Our Story

Canon began with cameras. That’s our history.

In 1933, Canon—then Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory —was established in Japan. One year later, the company produced its first prototype, a 35mm focal-plane-shutter camera. Thirty-one years later—1964—Canon entered a new market, the business arena, introducing the world’s first 10-key electronic calculator.

We’ve never stopped expanding. It’s our evolution of innovation. That’s our future.

Canon has been a world leader in digital imaging solutions for more than 80 years. We are respected for our quality and creativity. We represent responsibility—financially, socially, environmentally—stability and trust. We’re a company and brand positioned for long-term success. And we want to do more. We want the Canon of 2020—of 2025, of 2035, and beyond—to look completely different than the Canon of today.

By branching into new markets and transforming our business, we will do more. We’ve secured new growth avenues by expanding our current business while pursuing merger and acquisition opportunities in commercial printing, network cameras, life sciences, biomedical solutions and next-generation semiconductor lithography systems. Through automation, we’ve strengthened our manufacturing capabilities. To grow our business, we’ve gone beyond our business to adopt a new R&D approach, embracing open innovation to leverage and integrate leading-edge technologies and knowledge from different fields.

Here in Canada, our sales and marketing teams bring our services and solutions to life, building strong customer relationships as we leverage our digital reach to connect with consumers in new ways. Continuing to grow and push the limits of innovation—and imagination—will be challenging.

But with our DNA of entrepreneurship and the San-ji Spirit—self-motivation, self-management and self-awareness—the worldwide Canon Group will work as one to pave the way to new growth and shape an exciting future.