Hitachi Ltd. history, profile and history video
Hitachi Ltd. engages in the manufacture of electronic and electrical equipment. It operates through the following segments: Information and Telecommunication Systems, Power Systems, Social Infrastructure and Industrial Systems, Electronic Systems and Equipment, Construction Machinery, High Functional Materials and Components, Automotive Systems, Components and Device, Digital Media and Consumer Products, Financial Services, and Others. The Information and Telecommunication Systems segment offers systems integration, outsourcing services, software, disk array subsystems, servers, mainframes, telecommunications equipment, and an automated teller machine (ATM) services. The Power Systems segment includes thermal, nuclear, hydroelectric, and wind power generation systems. The Social Infrastructure and Industrial Systems segment provides infrastructure products and services, industrial equipment, and energy-saving solutions that help to reduce environmental impact. The Electronic Systems and Equipment segment manufactures semiconductor, liquid crystal display (LCD), hard disk drive (HDD), test and measurement equipment, medical electronics equipment, power tools, and electronic parts manufacturing systems. The Construction Machinery segment offers products for civil engineering and construction, building and structural demolition, mining and excavation such as hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, and mining dump trucks. The High Functional Materials and Components segment produces wires and cables, copper products, semiconductor and display-related materials, circuit boards and materials, specialty steels, magnetic materials and components, and high grade casting components and materials. The Automotive Systems segment offers engine management systems, electric power train systems, drive control systems, and car information systems. The Components and Devices segment offers LCD, HDD, information storage media, and batteries. The Digital Media and Consumer Products segment offers digital media products and home appliances such as optical disk drives, flat-panel television sets, LCD projectors, room air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, and air-conditioning equipment. The Financial Services segment provides leases, loan guarantees and insurance services, and conducts business in the area of securitization. The Other segment offers logistics and property management services. The company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.“
“Hitachi History
Hitachi was founded in 1910 by electrical engineer Namihei Odaira. The company’s first product was Japan’s first 5-horsepower electric induction motor, initially developed for use in copper mining. Odaira’s company soon became the domestic leader in electric motors andelectric power industry infrastructure.
The company began as an in-house venture of Fusanosuke Kuhara’s mining company in Hitachi, Ibaraki prefecture. Odaira moved headquarters to Tokyo in 1918. Long before that, he coined the company’s toponymic name by superimposing two kanji characters: himeaning “sun” and tachi meaning “rise”. The young company’s national aspirations were conveyed by its original brand mark, which evoked Japan’s imperial rising sun flag.
Hitachi America, Ltd. was established in 1959. Hitachi Europe, Ltd. was established in 1982.
In March 2011, Hitachi agreed to sell its hard disk drive subsidiary, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, to Western Digital for a combination of cash and shares worth US$4.3 billion. Due to concerns of a duopoly of WD and Seagate by the EU Commission and the FTC, Hitachi’s 3.5″ HDD division was sold to Toshiba. The transaction was completed in March 2012.
Hitachi entered talks with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in August 2011 about a potential merger of the two companies, in what would have been the largest merger between two Japanese companies in history. The talks subsequently broke down and were suspended.
In October 2012, Hitachi agreed to acquire the United Kingdom-based nuclear energy company Horizon Nuclear Power, which plans to construct up to six nuclear power plants in the UK, from E.ON and RWE for £700 million.
In November 2012, Hitachi and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries agreed to merge their thermal power generation businesses into a joint venture to be owned 65% by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and 35% by Hitachi. The joint venture begun operations in February 2014.”
*Information from Forbes.com and Wikipedia.org
**Video published on YouTube by “HitachiBrandChannel“