- The Heritage of Toshiba
A video introducing Toshiba's proud heritage
Summary
Toshiba's early history has two strands: 1875 saw the establishment of Tanaka Seizo-sho (Tanaka Engineering Works), Japan's first manufacturer of telegraphic equipment. Its founder, Hisashige Tanaka (1799 - 1881), was well known from his youth for inventions that included mechanical dolls and a perpetual clock. Under the name Shibaura Seisaku-sho (Shibaura Engineering Works), his company became one of Japan's largest manufacturers of heavy electrical apparatus. In 1890, Hakunetsu-sha & Co., Ltd. was established as Japan's first plant for electric incandescent lamps. Subsequent diversification saw the company evolve as a manufacturer of consumer products. In 1899, the company was renamed Tokyo Denki (Tokyo Electric Co.).
In 1939, these two companies, leaders in their respective fields, merged to form an integrated electric equipment manufacturer, Tokyo Shibaura Denki (Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co., Ltd.). The company was soon well known as 'Toshiba,' which became its official name in 1978.
1875 –
1875
Hisashige Tanaka opened a telegraph equipment factory in Shimbashi, Tokyo. Kurume board of education
1890
Ichisuke Fujioka and Shoichi Miyoshi established Hakunetsu-sha & Co., Ltd. in Kyobashi, Tokyo. Manufactured Japan's first electric incandescent light bulbs.
1894
Produced Japan's first waterwheel power generators (60 kW).
Manufactured Japan's first electric fans.
1895
Produced Japan's first induction motors.
1900 –
1915
Manufactured Japan's first X-ray tubes.
1919
Produced Japan's first radio transmission tubes.
1921
Invented the "double coil electric bulb," one of the six great inventions in bulb technology.
1924
Started trial manufacture of cathode-ray tubes.
Manufactured Japan's first radio receivers.
1925 –
1930
Manufactured Japan's first electric washing machines and refrigerators.
1931
Released Japan's first vacuum cleaners.
1936
Completed Japan's first 150kilowatt broadcast transmitter for NHK.
1939
Tokyo Electric Company merged with Shibaura Engineering Works Co., Ltd. and established Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co., Ltd.
1940
Manufactured Japan's first fluorescent lamps.
1942
Completed Japan's first radars.
1949
Completed Japan's first 1,500A-1,000kilowatt unipolar mercury rectifiers.
1950 –
1952
Completed Japan's first TV broadcast transmitters and TV microwave relay system.
1953
Manufactured Japan's first 72,500 kVA umbrella type waterwheel generators.
1955
Released Japan's first electric rice cookers.
1957
Completed aurora radars for Antarctic observation and radars to observe scattering phenomena.
1959
Developed Japan's first transistorized televisions.
Developed Japan's first microwave ovens.
1963
Completed Japan's first 12,500kW nuclear power turbine generators.
Developed transmitters for satellite communications.
1964
Completed one of the world's largest centralized remote-control monitoring systems at electricity substations for Tokaido Shinkansen bullet trains.
1967
Completed the world's first automatic zip code reader.
1968
Developed a 100,000 gauss superconducting magnet, the most powerful in Japan.
1970
Developed the world's first color video phone.
1971
Released the world's first expanded IC color TV.
1972
Completed Japan's first 700,000kilowatt turbine generator.
Released the world's first color TV with black stripe-type cathode-ray tubes.
1975 –
1975
Celebrated 100th anniversary.
Completed 1-million kilowatt turbine generator, the largest in Japan.
1978
Launched medium-sized experimental broadcast satellite, Yuri.
Released the first Japanese word processor.
1979
Completed world's first optical-disc based data filing systems.
1982
Developed Japan's first Magnetic Resonance Imaging systems (MRI).
1983
Commercialized the world's first OCR technology able to read Chinese characters.
1984
Completed new head office Toshiba Building.
Started operation of experimental 50kilowatt fuel cell power plant, the largest in Japan.
1985
Developed Japan's first transceiver device for HDTV systems.
Developed 1-megabit CMOS DRAM.
Developed superconducting MRI systems.
Introduced world's first laptop personal computers.
1986
Developed 4-megabit dynamic RAM.
1988
Developed 16-megabit dynamic RAM.
1989
Introduced notebook personal computer, Dynabook.
1990 –
1991
Developed the world's first 4-megabit NAND-type Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read-only Memory (EEPROM).
1992
Developed the world's first 16-megabit NAND-type EEPROM.
Developed technology to turn chlorine-based plastics into fuel oil.
1993
Produced prototype product of the world's smallest MOS transistor, with a gate length of 0.04 microns.
1994
Introduced the sub-notebook personal computer, Dynabook SS.
1995
Began commercial production of Microfilter Cathode-ray tubes, the world's first CRT with a filter incorporating the three primary colors.
Developed high-density optical disc, DVD.
DVD standardized.
1996
Introduced the mini-notebook personal computer, Libretto.
Introduced DVD video players and DVD-ROM drives.
Commercialized DVD player in Japan.
1997
Introduced pocket size mobile communicator with build-in PHS, GENIO.
1998
Manufactured flat TV, FACE.
Developed the world's first MPEG 4 graphical data compression and expansion LSI.
1999
Introduced in-house company system.
Launched the world's quietest MRI.
Spun off Air Conditioning Equipment Division to a joint venture company with Carrier, Toshiba Carrier Corporation.
2000 –
2000
Celebrated 125th anniversary.
Manufactured BS digital TVs.
2001
Commercialized the world's first HDD & DVD video recorder.
2002
Developed the world's first networked home appliances.
Developed the world's first 65-nanometer (nm) CMOS process technology for embedded DRAM system LSIs.
2003
Introduced a 2-gigabit (Gb) single-die NAND flash memory.
Introduced to Japan a high-definition TV upgradable to receive terrestrial digital broadcasts.
Adopted the "Company with Commitees" system.
2004
Joined United Nation's Global Compact.
Introduced a 4-gigabit (Gb) single-die NAND flash memory.
Developed SED (Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Display), the next-generation flat panel display, with Canon Inc.
2005
Developed 8-gigabit NAND flash memory chip, using 70nm process technology, with SanDisk.
Announced details of Cell Broadband Engine™, co-developed with IBM, Sony Corporation, and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
2006
Announced the world's first HD DVD players and recorders, and AV notebook PC with HD DVD drive.
Acquired Westinghouse's nuclear power business.
2007
Developed Aquilion ONE™, 320-slice Dynamic Volume CT system that can capture complete images of the heart or brain in only one rotation.
Achieved cumulative sales of 60 million notebook PCs.
2008
Power plant monitoring and control systems inducted into Carnegie Mellon University's Software Hall of Fame.
2009
Released the CELL REGZA 55X1, the world's first LCD TV integrating the Cell Broadband Engine™.
2010
Commercialized the world's first 3D LCD TV not requiring dedicated glasses.
2011
LED lighting installed in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
2013
Commercialized world's first Glasses-free 3D medical display.
