FUJINON CORPORATION SECTION INDEX PAGE

The Fujinon Corporation is well known internationally as a part of the immense Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., an innovative Japanese company. The Fujinon headquarters facilities are at 1-324 Uetake, Kita-Ku, Saitama City, Saitama 331-9624.

Right: The Fujinon Corporation headquarters complex in Saitama City, Saitama, Japan (110,640 Bytes).

The establishment of the Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., in Japan occurred on 20 January 1934 through the acquisition of a photo film division of Dainippon Celluloid Co., Ltd., (currently Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd.). The business plan was based on the manufacture of photo film domestically with an initial capital of ¥3 million. By February 1934 operations commenced at the Ashigara Factory starting with the manufacturing of photographic film, printing paper, dry plate, and other photographic sensitive materials.

In March 1944 Fuji Photo Film acquired Enomoto Kogaku Seiki Manufacturing Co., Ltd. company, and this was renamed Fuji Photo Optical Company, Ltd. The purpose of this acquisition was to develop the optical instrument business of Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Fuji Photo Optical Company, Ltd. became known as Fujinon, one of about thirty five consolidated subsidiaries (Domestic Group Companies) of Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. based in Tokyo, Japan - with even more located overseas!

By investing in extensive research and development, Fujinon combined optical technologies with more complex evolving technologies in a strategic formula. With about 1,230 employees and sales rising to 144,421 million Yen in 2005, Fujinon continues to grow and focus on the development of new products for the future. In order to meet the diversified optical demands of the world, Fuji lives by a fundamental working philosophy: they are dedicated to developing and manufacturing the highest-quality optical products that deliver superior performance all backed by a competent and concerned service and support and distribution team.

The Fujinon group of companies are involved in the development of numerous optical technologies. These are so demanding that only the USA, Germany and Japan have historically been highly successful in these areas. Fuji continues to advance the state of the art in coatings and lens making technologies, with great successes in the automation of a number of lens making and high technology materials processes. And starting in the 1990's Fujinon began an initiative to spread its facilities to countries where it anticipated capable workforces and demand for their products. For example consider the Fujinon Tianjin Optical Company, Ltd. which was established by Fuji in 1994 and Fujinon Shenzhen Optical Company, Ltd. established in September 2001 in China. These have been engaged in the manufacture and assembling of lenses and finders for cameras, optical units for liquid crystal projectors, and more. These are becoming known as important outlets of optical components for customers in the rapid-expanding Asian market. The China facilities are equipped with the same processing machines as those being used in Fujinon Corporation in Japan. The know-how to make the best use of the machines, and much of the Fujinon manufacturing esprit de corps has been conveyed to the local staff by Fujinon engineers from Japan, who remain available to provide technical support as needed. As a result, Fujinon Tianjin Optical Co., Ltd. and Fujinon Shenzhen Optical Company, Ltd. have successfully developed the capacity to maintain the same technical level of lens processing as those in Japan.

Fujinon is comprised of at least eight business line departments, with at least three manufacturing company groups in Japan, and two in China. The development and manufacture of binoculars is managed by Fujinon's Optical Instruments Department. There they develop and manufacture a wide range of optical instruments beyond binoculars for general consumers as well as optical systems mounted on space satellites. Among the most well known of these products among the astronomy community are the giant 150 mm (6 inch) aperture refractive binoculars, renowned by comet hunters several of whom have discovered numerous comets. Other products made by the OID include systems for use beyond the visible spectrum, optical devices for space flight. In fact Fujinon optical systems mounted on the space satellite "Fuyo No. 1" returned images captured at an altitude of 348 miles (560 km) show excellent resolving power of a 59 x 79 feet (18 X 24 m) sized object. A Fujinon optical system has also been mounted on the space satellite "Midori No. 2" which was launched in December 2002.

The Fujinon facility maintains clean areas for assembly since even a little bit of dirt can be detrimental to the ultra-precision processes including dichroic coating and CCD adhesion. Processing work is being performed in a clean room of Class 100 or less under the comprehensive dirt management procedures. Fujinon optical instruments are manufactured in moderate quantities, with numerous steps of inspection assuring a high degree of quality control management. Company Seven can not recall having to return a new Fujinon product! This is one of very few product lines where we feel so confident about product consistency.

Among the more notable landmarks in the history of the company are:

• Jan. 20, 1934 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. established.
• Mar. 1944 Fuji Photo Optical Company, Ltd. formed.
• Aug. 1948 Fuji's first still camera, FUJICA-6, was introduced in the market.
• Mar. 1957 Streamlined our organization as a comprehensive optics manufacturer upon taking over a lens division of the Odawara Factory of FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD.
• Sep. 1962 Domestic production of an electronic copier [XEROX 914] was started.
• Mar. 1965 Established FUJINON SANO CORPORATION to expand the machining division.
• Apr. 1968 Established FUJINON MITO CORPORATION to expand the camera division.
• Apr. 1971 Entered into medical business by commercializing FUJINON endoscope.
• Jan. 1974 Established FUJINON INC. in New York, USA, as a subsidiary company.
• Mar. 1980 Established FUJINON (EUROPE) GmbH in Dusseldorf, Germany, as a subsidiary company.
• Oct. 1983 FUJINON OKAYA CORPORATION became a 100% owned subsidiary company.
• Jan. 1985 Commenced the mass production of optical plastic lenses for the CD players.
• May 1985 Announced video endoscope at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) Show in USA.
• May 1989 Announced new video endoscope [Super Image] at Gastroenterological Endoscopy Show in Japan.
• Mar. 1991 Established FUJINON SINGAPORE PTE. LTD. as a subsidiary company in Singapore.
• Dec. 1992 Established FUJINON AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD. as a subsidiary company in Australia.
• Jul. 1993 Received ISO9002 certification.
• Mar. 1994 The 50th anniversary of the establishment of FUJINON CORPORATION.
• Sep. 1994 Announced 70X zoom television lens for the broadcasting at IBC Show in Holland.
• Nov. 1994 Received ISO9001 certification.
• Established FUJINON TIANJIN OPTICAL CO., LTD. as a subsidiary company in China.
• Sep. 1995 Established FUJINON HONG KONG LTD. as a subsidiary company.
• Oct. 1996 Received the Deeming Prize for accomplishment of the Total Quality Control activities.
• Oct. 1996 Engineering Emmy Award for broadcasting television lenses was received.
• Jan. 1998 Received ISO14001 certification.
• May 1999 Awarded a prize by Motion Picture and Television Engineering Society of Japan for the development of TV lens for supersensitive, high-definition color TV cameras.
• Sep. 2000 Released DIGI POWER 87, the world's highest zoom magnification TV lens of 87 times.
• Jan. 2001 Established SHANGHAI FUJINON MEDICAL EQUIPMENT CO., LTD. as a subsidiary company in China.
• Sep. 2001 Established FUJINON SHENZHEN OPTOELECTRONICS CO., LTD. as a subsidiary company in China.
• Mar. 2002 Established FUJINON TOSHIBA ES SYSTEM CO., LTD. as a subsidiary company.
• Apr. 2003 Introduced the 101 times zoom lens for broadcasting cameras in NAB.
• Oct. 2003 Released the double-balloon video endoscopy system for the small intestine.
• Apr. 2004 Introduced the zoom lens with the auto focus system "Precision Focus" for broadcasting cameras in NAB.
• Sep. 2004 Released the fully digital endoscope "Sapientia."
• Oct. 2004 The company name was changed from FUJI PHOTO OPTICAL CO., LTD. to FUJINON CORPORATION.
• Apr. 2005 The business of Photofinishing Equipment Department was transferred to FUJIFILM TECHNO PRODUCTS CO,. LTD.

As related by Takeshi Higuchi, President of Fujinon Corporation:

"We at Fujinon Corporation are proud to state that in the past half a century, we have made the greatest contribution, throughout the world, as one of the foremost pioneers in the development of optic technology. Our advance technology evolved from our research and development, our manufacturing know-how and our quality control systems. By placing our emphasis in these areas, it enabled us to produce products of the highest standard in the world. We will continue our leadership in 21st century by taking the next generation into the higher sphere of optical technology known as optomechatronics."




Right: Takeshi Higuchi, President and Chairman of the Board of Fujinon Corporation (150,654 Bytes).