150 Years Anniversary : Shimadzu (United Kingdom)

Celebrate with Shimadzu

150 Years of Shimadzu

Starting with zero knowledge or experience in ballooning, Genzo Senior took on the challenge of creating a manned balloon based on a single illustration. As a result, he successfully launched Japan's first manned balloon. The event was promoted in response to the Kyoto Prefectural government's enthusiastic desire to stimulate public interest in scientific education, but it demonstrated Genzo's spirit of taking on challenges. That spirit is still alive today in the cultural DNA of Shimadzu.

Explore our journey through time and discover the milestones that have shaped our legacy.

1875 to 1893

Starting a Business Manufacturing Physics and Chemistry Instruments

The history of Shimadzu started in March 1875, when Genzo Shimadzu Sr. began manufacturing instruments for teaching physics and chemistry in the Kiyamachi-Nijo district of Kyoto. Based on his strong conviction that Japan should aim to become a leader in science, he supported science education in Japan by producing educational physics and chemistry instruments made in Japan as an alternative to imported products. He also invested effort into promoting the spread of scientific knowledge throughout Japan by launching a manned balloon, distributing physics and chemistry equipment catalogs, and publishing scientific journals.

1894 to 1916

Building the Foundation for Business Expansion

When Genzo Junior, who was no less a child of science than Genzo Senior, took over leadership of the company, Shimadzu started taking on the challenge of entering new fields. In particular, his passion was especially fueled by storage batteries and medical X-ray systems. As a result, he developed and commercialized Japan's first storage battery and in 1909, 13 years after capturing the first X-ray image, Shimadzu unveiled Japan’s first medical X-ray device. These products contributed significantly to advancements in industry and medicine.

1917 to 1944

Transformation to a Modern Company

Based on the belief that "science has value only if it is used to help people," Shimadzu completed a general purpose medical X-ray system in 1918 that was compact, featured sophisticated functionality, and was easy to operate. Shimadzu also helped foster X-ray technologist for operating the system, which significantly boosted the widespread adoption of medical X-ray systems. As Shimadzu increasingly progressed toward modern industrialization, the company developed a succession of new products, such as gear machinery, industrial instruments, spectrographs, and nondestructive inspection devices.

1945 to 1961

From Post-War Rebuilding to Growth

During the difficult period after the war, Shimadzu helped support the post-war recovery by producing products such as coal mining machinery required for increasing production in the key coal industry, X-ray systems for medical facilities throughout Japan, and spinning pumps and nozzles used in the fiber industry, which was an important export industry. Meanwhile, Shimadzu created many new "Japan's first" and "world's first" products more typically associated with Shimadzu, such as electron microscopes, gas chromatographs, photoelectric spectrophotometers, directly-read optical emission spectrometers, and remote-controlled X-ray fluoroscopy systems.

1962 to 1980

Developing and Expanding Markets Throughout the World

To develop business throughout the world, in 1963 Shimadzu established an office in New York, USA, which was the first representative office established outside Japan after the War. Five years later, Shimadzu entered the European market by establishing a sales subsidiary in Germany (West Germany at the time). Later, sales offices were established in the Middle East, China, Latin America, and Southeast Asia as Shimadzu expanded to build the foundation for the global corporation today.

1981 to 1995

Achieving Further Globalization

In 1994, Shimadzu established a manufacturing company in Australia to increase Shimadzu's global presence by building production capabilities in four regions of the world, Japan, Europe, the United States, and Asia/Oceania. In 1989, Shimadzu purchased Kratos, an analytical instrument manufacturer in the U.K. One of the fruits of that acquisition was the laser ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) developed in 1992.

1996 to 2002

Increasing Technology Levels

In response to the economic recession caused by bursting of Japan's bubble economy and the subsequent strong yen, Shimadzu implemented a strategy of focusing management resources in biotechnology and other high-growth fields. As a result, the Life Science Research Center was established in 2001 to support that effort. The following year, Assistant Manager Koichi Tanaka, who was working at the center, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing the soft laser desorption/ionization method for mass spectrometric analyses of biological macromolecules.

2003 to 2010

Accelerating Global Research and Development

During this period, Shimadzu promoted research aimed at developing number-one and truly unique products. In 2003, Shimadzu developed the world's first diagnostic cardiovascular X-ray imaging system equipped with a direct-conversion flat panel detector (FPD). In the life sciences field, Shimadzu started a molecular imaging business based on merging Shimadzu's analytical, biotechnology, and medical technologies. In 2010, Shimadzu started developing environmentally-friendly products, which achieved over 25 % energy savings over many existing products, such as analytical and measuring instruments and medical diagnostic imaging instruments.

2011 to 2024

Becoming a Number-One Partner to the World

Starting in 2011, in an effort to "become a number-one partner selected by customers globally," Shimadzu accelerated joint research and joint development projects involving academic institutions, research institutions, and corporations with advanced technologies. Between 2015 and 2017, Shimadzu established Shimadzu Innovation Centers in four key regions of the world as part of that process. Shimadzu also invested efforts in developing products that help solve challenges in society, such as a food radiation scanner and a woman-friendly dedicated breast PET system.

2025

150 Years of Innovation

In 2025, Shimadzu celebrates a significant milestone: 150 years of dedication to advancing science and technology. What began in 1875 with Genzo Shimadzu Sr. manufacturing physics and chemistry instruments has evolved into a legacy of innovation and commitment to supporting education, healthcare, and much more.

Throughout its history, Shimadzu has embraced the challenges of each era, contributing to important advancements such as medical X-ray systems and analytical instruments. The company’s focus has always been on meeting the needs of society, guided by the vision of its founder.

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150 Years of Innovative Products

The first gas chromatograph (GC) in Japan

Founded in 1875, Shimadzu has grown from a small workshop in Kyoto, Japan, to a global leader in analytical and measuring instruments. Over the years, we have pioneered numerous advancements, from the development of the first gas chromatograph in Japan to the introduction of state-of-the-art mass spectrometry systems. Take a look at our products by clickling on each product category below.

Each month, we will highlight a different product category, showcasing its history, customer stories, and latest innovations. Stay tuned!

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