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Canon Inc. is an interesting option for those looking to invest in a Japanese company that derives most of its revenue from sales abroad. It’s a multinational manufacturer of imaging and optical products, such as cameras, camcorders, computer printers and photocopiers.
Canon Inc. has a primary listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and a secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
Since the end of 2011, Dutch printer maker Océ has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canon Inc.
Short facts about Canon Inc.
| Japanese name | キヤノン株式会社 |
| Transcribed name | Kiyanon Kabushiki-gaisha |
| English name | Canon Inc. |
| Company type | Public (K.K.) |
| Traded as | TYO: 7751
NYSE: CAJ |
| Index inclusion | TOPIX Core 30 |
| Founded | In Tokyo on the 10th of August, 1937. |
| Founder | Goro Yoshida
Saburo Uchida Takeshi Mitarai Takeo Maeda |
| Industry | Electronics |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Headquarter | Ōta, Tokyo, Japan
(30-2 Shimomaruko 3-chome, Ohta-ku, Tokyo 146-8501, Japan) |
| Subsidiaries | Océ |
| Examples of key products | Digital cameras
Camcorders LCDs Lenses Magnetic heads Micro motors Ophthalmic instruments Photocopiers Printers Scanners SLR cameras Still cameras |
| Number of employees | 197,673 (2017) |
Operations
With its global headquarter in Tokyo, Canon Inc. also have regional headquarters throughout the world. The two principal subsidiaries for the European market are Canon Europa NV in Amsterdam and Canon Europe Ltd in Uxbridge, UK.
Canon Inc. is organised into three principal business segments:
| Office Business Unit |
| Consumer Business Unit |
| Industry and Others Businesses Unit |
Recent events
| When? | What? |
| March, 2017 | Canon Europe announce their acquisition of London-based startup Kite |
| March, 2016 | Canon acquires the Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation for 5.9 million USD. |
| April, 2015 | Canon Europe announce their acquisition if London-based photo sharing startup Lifecake. |
| April, 2015 | Canon completes acquisition of Swedish Security Camera maker Axis Communications. |
| June, 2014 | Canon announce acquisition of Danish IP Surveillance VMS software company Milestone Systems. |
| February, 2014 | Canon announce that they would acquire U.S.- based Molecular Imprints Inc. |
Background
Canon has its roots in the company 精機光學研究所 (Seikikōgaku kenkyūsho), known in English as Precision Optical Industry Co. Ltd.
In 1934, the Kwanon was created – a prototype for Japan’s first-ever 35 mm camera with a focal-plane-based shutter. (This prototype was largely derived from cameras produced by the German company Leica.) The name Kwanon comes from the Buddhist bodhisattva 観音, whose name has variously been transcribed to English as Kwanon, Kwannon, Kuanyin or Guan Yin.
During its early years, the company didn’t have the facilities required to produce its own optical glass and used lenses from Nippon Kogaku K.K. (the later Nikon Corporation) instead.
Examples of notable milestones
1940: Canon develops Japan’s first indirect X-ray camera.
1958: Canon introduces a field zoom lense for television broadcasting
1959: Canon introduces the world’s first movie camera with a zoom lens
1961: Cannon introduces the Rangefinder Canon 7 camera.
1964: Canon introduces the first Japanese made 10-key calculator.
1976: Canon introduces a camera with an embedded micro-computer.
1985: Canon introduces the world’s first Inkjet printer with bubble-jet technology.
1992: Canon introduces a camera with eye-controlled AF.
1992: Canon introduces its first digital camera.
1995: Canon introduces a commercially available SLR lens with internal image stabilization.
1996: Canon introduces a pocket-sized digital camera with the Advanced Photo System.
2004: Canon introduces the XEED SX50 LCD projector.
2005: Canon introduces its first high-definition camcorder.
