History

1910s
  • The Optics Division of Tokyo Keiki Manufacturing and the Mirror Division of Iwaki Glass Manufacturing merge to form Nippon Kogaku Kogyo K.K. (Japan Optical Industries Corp.) using capital provided by Koyata Iwasaki, president of Mitsubishi (1917).
  • Oi Plant is completed (1918).
  • Optical glass manufacturing research is launched (1918).
1920s
  • Eight German specialists are invited to Nikon to provide technical instruction.
1940s
  • Nikon is listed on both the Tokyo and Osaka stock exchanges (1949).
1960s
  • Oi Plant's Ofuna site (now Yokohama Plant) is built (1967).
  • K.K. Tachibana Seisakusho (corporate name changed to Mito Nikon Corporation in 1977, Mito Nikon Precision Corporation in 2007, dissolved in 2010) is established (1968).
  • Ruling Engine No. 1 is installed at Tokyo University of Education (1964).
1970s
  • Development of the SR-1 machine begins (commission from VLSI Technology Research Association) (1976).
  • SR-1 machine is completed (1978).
1980
  • Announces and starts shipment of NSR-1010G (resolution: 1.0 µm (1,000 nm)), first stepper produced in Japan
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1981
  • Zao Nikon Co., Ltd. (now Miyagi Nikon Precision Co., Ltd.) is established.
  • NSR-1505G (resolution: 1,200 nm)
1983
  • Production space is expanded for specialized stepper plant within the Yokohama Plant.
1984
  • NSR-1505G2A (resolution: 1,000 nm)
1986
  • NSR-L7501G, first stepper for FPD produced in the world
1987
  • Nikon Tec Corporation is established.
1988
  • Corporate name is changed to Nikon Corporation.
1989
  • NSR-L1001G
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1990
  • Nikon Precision Korea Ltd. (abbreviated NPK) is established.
  • FX-201B
1991
  • Construction of new building at Tochigi Nikon for lithography system lens production is completed.
  • FX-301D
1992
  • FX-401E/402E
1993
  • FX-501D
1995
  • Nikon Precision Taiwan Ltd. is established in Taiwan.
1996
  • FX-601F
1998
  • FX-701M
2000
  • Nikon Precision Singapore Pte Ltd is established in Singapore.
  • Cleanroom at Tochigi Nikon is expanded.
  • FX-702J
  • FX-21S
2002
  • Nikon Precision Shanghai Co., Ltd. is established in China.
  • FX-51S/61S
  • FX-801M
2003
  • FX-53S/63S
2004
  • Yokohama Plant Yokosuka Branch (now Yokosuka Plant) is built.
2005
  • FX-71S/81S
2007
  • Tochigi Nikon Precision Co., Ltd. is established.
  • FX-803M/903N
2008
  • Sendai Nikon Precision Corporation is established.
  • FX-75S/85S
2009
  • Mito Nikon Precision Corporation is merged with Tochigi Nikon Precision Co., Ltd.
  • Sendai Nikon Precision Corporation is merged with Miyagi Nikon Precision Co., Ltd.
  • FX-101S
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2010
  • Sales of FPD lithography systems in Chinese market start.
2011
  • FX-66S
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  • FX-76S/86S
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2012
  • Yokosuka Plant is completed.
  • FX-67S
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2013
  • Building 530 at Yokohama Plant is closed. Construction of Building 502 is completed.
  • Nikon Precision Singapore Pte Ltd is merged with Nikon Singapore Pte. Ltd.
2014
  • Nikon Head Office is relocated to Shinagawa Intercity.
  • FX-86SH2
  • FX-86S2
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2016
  • FX-68S
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2018
  • FX-103SH/103S
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2021
  • FX-6AS
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2022
  • FX-88S
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2023
  • Nikon Instruments (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. is merged with Nikon Precision Shanghai Co., Ltd., and corporate name is changed to Nikon Precision (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
2024
  • Nikon Head Office is relocated to Nishioi, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo.