Noritsu company history

Noritsu minilab manufacturer history

    Noritsu has been a pioneer of the minilab. Let us review most modern products and the history of Noritsu Koki from the start to the present, introducing the company's principal products in the process.

1951	Kanichi Nishimoto, the founder of Noritsu Koki, developed an automatic print washer. Taking the principle of the water mill as a hint, the foundation for Noritsu Koki was laid with this automatic print washer which was able to be used even in times of power failure.
1956	Noritsu Koki Manufacturing Limited Liability Company was established with its head office in Wakayama City.

1961	The company was reorganized as Noritsu Koki Co., Ltd. The monochrome film processor RF-20E, a revolutionary automatic developing machine of monochrome film, was developed. This was the first successful attempt at automation of film processing in the world.
1964	The color film processor RF-CI was developed. This machine was a hit product, exceeding the level of automatic film processing equipment in the world at that time, a revolutionary processor which greatly advanced the automation of photographic film processing. Tokyo Sales Office was established.
1966	The Fukuoka Sales Office was established. The CS-300 was exhibited at the First Lab Equipment Show.
1967	The Nagoya Sales Office and Sapporo Sales Office were established.
1969	The Noritsu Koki 'Nodo' Enlarger was developed. This advanced machine was developed in cooperation with the Nodo company by using technology introduced from overseas. It acquired a good reputation for performance and functionality which exceeded that of Japanese equipment at that time, and provided important stimulation for Noritsu Koki's development staff.

1970	The Hiroshima Sales Office was established.
1971	The Sendai Sales Office was established.
1972	The RPE-4400 and other Noritsu equipment was exhibited at the Photokina Show for the first time.
1973	The Osaka Sales Office was established.
1975	The color paper processor RPV-2 series was developed. A new concept in paper processors resulted in an increase in processing capacity with the adoption of a unit changeover system. Noritsu exhibited for the first time several products including the F-830 at the PMA Show.
1976	QSS-1 was developed. This was the origin of the QSS minilabs, and propelled Noritsu onto the world stage.
1978	The Noritsu America Corporation was established.
1979	QSS-2 was developed. It incorporated a microprocessor, and carried out a whole series of operations from film development through the completion of color printing in 45 minutes. It aroused a great deal of excitement in America as the definitive automatic processing system.

1980	Noritsu UK Ltd. was established.
1981	Noritsu (Deutschland) GmbH was established.
1982	QSS-6 Series minilabs, which were capable of enlarging photographs, were developed. The first automatic processing system in the world with an enlarging capability, this minilab system could make high quality prints up to 10 x 12 inches (254cm x 305cm) at high speed. It firmly established the name of Noritsu Koki technology in the world.
1984	The Hokuriku Service Center, Shikoku Service Center, South Kyushu Service Center and Noritsu Hong Kong were established.
1985	Company head office was moved to Umehara, Wakayama City. The Niigata Service Center, Noritsu Do Brasil Ltda. and Noritsu Singapore Pte. Ltd. were established.
1986	Noritsu China Ltd. was established.
1987	Noritsu Canada Ltd. was established as a subsidiary of the Noritsu America Corporation. The QSS-11 high speed system, capable of processing 500,000 to 700,000 photos per month, acquired a good reputation as an integrated lab system.
1988	The Nagano Service Center was established. The Nishimoto Academy was established. QSS-12 was developed. Equipped with the world's first zoom lens, this machine was capable of reading the DX code by employing an automatic negative mask.
1989	The Shimane Service Center, Noritsu France S.A.R.L., Noritsu Koki Australia Pty. Ltd. and Noritsu Taiwan Co., Ltd. were established. The ultra compact QSS-14 minilab was developed. As the world's most compact machine, the QSS-14 could be installed in a space of just 1.1 square meters.

1990	The QSS-15 minilab, capable of printing panorama photographs, was developed. The Seoul Branch Office and Noritsu Tec Co., Ltd. were established.
1991	The Okayama Service Center and Okinawa Service Center were established. Noritsu Czech Spol.s.r.o. was established as a subsidiary of Noritsu (Deutschland) GmbH. QSS-MICRO was developed, bringing new meaning to the word 'compact'. This machine was capable of automatically performing all tasks from film developing to printing.
1992	The No. 2 Tokyo Sales Office was established. Noritsu (Poland) Sp.z.o.o. was established as a subsidiary of Noritsu (Deutschland) GmbH. The Latin America Office (in Brazil) and the Beijing Office were established.
1993	The new head office building, the Noritsu Koki Center Building, was completed. The Kumamoto Service Center and The Matsuyama Office were established. Noritsu Da Amazonia (in Brazil) was established as a subsidiary of the Noritsu Do Brasil Ltda. The ISO9002 international standard for quality control and quality guarantee was approved and adopted.
1994	Noritsu Italia S.R.L.was established.
1995	The Moscow Office was established.
1996	Noritsu Philippines Inc. was established. The QSS-2301/2302 minilabs, compatible with the Advanced Photo System and also digital imaging, were developed. Noritsu Koki was listed in the second market division of the Osaka Stock Exchange.
1997	The Noritsu Koki EMC Center was completed. The Takamatsu Sales Office was established. Noritsu (R) Ltd. (Russia) was established as a subsidiary of Noritsu (Deutschland) GmbH, and Noritsu Mexico S.A.De C.V was established as a subsidiary of the Noritsu America Corporation. The Near East Branch Office was established in the United Arab Emirates. The high capacity QSS-2402 minilab, with increased automation and labor saving features, was developed. Noritsu Koki moved from the Second market division to the First market division of the Osaka Stock Exchange, and was listed on the First market division of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
1998	Noritsu Shanghai was established. The Wuhan Office was established in the Peoples Republic of China. The QSS-2511MICRO plus, the world's first APS/135 fully automated minilab, was developed. The compact, high-capacity, and economical QSS-2611 minilab was developed. The Sound Photo System, which adds sound to digital photographs was developed. The next generation QSS-2701Digital system was developed, marking the start of a new direction in minilabs.
1999	The Morioka Service Center was established. Noritsu Koki (Malaysia) SDN. BHD was established as a subsidiary of Noritsu Singapore Pte.Ltd. The next generation QSS-2711DLS fully digital minilab system was jointly developed by Noritsu and the Eastman Kodak Company of the United States, combining both companies' technology. The QSS-2801/2802 high capacity fully digital minilabs were jointly developed by Noritsu and Texas Instruments of the United States. The ISO14001 international environmental standard was approved and adopted.

2000	The India Branch Office was established. The QSS-2612, a high-capacity version of the QSS-26 series minilabs, was developed.
2001	The QSS-2901Digital, which is a fully digital minilab with a compact body and superior correction features, was developed. To strengthen our competitive position in the Chinese market, a Noritsu plant was established in Shanghai. We began service on the Internet photo website Digital Photo Egg (DPEgg).(Available in Japan only) To consolidate the distribution operations of our existing subsidiaries in Europe, the Noritsu European Distribution Center was established in the Netherlands. The QSS-3001Digital, which is a fully digital minilab with a tiny footprint, was developed.
2002	The QSS-3101Digital was developed. The QSS-3101 is a high capacity fully digital minilab with a maximum print size of 12 x 18 inches. The MQPB-4, which is a self-service ID photo booth with a built-in digital camera, was developed. (Sold in Japan only) Noritsu Koki formed a strategic alliance with Seiko Epson for Dry minilab development and sales. The dDP-411, Noritsu's first dry minilab system, was developed as a result of this alliance. Noritsu enters The Joint Development Agreement and The Worldwide Supply Agreement with Eastman Kodak. The Shizuoka Service Center was established. The MYTIS-1 (Multi-Yield Transfer Inkjet System) was developed as a result of a collaboration between Noritsu Koki and Kiwa Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. The MYTIS-1 is a wide-format inkjet printing system that uses direct-print media and dispersion dye ink.
2003	The ISO 9001 : 2000 International Quality Management Standard was approved and adopted.