year 2004
Canon changes the stock trading unit from 1,000 shares to 100 shares.
Canon holds its first briefing for individual investors.
Canon establishes SED Inc. for the purpose of developing, manufacturing, and marketing SED panels.
The Yako Development Center is completed for the concentration of R&D sections of inkjet printers.
Canon Precision Inc. merges with Hirosaki Seiki, Inc.
Canon creates Canon Ecology Industry Inc. and Canon Semiconductor Equipment Inc. from Canon N.T.C., Inc.
Canon Ru LLC is established in Moscow, Russia.
Igari Mold Co., Ltd. becomes a wholly owned subsidiary through a share exchange.
Inkjet printer shipments reach 100 million units.
2005 Year
Tsuneji Uchida is appointed president of Canon Inc.
A new corporate structure with Fujio Mitarai as chairman begins.
Year 2008
Canon becomes an equity participant in Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
Hita Canon Materials Inc. is established.
Nagasaki Canon Inc. is established.
The Canon Institute for Global Studies and the Canon Foundation are established.
A Canon ANELVA researcher receives the 6th Prime Minister's Award for contributions in Industry-Academia-Government Collaborations.
SLR camera production reaches 50 million units.
Compact digital camera production reaches 100 million units.
2010 year
Oce N.V. of the Netherlands becomes a Canon consolidated subsidiary.
OPTOPOL Technology S.A. of Poland becomes a Canon consolidated subsidiary.
finish
The official site of Canon Inc.
http://www.canon.com
