History of TAMRON
The present corporate name is derived from the name of Mr. Uhyoue Tamura, who was a prominently recognized optical designer and laid the technological foundations of the company.
1950s - 1970s
| November, 1950 |
Taisei Optical Equipment Manufacturing is established in Urawa-city by Mr. Fujio Watanabe and Mr. Takeyuki Arai Manufacture of cameras and binocular lenses starts |
|---|---|
| October, 1952 | Taisei Optical Equipment Manufacturing Inc. is established with capital of 2.5 million yen |
| 1957 |
135mm F/4.5 is developed for 35mm single-lens reflex cameras The 'T' mount, the world's first interchangeable lenses for 35mm single-lens reflex cameras, is developed |
| August, 1958 | TAMRON Brand is registered as trademark |
| September, 1959 |
Head office and main plant are established in Hasunuma, Omiya-city Mass production of 95-205mm F/6.3 the first affordable telephoto zoom lens for single-lens reflex cameras, starts a zoom lenses |
| May, 1966 |
Production of test plates, ultra-precision lenses and prisms begins Production of 'TAMRON Adapt-A-Matic' range of interchangeable mount lenses, providing auto-focus capabilities for various single-lens reflex cameras begins Production of television broadcasting lenses for ITV begins |
| May, 1969 |
Hirosaki Plant is established in Aomori Prefecture Production of interchangeable lenses for single-lens reflex cameras, television lenses and photocopier lenses, etc., begins |
| April, 1970 | The Company name is changed to Tamron Co., Ltd. |
| September, 1976 | Head Office transferred to Takinogawa, Kita-ku, Tokyo |
| 1976 | The TAMRON Adaptall Lens' range with built-in lightweight macro-mechanism and exclusive quick-focus system is introduced |
| April, 1979 |
U.S. subsidiary, Tamron Industries, Inc., is established in New York 'Super-Performance (SP)' series is introduced |
1980s - 2000s
| January, 1981 | No. 2 Production Building is established at Hirosaki Plant |
|---|---|
| September, 1982 | Tamron Vertriebsges, GmbH. is established in Germany |
| November, 1982 | TAMRON INDUSTRIES (HONKG KONG) LIMITED is established |
| 1983 | Integrated video camera lens is developed |
| February, 1984 | Optech Tamron Co., Ltd. is established in Namioka-machi, Aomori Prefecture |
| August, 1984 | TAMRON registers with the Tokyo stock Exchange for over-the-counter trading and capital is increased to 3,835,575,000 yen |
| December, 1985 | Tamron Fine-Giken Co., Ltd. is established to produce molds and dies for precision moldings |
| January, 1986 | Molding plant is established in Owani-machi, Aomori Prefecture |
| April, 1995 | Tamron U.K. Ltd. is established in the United Kingdom |
| July, 1995 | TAMRON enters the medium-format camera business after acquiring shares in the long-established Bronica Co., Ltd. |
| November, 1995 | Hirosaki Plant achieve ISO9001 certification |
| May, 1997 | TAMRON INDUSTRIES (HONKG KONG) LIMITED is established in Hong Kong |
| July, 1997 | Tamron Optical (Foshan) Co. Ltd. is established in Foshan, Quang Dong, Peoples Republic of China |
| July, 1998 | Bronica Co., Ltd. is merged into Tamron Co., Ltd. |
| June, 2000 | TAMRON France EURL. is established |
| September, 2000 | Head office achieves ISO 9001 certification |
| December, 2000 | Tamron's Hirosaki Plant achieves ISO 14001 certification |
| September, 2001 | TAMRON OPTICAL (FOSHAN) CO.,LTD. achieve ISO9001 & ISO14001 certification |
| October, 2001 | Head Office achieve ISO14001 certification |
| November, 2003 | Namioka Plant and Owani Plant achieve ISO14001 certification |
| January, 2004 | Namioka Plant and Owani Plant achieve ISO9001 certification |
| April, 2005 | Head Office transferred to Hasunuma, Minuma-ku, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture |
| October, 2005 | TAMRON OPTICAL (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD. is established |
| November, 2006 | TAMRON listed on the 1st Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange |
| November, 2007 | New production plant of TAMRON OPTICAL (FOSHAN) CO., LTD. Begins Operation |
| August, 2009 | Acquires certification of ISO/TS16949, a quality management system for the automotive industry |
2010s - Present
| March, 2012 | TAMRON (Russia) LLC., is established |
|---|---|
| May, 2012 | TAMRON OPTICAL (VIETNAM) CO., LTD. is established |
| March, 2013 | TAMRON INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED is established |
| March, 2015 | Kouyu Kosan Co., Ltd. stock acquisition, becoming a Tamron Co., Ltd. Subsidiary |
| June, 2015 | Kouyu Kosan Co., Ltd. merged into Tamron Co., Ltd. |
| May, 2017 | TOUMEIGIKEN Co., Ltd. stock acquisition, becoming a Tamron Co., Ltd. Subsidiary |
| March, 2020 | New Well Co., Ltd. stock acquisition, becoming a Tamron Co., Ltd. Subsidiary |
| July, 2020 | Tamron Co., Ltd. liquidates New Well Co., Ltd. |
| June, 2021 | Acquires certification of ISO 13485:2016, the international standard of quality management systems for medical devices |
| April, 2022 | Tamron Co., Ltd. moves to the Prime Market of Tokyo Stock Exchange |