(Above): Canon Oceania’s managing director Kotaro Fukushima
This week marks the 50th anniversary of Canon’s operations in Australia with the company’s
roots dating back to 1973 when it established a joint venture, Repco Canon, in Melbourne and focussed on the photocopier business.
In 1978, after five years of growth, Canon Australia was established shortly after it relocated its headquarters to Sydney where it began to manage all Canon products and expanded into imaging, which included cameras and printers.
The company later added to its operations Canon New Zealand and Canon Business Services, which became known as Canon Oceania. Today, the Canon Oceania Group employs 2,400 people across 22 locations.
The company said much of its success in the past 50 years is attributed to its stakeholders in the Oceania region and that there will be a continued reliance on them for greater support in the future.
Canon said it continues to leverage its technology, brand and customer base to provide solutions that will advance the way people in the Oceania region live and work in the future.
This vision is founded on Canon’s corporate philosophy of ‘Kyosei’. This philosophy aims for all people to live in harmony and work together for the common good, regardless of culture, customs, language or race.
Driven by this ethos, Canon continues to expand and grow in more global markets. Beyond imaging (cameras and printers), Canon now assumes vital roles in the medical care, industrial equipment, surveillance and commercial printing sectors, underscored by strategic partnerships and mergers and acquisitions.
Canon added that its aspiration to innovate through technology and solutions and make a difference for the people and communities living in Oceania will remain unchanged in the future.
Commenting on the 50th anniversary, Canon Oceania managing director Kotaro Fukushima said, “As an organisation, we want to grow alongside our communities – when they thrive, we do too.
“Celebrating Canon’s 50th year in Oceania is the perfect backdrop against which to honour those who have shared in our journey. Today, I am honoured to lead a company with a proud history. Building on the hard work of our predecessors, we are determined to focus our efforts to continue creating a brighter future.”
Canon has several small-scale yet significant projects planned throughout the year to express gratitude for the 50 years of strong relationships with stakeholders and customers.
To view Canon Oceania’s 50 years of history, watch this video.
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