Nikon Corp. received another order for its next-generation 450mm stepper machine, narrowing the gap  between itself and rival ASML Holding NV as the semiconductor industry shifts to 450mm diameter wafers. The new order is from the Global 450 Consortium (G450C), a US-based conglomerate of five leading  chipmakers – Intel, IBM, GlobalFoundries, TSMS, and Samsung. The consortium … [Read more...]

In a recent interview, Nikon Corp.’s President Makoto Kimura conceded that a slump in compact camera  sales may lead to weaker-than-forecast earnings in the coming financial year. Kimura said, “Nikon’s first  quarter earnings estimates are set “fairly low”, and the results will probably be close, or a little short.” Nikon also hinted at expansion of its product line into larger … [Read more...]

Sharp Corp. announced that the company’s board of directors passed a resolution to enter into a business  alliance with China Electronics Corporation (CEC), regarding LCD panels. Sharp and CEC had previously  cooperated to produce 6th generation LCD panels at CEC-Panda LCD Technology Co. in Nanjing City in May 2011. The current alliance includes providing high-definition … [Read more...]

Nearly a year and a half after it issued a “security on alert” warning about Olympus over the company’s  inadequate internal controls, the Tokyo Stock Exchange announced that it had finally withdrawn the warning on June 11th. TSE reviewed a report submitted by Olympus in January and concluded that there is no longer any problem with the company’s internal controls, after … [Read more...]

Nikon announced that total production of Nikkor lenses for Nikon interchangeable lens cameras reached 80  million in mid-June. The Nikon F, and the first Nikkor lens for Nikon SLR cameras (the Nikkor-S Auto 5cm F/2.0), were released in 1959. The company continues to expand its range of lenses for its Nikon 1 system,  introduced in October 2011. Nikon reached the 75 million mark … [Read more...]