Canon (company)

Infobox_Company
company_name = Canon Inc.
(キヤノン株式会社)
company_type = Public (tyo|7751, nyse|CAJ)
company_
slogan = make it possible with canon (Japan)
Delighting You Always (Asia)
you can Canon (Europe)
imageANYWARE (USA)
Advanced Simplicity (Oceania)
foundation = Tokyo, Japan (10 August 1937)
location_city = flagicon|Japan Tokyo
location_country = Japan
key_people = Fujio Mitarai, Chairman & CEO
Yoroku Adachi, President & CEO
num_employees = 131,352 (2008)cite web |url=http://zenobank.com/index.php?symbol=CAJ&page=quotesearch |title=Company Profile for Canon Inc (CAJ) |accessdate=2008-10-06]
revenue = profit 4,481,334 million Yen (FY 2007)
industry = Imaging
products = Business machines, Cameras, Optical and other products
homepage = [http://www.canon.com/ www.canon.com]
Nihongo|Canon Inc.|キヤノン株式会社|Kyanon Kabushiki Gaisha|extra=tyo|7751, nyse|CAJ is a Japanese multinational corporation that specializes in imaging and optical products, including cameras, photocopiers and computer printers. The headquarters are in 30-2, Shimomaruko 3-chome, Ōta, Tokyo.

History

The predecessor company was established in 1930 by Goro Yoshida and his brother-in-law Saburo Uchida. Named Nihongo|"Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory"|精機光学研究所|Seiki Kōgaku Kenkyūjo, it was funded by Takeshi Mitarai, a close friend of Uchida. Its original purpose was to develop a 35 mm rangefinder camera.

In June 1934, they released their first camera, the "Kwanon" (see "Origins of company name" below). Three variations of this product were marketed, however, none were actual products. Of the ten "Kwanon" cameras that were rumored to be produced, none were ever known to reach the market.

"Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory" had not developed a lens. Several alternatives were considered, but the decision was made to seek help from a corporation known as "Nippon Kogaku Kogyo" (Japan Optical Industries, Inc., the predecessor of Nikon) to use their Nikkor lens. In February 1936, the "Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory" released the "Hansa Canon (Standard Model with the Nikkor 50 mm f/3.5 lens)", which became Kwanon's first commercially available camera.

The following year the company name was changed to "Canon" to reflect a more modern image, and on 10 August 1937, the current corporation was founded. [" [http://www.canon.com/about/outline/index.html About Canon] : Canon Inc. Corporate Profile" (company overview), Canon Inc., 23 May 2006, " [http://Canon.com./ Canon] ".]

Today, despite the company's high profile in the consumer market for cameras and computer printers, most of the company revenue comes from the office products division, especially for analog and digital copiers, and its line of imageRUNNER digital multifunctional devices. [" [http://www.printerassociates.com/resources/rsxref_hp.asp Cross reference of HP printer to Canon Engine number] ]

Canon has also entered the digital displays market by teaming up with Toshiba to develop and manufacture flat panel televisions based on SED, a new type of display technology. The joint venture company SED Inc. was established in October 2004. In January 2007, Canon announced that it would buy Toshiba's share of the joint venture. [cite press release
title = "SED Inc. to become wholly owned subsidiary of Canon Inc."
publisher = Canon Inc.
date = 12 January 2007
url = http://www.canon.com/press/2007/sed2007jan12.html
accessdate = 2007-01-23] This move was triggered by litigation from Nano-Proprietary, Inc., which claimed Canon breached a license agreement by sharing technology licensed to Canon with the joint venture company. [cite press release
title = "Nano-Proprietary, Inc. comments on Canon's press release regarding SED, Inc. ownership"
publisher = Nano-Proprietary, Inc.
date = 12 January 2007
url = http://www.nano-proprietary.com/2007PressReleases/PressReleasesJan12.asp
accessdate = 2007-01-23]

Canon has also announced it is developing OLED and rear-projection displays. [cite web
last = Canon, Inc.
title = Next-Generation Displays
url = http://www.canon.com/about/strategies/display.html
accessdate = 2007-01-23]

Origins of company name

The name Canon began in 1934 with the Kwanon camera, which Yoshida, a Buddhist, named after Guan Yin. [cite web
title = Prototype-version "Kwanon", Japan's First 35mm Focal-Plane Shutter Camera
publisher = Canon Inc.
url = http://www.canon.com/about/history/episode01b.html
accessdate = 2008-02-15] The bodhisattva's Japanese name is Kannon or, in a now obsolete romanization, Kwannon.

Looking to the mass market the following year, Uchida looked for a more modern sounding name, settling on "Canon". The word means "authoritative scriptures" in English, and it was felt that this implies accuracy, a desired trait in a camera. [cite web
title = Applying for the "Canon" Trademark
publisher = Canon Inc.
url = http://www.canon.com/about/history/episode01c.html
accessdate = 2008-02-15] The company trademarked the name Canon on 26 June 1935. [ [http://www.canon.com/about/history/index.html History of Canon] ]

Environmental report

According to a report by the New England-based environmental organization Clean Air-Cool Planet, Canon tops the list of 56 companies the survey conducted about climate-friendly companies. [ [http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN1840883720070619?feedType=RSS Reuters report] ]

To further show the company's commitment to the environment, Canon launched three new calculators in Europe, called "Green Calculators", which are produced, in part, from recycled Canon copiers. [ [http://www.canon-europe.com/About_Us/News/Consumer_Releases/Consumer_2008_LS-8TCG_HS-1200TCG_TS-1200TCG.asp Think green: Canon launches recycled calculator range] . Retrieved on 2 September 2008]

However, despite extensive advertisements regarding conservation, Canon was criticized by Greenpeace with regard to the issue of whaling in Japan in their attempt to stir up controversy. Greenpeace sent Canon a statement asking Fujio Mitarai, the Chairman and CEO of Canon Japan, to sign it to support the end of lethal whaling research. Canon responded by saying they are committed to preserving the environment but since opinion varies on scientific whaling research, they would not sign the statement. Greenpeace used this response to speculate that Canon supports whaling. [ [http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/canon-shooting-whales-240108 Does Canon support shooting whales? | Greenpeace International ] ]

Sponsorship

Football

Canon was the first sponsor of the English Football League, with the deal beginning in 1983 and finishing in 1986, when Canon's backing finished and new sponsors Today newspaper took over.

Canon supported the UEFA Champions League from 1995-2000 and from 2004-2006. It also sponsored the UEFA Euro 2004 and UEFA Euro 2008 tournament.

Canon is also the official camera of the NFL.

Williams F1 Team

Canon was the title sponsor of the Williams F1 team from 1985-1993. It was replaced by Rothmans in 1994.

ee also

* List of Canon products
* Canon Open

References

External links

* [http://www.canon.com/ Canon official site]
* [http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/ Canon's Online Camera Museum]