, commonly referred to as OKI, OKI Electric or the OKI Group, is a Japanese

information and communications technology Information and communications technology (ICT) is an extensional term for information technology (IT) that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals) and computer ...

company, headquartered in

Toranomon is a business district of Minato, Tokyo. History Literally meaning "Tiger Gate", Toranomon was the name of the southernmost gate of Edo Castle. The gate existed until the 1870s, when it was demolished to make way for modern developments. The ...

, Minato-ku,

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

and operating in over 120 countries around the world. OKI produced the first Japan-made

telephone A telephone, colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that enables two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be easily heard directly. A telephone converts sound, typically and most ...

in 1881, and now specializes not only in developing and manufacturing

telecommunications equipment Telecommunications equipment (also telecoms equipment or communications equipment) is a type of hardware which is used for the purposes of telecommunications. Since the 1990s the boundary between telecoms equipment and IT hardware has become blurr ...

but also in information products and

mechatronics Mechatronics engineering, also called mechatronics, is the synergistic integration of mechanical, electrical, and computer systems employing mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronic engineering and computer engineering, and also ...

products, such as

automated teller machine An automated teller machine (ATM) is an electronic telecommunications device that enables customers of financial institutions to perform financial transactions, such as cash withdrawals, deposits, funds transfers, balance inquiries or account ...

(ATMs) and

printers Printer may refer to: Technology * Printer (publishing), a person * Printer (computing), a hardware device * Optical printer for motion picture films People * Nariman Printer (fl. c. 1940), Indian journalist and activist * James Printer (1 ...

. OKI had a semiconductor business, which it spun off and sold to

Rohm (styled as ROHM) is a Japanese electronic parts manufacturer based in Kyoto, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan. Rohm was incorporated as Toyo Electronics Industry Corporation by Kenichiro Sato (佐藤研一郎) on September 17, 1958. The company was orig ...

Company, Limited on October 1, 2008. OKI Data, a subsidiary, which markets its products under the OKI brand, is focused on creating professional printed communications products, applications and services. OKI Data provides a wide range of devices, from printers, faxes and multi-functional products to business applications and consultancy services. Through its American business arm, OKI Data America markets the OKI proColor Series, a line of digital production printers designed specifically for the

graphic arts A category of fine art, graphic art covers a broad range of visual artistic expression, typically two-dimensional graphics, i.e. produced on a flat surface,Kibataro Oki (1848–1906), an engineer formerly employed at a Kobusho (Ministry of Industry) factory. In 1877, only a year after

Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell (; born Alexander Bell; March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) was a Scottish-born Canadian Americans, Canadian-American inventor, scientist, and engineer who is credited with patenting the first practical telephone. He als ...

's invention, Kubusho had started an effort to make telephone receivers by reverse engineering and Oki was in the team that came up with the first prototype. In January 1881, convinced that the nation was about to enter the age of communications, Kibataro Oki founded Meikōsha, which was later renamed OKI. The company manufactured the first telephone in Japan in 1881, five years after Bell invented the phone, and exhibited a silver-award-winning lacquer-coated wire at the 1885

International Inventions Exhibition The International Inventions Exhibition was a world's fair held in South Kensington in 1885. As with the earlier exhibitions in a series of fairs in South Kensington following the Great Exhibition, Queen Victoria was patron and her son Albert Edw ...

in London.

Early years

OKI contributed immensely to the proliferation of phones in Japan under the country's Telephone Expansion Plans. The company saw the need of automatic exchanges as well, as phones became common.

Asano Soichiro Asano (written: 浅野, or hiragana あさの) is a Japanese language surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Asano clan, samurai family in feudal Japan. ** Asano Naganori, Important historical figure title: Takumi no Kami ** Asano ...

of ''

Asano zaibatsu Asano zaibatsu 浅野財閥, one of the major second-tier zaibatsu ( conglomerates) in Japan, was founded in 1887 by Asano Sōichirō 浅野総一郎 with support from Shibusawa Eiichi 渋沢栄一, the founder of the Shibusawa zaibatsu 渋沢� ...

'', a predecessor of the

Fuyo Group is a Japanese ''keiretsu'' descended from the Yasuda zaibatsu, Asano zaibatsu and Okura zaibatsu. They were a major business grouping in Japan up to World War II. In 1948, Yasuda was dismantled, with its key financial arm Yasuda Bank becoming ...

, was elected to chairman in 1912. Asano souichiro

Pre and post wars

During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, wartime demand brought large profits to OKI as demand for telephone service increased. A strong demand emerged for the PBX (

Private Branch Exchange A business telephone system is a telephone system typically used in business environments, encompassing the range of technology from the key telephone system (KTS) to the private branch exchange (PBX). A business telephone system differs from ...

), the largest system of which in Japan installed by OKI. In addition to business from Japan, overseas business also grew, providing railroad-type printers, portable telephones and electric wires outside Japan. From around 1920, OKI achieved notable advances in its technical development of the common-battery switchboard. Asano Soichiro's son was appointed to the next chairman in 1931. In the late 1930s, OKI's plants were used towards meeting the military demand for goods, having major effects on OKI's business, such as building new production plants, and increasing its capital as well as the number of its affiliates. OKI increased its production capacity after WWII to restore magnetotype telephones and exchanges that were damaged during the war, OKI endured great difficulties as it moved toward rebuilding itself. On November 1, 1949, Oki Electric Industry Co., was established to succeed the former entity Oki Electric Co., Ltd. Two years later in November 1951, OKI's shares were listed on the

Tokyo Stock Exchange The , abbreviated as Tosho () or TSE/TYO, is a stock exchange located in Tokyo, Japan. The exchange is owned by Japan Exchange Group (JPX), a holding company that it also lists (), and operated by Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc., a wholly owned sub ...

. It was also at this time when OKI started mass-producing the “Type-4 telephone,” which was called a "symbol of Japan’s postwar reconstruction". In 1956, it was the first to produce a 100-line Ericsson-type crossbar-switching systems for commercial use.

OKI of electronics (1960s-1980s)

OKI gradually transformed itself into an electronics company from the second half of 1960s into the 1970s.

1960s

To respond to the high-level economic growth Japan was experiencing, OKI needed to speed up its business operations and clarify responsibilities. OKI began producing and supplying business machines such as teletypewriters, and perforation

typewriter A typewriter is a Machine, mechanical or electromechanical machine for typing characters. Typically, a typewriter has an array of Button (control), keys, and each one causes a different single character to be produced on paper by striking an i ...

s. In June 1961, OKI launched OKITYPER-2000, an electric teletypewriter that could simultaneously make perforation tapes and book entry forms. The company also developed and sold various general-purpose computers such as OKITAC-5090, the first domestically produced computer to use

core memory Core or cores may refer to: Science and technology * Core (anatomy), everything except the appendages * Core (laboratory), a highly specialized shared research resource * Core (manufacturing), used in casting and molding * Core (optical fiber), ...

. In 1964 OKI developed OKISAVER, a terminal for online deposits which was provided to financial institutions.

1970s

In addition to minicomputers such as the OKITAC series developed in the mid-1960s, OKI began supplying various I/O devices, electroprinters, and dot printers, mainly to the financial industry in the 1970s. OKI's business at this time included cash dispensers (CDs), automatic depositors (ADs) and

s (ATMs). In this period, OKI expanded its overseas business providing telecommunications systems to countries in the Middle East, Central and South American countries as well as other Asian countries. In 1972, OKI established Oki Data Corporation (ODC: today's OKI Data Americas), a Japan-US joint venture located in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, to develop the DP100, dot printers. In 1975, OKI developed the world's first automobile telephone system together with

Bell Labs Nokia Bell Labs, commonly referred to as ''Bell Labs'', is an American industrial research and development company owned by Finnish technology company Nokia. With headquarters located in Murray Hill, New Jersey, Murray Hill, New Jersey, the compa ...

. This was the beginning of OKI's wireless technology, and, as of 2009, OKI keeps expanding this technology into vehicle-to-vehicle communications and ETC (

Electronic toll collection Electronic toll collection (ETC) is a wireless system to automatically collect the usage fee or Road pricing, toll charged to vehicles using toll roads, HOV lanes, toll bridges, and toll tunnels. It is a faster alternative which is replacing Tol ...

) technologies.

1980s

In May 1980, OKI launched the , which was a successful business-use PC business. It also added a facsimile business unit in search of private sector demand. In 1982, OKI introduced the world's first cash-recycling ATM, allowing deposited banknotes to be immediately used for withdrawal. OKIData Microline 320

;Printers * Microline ** , 82/83, 84, 92/93 ** 180, , 190, ** 280, 292/293, 294 ** 320 , 321, 380, 390 FB, 393, 395 ** 520/521, 590/591 *

Okimate 10 The Okimate 10 by Oki Electric Industry was a low-cost 1980s color printer with interface "plug 'n print" modules for Commodore, Atari, IBM PC, and Apple Inc. home computers. Unlike thermal printers, which use thermal printing technology and req ...

, * Pacemark ** 2350, 2410 ** 3410, 4410 * Laserline 6 ;ICs * MSM5232 8-channel tone generator * MSM6242 RTC * MSM6295 4-channel

ADPCM Adaptive differential pulse-code modulation (ADPCM) is a variant of differential pulse-code modulation (DPCM) that varies the size of the quantization step, to allow further reduction of the required data bandwidth for a given signal-to-noise rati ...

OKI of network solutions (1990s)

In the early 90s, Japanese economy was in the midst of recession that continued after the bubble economy collapsed, which also hit a strong blow to OKI's business. In October 1994, OKI spun off its printer and facsimile business, and established Oki Data Corporation. In the later 90's, with the spread of the Internet, OKI worked on being recognized as a company that offers network solutions. In December 1990, the OKI 900 cell phone was marketed. The phone was famous in phone

phreaking Phreaking is a slang term coined to describe the activity of a culture of people who study, experiment with, or explore telecommunication systems, such as equipment and systems connected to public telephone networks. The term ''phreak'' is a se ...

culture for its advanced debugging menu allowing eavesdropping of others cell phone calls and observation of cell phone network operation.

2000s

In 2004, OKI released its IP CONVERGENCE Server SS9100, the industry's first Microsoft. Net-compliant server, and in 2006, released its Center Stage NX5000, a carrier-grade communication server compliant with next-generation networks. In 2008, as part of its business selection and concentration measures, OKI spun off its semiconductor business to

Co., Ltd.

Controversies

Despite Russian invasion of Ukraine, OKI continues its operations in Russia. The company has not publicly disclosed any plans to withdraw or suspend its activities in the Russian market. Notably, in 2012, OKI delivered its ATM-Recycler G7 cash-recycling ATMs to Alfa-Bank, Russia's largest private bank, marking the first installation of Japanese-made cash recyclers in the country.

Subsidiaries

Oki Data Americas, Inc., a subsidiary of Oki Data Corporation of Japan, produces PC peripheral equipment under the OKI brand, including digital color and monochrome

, serial impact

dot matrix printer Dot matrix printing, sometimes called impact matrix printing, is a computer printing process in which ink is applied to a surface using a relatively low-resolution dot matrix for layout. Dot matrix printers are a type of impact printer that p ...

s, multifunction products and

facsimiles A facsimile (from Latin ''fac simile'', "to make alike") is a copy or reproduction of an old book, manuscript, map, Old master print, art print, or other item of historical value that is as true to the original source as possible. It differs from ...

. The history of Oki Data Americas can be traced back to 1972 when the company was founded as a joint venture between two

entrepreneurs and their Japanese customer, Oki Electric, to develop and produce information technology products. One of its popular products was the

thermal transfer Thermal-transfer printing is a digital printing method in which material is applied to paper (or some other material) by melting a coating of ribbon so that it stays glued to the material on which the print is applied. It contrasts with direct th ...

printer, one of the first affordable color printers for early

home computers Home computers were a class of microcomputers that entered the market in 1977 and became common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a s ...

. Oki Data Americas, Inc. relocated from Mt. Laurel, NJ and is headquartered in Irving,

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

. Other Oki Data Americas offices are in Mississauga, Canada; Mexico City, Mexico; and São Paulo, Brazil. Oki Data Americas ceased sales of all Oki-branded hardware as of March 31, 2021. Oki data produced printer will continue to be sold in the United States under their distribution partners brand, IntoPrint.

Sponsorships

Oki sponsored

English Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

club Portsmouth F.C. from 2005 to 2009. From 2003 to 2008, Oki owned the naming rights to

Jubilee Oval Jubilee Stadium (also known as Kogarah Oval) is a multi-purpose stadium in Carlton, a suburb in Sydney, Australia. The stadium is mainly used for rugby league and the A-League, and is one of the home grounds of the National Rugby League (NRL) ...

in Kogarah,

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

, Australia, which was the home ground of

National Rugby League The National Rugby League (also known as the NRL Telstra Premiership for sponsorship reasons) is a professional rugby league competition in Oceania which contains clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria (state), Victoria, the Austral ...

team

St George Illawarra Dragons The St. George Illawarra Dragons are an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing both the Illawarra and St George regions of New South Wales. The club has competed in the National Rugby League (NRL) since 1999 after a j ...

. Oki was also the major sponsor of 1.FC Kaiserslautern from 1990 to 1996. During the 1998–1999 season OKI sponsored the French

Ligue 1 Ligue 1 (; ), officially known as Ligue 1 McDonald's France, McDonald's for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in France and the highest level of the French football league system. Administered by the Ligue de ...

team HSC Montpellier.

Gallery

References

External links

Main Corporate Site

OKI Data Americas

- on

Yahoo! Finance Yahoo Finance is a media property that is part of the Yahoo network. It provides financial news, data and commentary including stock quotes, press releases, financial reports, and original content. It also offers online tools for personal fin ...

{{Authority control Electronics companies of Japan Financial technology companies Defense companies of Japan Companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Companies in the Nikkei 225 Multinational companies headquartered in Japan Computer companies of Japan Computer hardware companies Computer printer companies Manufacturing companies established in 1881 Japanese brands 1881 establishments in Japan Fuyo Group