TDK Corp. history, profile and history video
TDK Corp. engages in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of electronic components such as magnetic tape products. It operates through the following business segments: Passive Components, Magnetic Application Products, and Others. The Passive Components segment offers ceramic capacitors, aluminum electrolytic capacitors, film capacitors, inductive devices, high-frequency components, piezoelectric material components, circuit protection devices, and sensors. The Magnetic Application Products segment offers recording devices, power supplies, magnets, and recording media. The Other segment offers energy devices, flash memory application devices, displays, and mechatronics. The company was founded on December 7, 1935 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.”
“TDK History
1935 | Tokyo Denki Kagaku Kogyo K.K. established in Tamura-cho, Shiba-ku, Tokyo City for commercial production of ferrite cores. |
1937 | Kamata Plant constructed, mass production of ferrite cores begins. |
1940 | Hirasawa Plant constructed in Hirasawa-cho, Akita prefecture. |
1951 | Production of ceramic capacitors begins at the Hirasawa Plant. |
1953 | “Synchro Tape” – magnetic recording tape introduced. |
1955 | Ulcon Disc capacitor introduced. |
1958 | TDK’s Paramister(parametron arithmetic circuit) wins the Grand Prix at the Brussels World Exposition. |
1959 | TDK opens its first overseas office in Los Angeles. TDK shares listed on the Tokyo over-the-counter market. |
1960 | Yawata Plant constructed in Ichikawa City, Chiba Prefecture. |
1961 | TDK shares listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. |
1965 | TDK establishes a local subsidiary in New York. |
1966 | “Synchro Cassette Tapes” introduced. |
1968 | Joint venture company established in Taiwan. |
1969 | Chikumagawa Plant constructed in Saku City, Nagano Prefecture. |
1970 | Chokai Plant constructed in Nikaho-machi, Akita Prefecture. Shizuoka Plant constructed in Sagara-cho, Shizuoka Prefecture. |
1972 | Winchester Heads developed. Local subsidiary established in Dusseldorf, Germany. |
1978 | Headquarters moved to 1-13-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. VHS format “Super Avilyn Video Cassettes” introduced. Narita Plant constructed in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture. |
1980 | Magnetic heads using amorphous materials introduced. |
1982 | Mikumagawa Plant constructed in Hita City, Oita Prefecture TDK shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange. |
1983 | Company name changed to TDK Corporation. TDK serves as an official sponsor of the First IAAF World Championships in Athletics (Helsinki). |
1985 | TDK has a pavilion at the International Exposition, Tsukuba, Japan. |
1989 | Local subsidiaries established in Malaysia and Luxembourg. |
1990 | Technical Center completed in Ichikawa City. |
1991 | Local subsidiary established in Thailand. |
1992 | Plant constructed in Dalian, China. Recordable CD-R compact discs with an organic colorant film introduced. |
1994 | High-density recording MR heads introduced. Local subsidiary established in Xiamen, China. |
1995 | Plant constructed in Hungary. |
1997 | Mikumagawa Plant acquires ISO 14001 certification. Plant constructed in the Philippines for magnetic head production. |
1998 | TDK Malaysia becomes TDK’s first overseas plant to acquire ISO 14001 certification. |
1999 | TDK Electronics Ireland Ltd. established as a mobile communications high-frequency component and module research and development base. |
2000 | Headway Technologies Inc., an American magnetic head maker, acquired. |
2001 | Multilayer chip capacitor manufacturing and sales company established in Suzhou, China. TDK R&D Corporation established as a research and development base in the United States. |
2002 | System of outside directors and corporate officers introduced. The Mikumagawa Plant becomes the TDK Gorup’s first operations base in Japan to achieve zero emissions. |
2003 | Innoveta Technologies, an American developer of power supplies for use in communications devices, acquired. |
2004 | TDK becomes the first recording media maker to join the Blu-ray Disc Founders. |
2005 | TDK acquires Amperex Technology Limited, a manufacturing and sales company of Polymer Lithium Battery in Hong Kong. TDK acquires Lambda Power Group, power-supply business of Invensys plc. TDK opens the TDK History Museum in Akita Prefecture. |
2006 | World’s first bare Blu-ray Disc released. |
2007 | TDK-brand recording media sales business transferred to US data storage products manufacturer and supplier Imation Corp. |
2008 | Business merger by takeover bid with German electronic device manufacturer EPCOS. |
*Information from Forbes.com and Tdk.co.jp
**Video published on YouTube by “TDK“