Konica Minolta, Inc. history, profile and history video
Konica Minolta, Inc. operates a holding company with interests in printing equipment manufacturing and distribution, the manufacture and sale of office equipment, imaging systems, optical devices, and measuring instruments. It operates through the following business domains: Offices, Production Printing, Performance Materials Business, Optics and Sensing Business, Sensing, Healthcare Business, Industrial Inkjet Business and Planetarium Business. The Offices domain is in charge of the global deployment of office equipment, centering on multi-functional peripherals and laser printers. The Production Printing domain applies resources in the form of their own digital printing technology, broad product line and global support system. The Performance Materials domain presents business by TAC film for LCD polarizers, barrier film, and functional film for windows, high-precision photo plates and organic light emitting diode lighting. The Optics and Sensing Business includes high value-added pickup lenses for optical disks and glass substrates for HDDs. The Sensing domain utilizes advanced light-measuring technologies to provide customers with products for precise measurements. The Healthcare Business serves the healthcare field with products that use digital imaging technology. The Industrial Inkjet Business targets industrial inkjet markets, including high-performance print heads, multi-function inks, print units for label printing and textile printing systems. The Planetarium Business manufactures planetariums and projectors. The company was founded by Rokusaburo Sugiura in April 1873 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.“
“Konica Minolta History
| 1873 | Rokusaburo Sugiura begins selling photographic and lithographic materials at Konishiya Rokubeiten (the beginnings of Konica Corporation) |
|---|---|
| 1903 | The Cherry Hand Camera, Japan’s first brand name camera is marketed |
| 1928 | Kazuo Tashima establishes Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shoten (Japan-Germany Camera Company, later known as Minolta Co., Ltd.) |
| 1933 | The internally developed and produced X-ray film, Sakura X-ray Film is released |
| 1940 | The first Japanese-made color film, Sakura Natural Color Film, is announced |
| 1957 | The company’s first planetarium unit is completed |
| 1960 | The company’s first copier, Minolta Copymaster is completed |
| 1975 | The world’s first 35mm camera with built-in flash, Konica C35EF, is launched |
| 1977 | The world’s first finger-measurement type pulse oximeter, OXIMET MET-1471, is launched |
| The world’s first 35mm compact autofocus camera, Konica C35AF, is launched | |
| 1983 | The world’s first copier with stepless zoom magnification/reduction function, EP450Z, is launched |
| 1984 | Ultra-high-precision aspheric plastic lens for CD players is developed |
| 1985 | SLR camera with a autofocus function, Minolta 7000, is launched |
| 1987 | Simple color-proofing system, Konsensus, is launched |
| 1989 | Medical digital imaging output system, Laser Imager Li-10, is launched |
| 1990 | Monochrome laser printer, SP101, is launched |
| Digital full-color copier, CF70, is launched | |
| 2000 | Fully launched business for TAC films for LCD polarizers |
| Konica Minolta Supplies Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is established as a joint venture for the production of polymerized toner | |
| 2003 | A holding company, Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. is established by integrating the management of Konica Corporation and Minolta Co., Ltd. |
| 2004 | Konica Minolta opens its own planetarium, Sunshine Starlight Dome “Manten” |
| Next-generation inkjet textile printer, “Nassenger V,” is launched | |
| 2005 | The world’s first phase contrast mammography unit is launched |
| 2007 | Konica Minolta withdraws from the photo and camera business |
| Digital Imaging Square, the first presentation space oriented toward the production print market is opened | |
| 2010 | Digital printing system, “bizhub PRESS C8000,” is launched |
| 2011 | Cassette-type digital radiography system, AeroDR, is launched |
| The world’s first Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) lighting panels using only phosphorescent materials is launched | |
| 2012 | Konica Minolta Planetarium “Tenku” is opened at the TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN® |
| 2013 | The group management system is reorganized and the company name changed to Konica Minolta, Inc. |
| Konica Minolta and Panasonic Healthcare sign an agreement on transfer of ultrasound diagnostic equipment business |
*Information from Forbes.com and Konicaminolta.com
**Video published on YouTube by “Konica Minolta Business Solutions UK“