Konica Minolta: History, Global Sales, & information technology.

Konica Minolta is a leader in the Information technology business. Founded in 1863, their technology can be found in planetariums as well as offices around the world. Their business units include: Business technologies such as printers and copiers up to, and including, production level equipment, a health care division offering x-ray, ultra sound, and other medical technology, an industrial optical division which produces various lenses and meters, and a performance materials division which produces films and photo plates. Below is a detailed chart showing key points in their corporate history.

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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 Minolta 7000, SLR camera with an autofocus function, is launched
1987 Simple color-proofing system, Konsensus, is launched
1989 Laser Imager Li-10, medical digital imaging output system, is launched
1990 SP101, monochrome laser printer, is launched
CF70, digital full-color copier, 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”
Nassenger V, next-generation inkjet textile printer, 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 bizhub PRESS C8000, digital printing system, is launched
2011 AeroDR, cassette-type digital radiography system, is launched
The world’s first Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) lighting panels using only phosphorescent materials are released
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

Konica Minolta’s 2017 consolidated sales statement shows their strength in the market.

Revenue (millions of Yen) Operating profit Profit before tax
Fiscal Year ended Mar 2017 962,555 -6.7% 50,135 -16.5% 49,341 -15.0%

Camera / Photographic Film Founded in 1873, Core technologies - Materials, Nano-fabrication, Optics Imaging Present - Optical Products, Measuring Instruments, Healthcare, Business Solutions, Production Print Systems, Industrial Inkjet, OLED lighting, Performance Materials, Planetarium