Pioneer Corporation
Company type | Public K.K. (TYO: 6773) |
---|---|
Industry | Consumer electronics |
Founded | 1938 |
Founder | Nozomu Matsumoto |
Headquarters | 1-1, Shin-ogura, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan |
Key people | Susumu Kotani, President |
Products | Car audio and automotive navigation systems, Televisions (CRT Lens and Plasma, former product), PC DVD drives including PC DVD recorders, "set-top" DVD players and DVD recorders, Misc. DJ equipment |
Revenue | 797 billion Yen (March 31, 2007)[1] |
12.5 billion Yen (March 31, 2007) | |
6.7 billion Yen (March 31, 2007) | |
Number of employees | 37,622 (Consolidated, as of March 31, 2007) |
Website | Pioneer Corporation (Japan) Pioneer global network |
Pioneer Corporation (パイオニア株式会社, Paionia Kabushiki-kaisha) (TYO: 6773) is a Japanese multinational corporation that specializes in digital entertainment products, based in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. The company was founded by Nozomu Matsumoto in 1938 in Tokyo as a radio and speaker repair shop, and its current president is Susumu Kotani.
Pioneer played a role in the development of interactive cable TV, the Laser Disc player, the first automotive Compact Disc player, the first detachable face car stereo, Supertuner technology, DVD and DVD recording, plasma display (branded as Kuro), and Organic LED display (OLED). The company works with optical disc and display technology and software products and is also a manufacturer. Sharp Corporation took a 14% stake in Pioneer in 2007,[2] which has been reduced to 9%, but Sharp still remains the largest shareholder of Pioneer Corporation, followed by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. who owns roughly 4% of Pioneer shares following a memorandum between the two companies in 2010 to strengthen business ties.
In March 2010, Pioneer stopped producing televisions, announced on 12 February 2009.[3] On June 25, 2009, Sharp Corporation agreed to form a joint venture on their optical business to be called "Pioneer Digital Design and Manufacturing Corporation".[4]
History
- 1937: Pioneer’s founder, Nozomu Matsumoto develops the A-8 dynamic speaker.
- January 1938: Fukuin Shokai Denki Seisakusho (precursor of Pioneer) is founded in Tokyo.
- May 1947: Fukuin Denki is incorporated.
- December 1953: Hi-Fi Speaker PE-8 introduced.
- June 1961: Company name changed to Pioneer Electronic Corporation (now Pioneer Corporation).
- October 1961: Shares are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Second Section.
- June 1962: Introduces the world’s first separate stereo system.
- March 1966: Establishes sales companies in Europe and the U.S.
- February 1968: Shares are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section.
- April 1968: Shares are listed on the Osaka Securities Exchange.
- February 1969: Shares are listed on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange (now Euronext Amsterdam). U.S. GAAP consolidated financial reporting starts
- November 1975: Introduces the world’s first component car stereo.
- 1976: Hi-Fi Speaker HPM-100 introduced.
- December 1976: Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
- December 1977: Introduces the world’s first two-way addressable CATV system in the U.S. (with Warner Cable).
- 1978: Introduces SX-1980 receiver, Pioneer's most powerful receiver manufactured to date.
- February 1979: Introduces the industry-use Laserdisc player.
- June 1980: Introduces VP-1000 LD player for home use in the U.S.
- October 1981: Introduces LD player for home use and 70 LD software titles in Japan.
- October 1982: Introduces the LD Karaoke system for business use.
- November 1982: Introduces CD player.
- September 1984: Introduces the world’s first LD combination player compatible with CDs and LDs.
- October 1984: Releases the world’s first car CD player.
- December 1985: Introduces the 40-inch projection monitor.[5]
- June 1990: Introduces the world’s first CD-based GPS automotive navigation system.
- October 1992: Introduces the world’s first 4x CD-ROM changer.
- June 1996:
- Tokorozawa Plant earns ISO 14001 certification.
- Pioneer it was officially inaugurated and grand launched as "Pioneer Karaoke Channel" is a satellite television Astro on channel 19 to music video and karaoke programming consists solely of nightclub.
- December 1996: Introduces DVD/CD player and the world’s first DVD/LD/CD compatible player for home use.
- May 1997: Starts supplying digital satellite broadcast set-top boxes in Europe.
- June 1997: Introduces the world’s first DVD-based GPS automotive navigation system.
- October 1997: Introduces the world’s first DVD-R drive.
- November 1997: Introduces the world’s first OEL-equipped car audio product.
- December 1997: Introduces the world’s first high definition 50-inch plasma display for consumer use.
- June 1998: Introduces the world’s first DVD-based GPS automotive navigation system featuring 8.5GB dual-layered DVD.
- April 1999: Starts supplying digital CATV set-top boxes in the U.S.
- December 1999: Introduces the world’s first DVD recorder compatible with the DVD-RW format.
- January 2000: Introduces new corporate logo.
- March 2000: Shares of Tohoku Pioneer are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Second Section.
- June 2001: Introduces hard disk-based GPS automotive navigation system.
- July 2001: Introduces the global brand slogan “sound.vision.soul”.
- November 2002: Introduces GPS automotive navigation system with a wireless communication module.
- November 2002: Introduces a DVD recorder with hard disk.
- March 2003: Introduces in the U.S. digital CATV settop boxes with high definition TV signal reception capability.
- September 2003: Total shipment worldwide of PC-use recordable DVD drives surpasses 5 million units.
- July 2004: Introduces the world's first DVD player for professional DJs and VJs.
- September 2004: Transfer of NEC’s plasma display business is completed. Pioneer Plasma Display Corporation (previously NEC Plasma Display Corporation) starts operation on October 1, 2004.
- January 2006: President Kaneo Ito and Chairman Kanya Matsumoto, son of the company's founder, leave their posts to take responsibility for the recent poor performance of the maker of DVD recorders and plasma TVs. Vice President Tamihiko Sudo is appointed the new president, effective from January 1 by the board of directors.
- December 2006: Pioneer closes its car audio division in Singapore.
- January 2007: Pioneer displays their 9mm thick concept plasma [3], as well as their "extreme contrast" concept plasma [4].
- July 2008: Pioneer develops 16 layer Blu-ray Disc capable of storing 400 GB.[5]
- November 2009: Pioneer moves its head office from Tokyo to Kawasaki.[6]
- September 2009: Pioneer announce two new players to their DJ equipment portfolio, the CDJ-900[7] and CDJ-2000.[8]
- March 2010: Pioneer stops producing TVs.
- May 2010: Pioneer releases two new DJ software controllers, the DDJ-S1, and the DDJ-T1.
- May 2011: Pioneer announces the release of the Smart Concept Car with a full DJ setup.
- October 2011 - Pioneer officially released a new 2-channel DJ controller called the DDJ-ERGO at the BPM Show 2011.
- August 2012 - Pioneer officially launches the XDJ-AERO, Pioneer's first wireless DJ system that plays music from smartphones and tablets via Wi-Fi.
- April 2013 - Pioneer officially launches the DJM-750 .
Brands and devices
- Pioneer — home and car electronics
- Pioneer Elite produces premium electronics that are usually higher in quality and price. Most Pioneer Elite branded electronics have the gloss black "Urushi" finish.
- Pioneer Elite products include AVRs, Laserdisc players, CD players, DVD players, plasma computer monitors and televisions [Now discontinued], and rear-projection televisions. Pioneer Elite debuted their first Blu-ray Disc player, the BDP-HD1, in January 2007.[9] Pioneer released the first 1080p plasma display, the PRO-FHD1.
- In Summer of 2007, Pioneer released the Kuro line of plasma displays, that the company claims has the best black levels of any flat panel display which leads to greater contrast, and more realistic images.[10] Kuro means black in Japanese.
- Carrozzeria (Japan only) — car electronics
- Pioneer Premier (North America only) — high-end car electronics
- TAD — high-end speakers
- Pioneer DJ — DJ equipment
Pioneer Karaoke Channel
Country | Malaysia Hong Kong Singapore Republic of China Japan South Korea Thailand |
---|---|
Network | Pioneer Corporation (Japan) Astro (Malaysia) |
Headquarters | Malaysia: Klang Valley Selangor |
Programming | |
Language(s) | Teochew (Malaysia) Chinese (Singapore) Cantonese (Hong Kong) Taiwanese (Republic of China) Japanese (Japan) Korean (South Korea) Thai (Thailand) |
Ownership | |
Owner | Pioneer Corporation (Japan) Astro (Malaysia) |
Pioneer Karaoke Channel (Chinese: 先鋒卡拉OK頻道; pinyin: Xiān Fēng Kǎ Lā OK Pín Dào) is a 24-hours in daily of Asian music video and karaoke satellite television channel of Pioneer and Astro it was officially inaugurated on 1 June 1996.
Record label
Singapore
- 新雅影碟國際有限公司 (新雅)
- 巨華影碟企業有限公司 (巨華)
- 風潮影碟有限公司 (風潮)
- 嘉華影視製作有限公司 (嘉華)
- 普音遠影碟企業有限公司 (普音遠)
- 九龍影視有限公司 (龍盛)
- 風格唱片有限公司 (風格)
- 快樂唱片有限公司 (快樂)
Hong Kong
- 飛圖娛樂有限公司 (飛圖)
- 風格唱片有限公司 (風格)
Republic of China
- 仁雅股份有限公司 (優必勝)
- 麗琦影視傳播股份有限公司 (麗琦)
- 金馬聲視傳播股份有限公司 (金馬)
- 惠聚雷射有限公司 (惠聚)
- 鑽石娛樂有限公司 (鑽石)
- 飛碟唱片有限公司 (飛碟)
- 風格唱片有限公司 (風格)
Devices
- The GPS device Pioneer Avic, includes TMC features.
See also
- Car audio
- CDJ
- Automotive navigation system
- List of Japanese companies
- Geneon (formerly Pioneer LDC and its North American subsidiary Pioneer Entertainment, the multimedia production arm of Pioneer Corporation)
- DVJ-X1
References
- ^ Corporate Profile
- ^ [1]
- ^ Pioneer officially leaving the TV biz by March 2010, focusing on audio - Engadget retrieved on February 12, 2009
- ^ [2]
- ^ 40-inch Projection Monitor has been seen in Switzerland on second hand sale.
- ^ "Pioneer Moves Its Head Office Location" Pioneer news release. November 5, 2009
- ^ Pioneer announce CDJ-900" September 17th 2009
- ^ Pioneer announce CDJ-2000 September 17th 2009
- ^ http://reviews.cnet.com/video-players-and-recorders/pioneer-bdp-hd1/4505-6463_7-31637888.html
- ^ http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/page/products/KURO_TV/experience.html
- Pioneer HPM-100, Advertisement. 1976: 1-4.
- 40-inch Projection Monitor has been seen in Switzerland on second hand sale.