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Japan

History

FUJIFILM’s 90-Year History

Leveraging our foundation of proprietary photographic film technologies, Fujifilm is offering a wide variety of products and services, and has committed to solving society’s greatest challenges.

Year Month History

1934

Jan.

Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., established, based on a government plan to establish a domestic photographic film manufacturing industry. The new company inherited the split-off photographic film operations of Dainippon Celluloid Company Limited.

Feb.

Ashigara Factory (currently the Kanagawa Factory Ashigara Site) began operating, producing photographic film, photographic print paper, dry plates, and other photosensitive materials

1938

June

Odawara Factory (currently the Kanagawa Factory Odawara Site) established

1944

Mar.

Business operations obtained from Enomoto Kogaku Seiki Manufacturing Co., Ltd., and Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd. established

1946

Apr.

Natural Color Photography Co., Ltd. (name changed to Fuji Color Photo Co., Ltd., in June 1953 and subsequently transformed into Fujicolor Service Co., Ltd.), established

1958

Aug.

Established Fuji Photo Film do Brasil Ltda. as a subsidiary in Brasil

1962

Feb.

Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd., established as joint venture with U.K.-based Rank Xerox Limited (currently Xerox Limited)

1963

Oct.

Fujinomiya Factory established

1965

Apr.

Name of Fuji Color Photo Co., Ltd., changed to Fujicolor Service Co., Ltd., and marketing operations of Fuji Color Photo Co., Ltd., split off to establish Fujicolor Trading Co., Ltd.

Dec.

Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. (currently FUJIFILM U.S.A., Inc.) established in New York State to comprehensively manage business in North America

1966

June

Fuji Photo Film (Europe) GmbH (currently FUJIFILM Europe GmbH) established in Düsseldorf to comprehensively manage business in Europe

1972

Dec.

Yoshida-Minami Factory established

1982

Aug.

Netherlands-based Fuji Photo Film B.V. (currently FUJIFILM Manufacturing Europe B.V.) established as the Fujifilm group's principal manufacturing company in Europe

1987

Mar.

Germany-based Fuji Magnetic GmbH (a recording media manufacturing company, currently FUJIFILM Recording Media GmbH) established

1988

July

U.S.-based Fuji Photo Film, Inc. (currently FUJIFILM Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc.) established in South Carolina as the Fujifilm group's principal manufacturing company in the United States

1993

Oct.

Acquired 51% of outstanding shares in Chiyoda Medical Co., Ltd.

1995

Oct.

FUJIFILM Imaging Systems (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., established in Suzhou, China

1996

June

Hong Kong-based Hong Kong Fuji Photo Logistics, Ltd. (currently FUJIFILM Hong Kong Limited), established

1997

Dec.

Acquired German-based Eurocolor Photofinishing GmbH & Co. KG

2001

Mar.

Acquired additional 25% of Fuji Xerox's outstanding shares, increasing the shareholding in that company to 75% and transforming that company into a consolidated subsidiary

Oct.

U.S.-based Enovation Graphic Systems, Inc. (a graphic arts materials marketing company, currently FUJIFILM Graphic Systems U.S.A, Inc.), established

2003

Apr.

Acquired additional shares in Process Shizai Co., Ltd., (currently FUJIFILM Graphic Systems Co., Ltd.), transforming that company into a consolidated subsidiary

2004

Apr.

Chiyoda Medical Co., Ltd., merged into FUJIFILM MEDICAL CO., LTD.

Apr.

FUJIFILM Battery Co., Ltd., merged into FUJIFILM AXIA Co., Ltd.

Oct.

FUJIFILM IMAGING Co., Ltd., established. Fujicolor Imaging Service Co., Ltd., and FUJIFILM AXIA Co., Ltd., merged into the new company, which also took over the domestic marketing operations of four major photographic product distributors to unify the Fujifilm group's domestic imaging solutions marketing operations

Nov.

Acquired microelectronic materials business of U.S.-based Arch Chemicals, Inc., along with 100% of shares in joint venture FUJIFILM ARCH Co., Ltd. (currently FUJIFILM Electronics Materials Co., Ltd.)

2005

Feb.

Acquired U.K.-based Sericol Group Limited (currently FUJIFILM Sericol Limited), a company with expanding operations in screen printing inks, packaging printing inks, and industrial-use inkjet printer inks

2006

Jan.

Transformed Sankio Chemical Co., Ltd. (currently FUJIFILM FINECHEMICALS CO., LTD. ), into a wholly owned subsidiary

Feb.

Acquired Avecia Inkjet Limited (currently FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants Limited)

Apr.

FUJIFILM Advanced Research Laboratories established

July

Acquired U.S.-based industrial inkjet printhead manufacturer Dimatix, Inc. (currently FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc.)

Oct.

Fujifilm group shifted to a holding company structure centering on the holding company FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, which controls both the group's two largest companies — FUJIFILM Corporation and Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.

You can see the history after October 2006 on the FUJIFILM Holdings website.