Seiko Epson Corporation, commonly known as Epson,[6] is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Suwa, Nagano, Japan and one of the world's largest manufacturers of printers and information- and imaging-related equipment.[7] Its products include inkjet, dot matrix, thermal and laser printers for consumer, business and industrial use, scanners, laptop and desktop computers, video projectors, watches, smartglasses, industrial robots and automation equipment, amorphous alloy powders, MIM parts, semiconductors, crystal oscillators, sensing devices and other associated electronic components.
The company has developed as one of the manufacturing companies (formerly known as Seikosha) of the Seiko Group, a name traditionally known for manufacturing Seiko timepieces. Seiko Epson develops and manufactures certain models of quartz and Spring Drive wristwatches for the Seiko Watch, but is neither a subsidiary nor an affiliate of Seiko Group Corporation.
History
Origins
The roots of Seiko Epson Corporation go back to a company called Daiwa Kogyo, Ltd. which was founded in May 1942[8] by Hisao Yamazaki, a local clock shop owner and former employee of K. Hattori, in Suwa, Nagano.[9] Daiwa Kogyo was supported by an investment from the Hattori family (founder of the Seiko Group) and began as a manufacturer of watch parts for Daini Seikosha (currently Seiko Instruments). The company started operation in a 230 m2 renovated miso storehouse with 22 employees.[10]
In 1943, Daini Seikosha established a factory in Suwa for manufacturing Seiko watches with Daiwa Kogyo. In 1959, the Suwa Factory was split up and merged into Daiwa Kogyo to form Suwa Seikosha Co., Ltd: the forerunner of the Seiko Epson Corporation.
ESC/P
To control its printers, Epson introduced a printer control language, the Epson Standard Code for Printers (or ESC/P). It became a de facto industry standard for controlling print formatting during the era of dot matrix printers, whose popularity was initially started by the Epson MX-80.[22]
Robots
Epson Robots is the robotics design and manufacturing department of Epson. Seiko Epson produces some microcontrollers, such as the S1C63. In 1980, Epson started the production of robots.[44]
Ink cartridge controversies
In July 2003, a Netherlands-based consumer association advised its 640,000 members to boycott Epson inkjet printers. The organisation alleged that Epson customers were unfairly charged for ink they could never use. Later that month, however, the group retracted its call for a nationwide boycott and issued a statement conceding that residual ink left in Epson cartridges was necessary for the printers to function properly.[45]
Epson designed ink to be left in the cartridges (having done so ever since the introduction of piezoelectric print heads) due to the way the capping mechanism worked. If the capping mechanism dries out, then the heads risk getting clogged, necessitating expensive repairs.
Nonetheless, Epson America, Inc. settled a class action lawsuit brought before the Los Angeles Superior Court. It did not admit guilt, but agreed to refund $45 to anyone who purchased an Epson inkjet printer after April 8, 1999 (at least $20 of which must be used at Epson's e-Store).[46]
According to IDG News Service, Epson filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in February 2006 against 24 companies that manufactured, imported, or distributed Epson-compatible ink cartridges for resale in the U.S. On March 30, 2007, ITC judge Paul Luckern issued an initial determination that the cartridges in question did infringe upon Epson's
See also
- Inkjet technology
External links
References
- Company Outline | About | Epson^
- 1 April 2024 - 31 March 2025^
- Financial Results for the Year ended March 31, 2025 retrieved 2025-06-05^