About Alps 

History

We're striving for growing and changing of electronics.

1948 Nov
  • Established under the name of KATAOKA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Dec
  • Started manufacturing and sales of rotary switches.
1949 May
  • Started manufacturing and sales of variable capacitors.
Oct
  • Built OSAKA OFFICE (now Kansai Branch).
1954 Jun
  • Started manufacturing and sales of VHF TVtuners.
    *Exported variable capacitors overseas (Argentina) for the first time.
1958 Dec
  • Started manufacturing and sales of potentiometers.
1960 May
  • Started manufacturing and sales of FM tuners.
Sep
  • Started operation of YOKOHAMA PLANT.
1961 Apr
  • Started public offering of stocks for the first time in the electronic component industry.
1963 Sep
  • Opened NEW YORK OFFICE.
  • Started manufacturing and sales of UHF TVtuners.
1964 Jun
  • Awarded by Ministry of International Trade and Industry as a company contributing to exports (Thereafter, awarded 6 times consecutively).
Aug
  • Established TOHOKU ALPS CO., LTD.
Sep
  • Started operation of FURUKAWA PLANT.
  • Established 1st overseas joint venture company KEL COMPONENTS PRIVATE LTD. in India.
Dec
  • Changed company name to ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
1966 Jun
  • Started operation of WAKUYA PLANT.
Sep
  • Opened DUESSELDORF OFFICE in West Germany.
    *Started manufacturing and sales of keyboard switches this year.
1967 May
  • Established ALPS-MOTOROLA INC.
    (actual ALPINE ELECTRONICS, INC.),Started manufacturing and sales of tape decks.
Aug
  • Listed on the First Market at Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Nov
  • Hachiman Electronics Co., Ltd. transferred its magnetic head division to ALPS ELECTRIC,started manufacturing and sales.
Dec
  • Started operation of KAKUDA PLANT.
1968 Mar
  • Started operation of SOMA PLANMAT.
Oct
  • Started operation of NIIGATA PLANT.
1969 Jul
  • Increased capital by public offering of new shares at market price (first in Japan).
1970 Mar
  • Established ALPS TRANSPORTATION CO., LTD. (actual ALPS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS CORP.).
Jul
  • Completed CENTRAL LABORATORY in Furukawa Plant.
Aug
  • Established overseas joint venture company GOLD STAR ALPS ELECTRONICS (actual LG ELECTROCOMPONENTS ) in Republic of Korea.
Dec
  • Established overseas joint venture company FORWARD ELECTRONICS CO.,LTD.in Taiwan.
1973 Mar
  • Established ALPS DO BRASIL in Brazil.
1976 Feb
  • Started manufacturing and sales of cassette mechanisms.
Jul
  • Started operation of MORIOKA PLANT.
1977 Apr
  • Started operation of ONAHAMA PLANT.
Nov
  • Established ALPS ELECTRIC (USA) ,INC.
Dec
  • Started manufacturing and sales of micro printers.
1979 Jun
  • Started manufacturing and sales of LCD.
Sep
  • Established ALPS ELECTRIC EUROPE GmbH in West Germany.
1980 Mar
  • Opened HONG KONG OFFICE.
May
  • Started manufacturing and sales of floppy disk drives.
1981 Mar
  • Opened TAIPEI REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE.
Aug
  • Developed electro gyrocator jointly with Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
1983 Jan
  • Started manufacturing and sales of cylinder units for VCRs.
1984 Nov
  • Established ALPS ELECTRIC (UK) in England.
1985 Aug
  • Purchased Garden Grove Plant of Apple Computer Inc.
1987 Feb
  • Established ALPS ELECTRIC KOREA CO., LTD. in Republic of Korea.
    *Started manufacturing and sales of Clock spring for SRS air bag system.
1988 Mar
  • Established ALPS ELECTRIC (IRELAND) in Ireland.
1989 Apr
  • Established ALPS ELECTRIC (MALAYSIA). in Malaysia.
1990 Apr
  • Established ALPS SYSTEM INTEGRATION.
Oct
  • Established ALPS ELECTRIC (SCOTLAND) in England.
1991 Apr
  • Started environmental Protection committee.
Jun
  • Completed NEW CENTRAL LABORATORY.
1992 Oct
  • Onahama Division acquired International Quality Assurance Standard ISO9001 certification;(Other domestic and overseas divisions proceed to acquire certification)
1993 Jun
  • Established NINGBO ALPS ELECTRONICS in P.R. of China.
Dec
  • Established DALIAN ALPS ELECTRONICS and SHANGHAI ALPS ELECTRONICS CO,. LTD. in P.R. of China.
  • Established ALPS ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING MEXICO S.A. de C.V. in Mexico.
  • Entered amusement business.
1994 Jun
  • Established All Alps Environmental Protection Charter.
Dec
  • Started Densokuno™ of mail-ordered electronic components by fax.
1995 Jan
  • Established WUXI ALPS ELECTRONICS in P.R. of China.
Jun
  • Established ALPS ELECTRONICS (CHINA) in P.R. of China.
Aug
  • Established TIANJIN ALPS ELECTRONICS in P.R. of China.
Nov
  • Established ALPS CZECH in Czech Republic.
1996 Nov
  • System Devices Division acquired ISO14001 certification. All domestic manufacturing facilities had acquired certification by 1999.
Dec
  • LG ELECTRO-COMPONENTS and ALPS ELECTRIC KOREA (Republic of Korea)set for new starts after liquidation of joint venture agreements.
1997 Feb
  • Car Electronics Business Unit acquires QS 9000 certification. (Mechatronic Devices Division 1 and 2 acquire certification)
Oct
  • Establishment of the Alps Corporate Vision.
1998 Mar
  • Acquisition of ISO9001 certification for the Magnetic Devices Division.(Certification extends to the Division as a whole throughout Japan.)
May
  • Started operation of Precision Machine & Tool Center Kitahara Plant (Miyagi Pref.).
Nov
  • 50th Anniversary of ALPS ELECTRIC. Commemorative Ceremony and Celebrations of the Half-Centenary.
1999 Feb
  • Alps Electric (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. merged with Alps Precision (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.
Apr
  • Established Technical Master Training Center at the Precision Machine & Tool Center.
  • Joint establishment of Cryodevice Inc. with Denso Corporation.
Sep
  • AKC changes name to Alps Accounting Center.
2000 Mar
  • Thirty-year joint venture ended with Forward Electronics Co., Ltd. of Taiwan in share transfer.
Apr
  • Fourth exhibition vehicle completed and operations started.
  • Alps Business Creation Fukushima Co., Ltd. established.
  • Makoto Kosan Co., Ltd. changes name to Alps Finance Service Corp.
Sep
  • AIS Co. Ltd formed through joint financing in merger of six LCD component manufacturing companies in Aomori Prefecture.
  • Alps stock incorporated in Nikkei 225 index.
  • Mechatronic Devices Division established by combining Mechatronic Devices Division 1 and Mechatronic Devices Division 2.
2001 Apr
  • Company employed zero emission initiative.
Oct
  • Established Alps (Shanghai) International Trading Co., Ltd. in China.
Nov
  • Joint establishment of "PREMINET" with Kinden Corporation and others.
2002 Feb
  • Started operation of a new plant of DALIAN ALPS ELECTRONICS.
Apr
  • Renewal of our organization due to the Structural Reform.
Jun
  • Established ALPS COMMUNICATION DEVICES TECHNOLOGY (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD. in P.R. of China.
Jul
  • Established Green Supply Charter.
Nov
  • Established IP TRADING JAPAN CO., LTD.
  • Established "Alps Group Scholarship" in Neusoft Institute of Information Technology in China.
2003 Jun
  • Issued \30 billion in corporate bonds in overseas markets.
Oct
  • Integrated TOHOKU ALPS CO., LTD. with ALPS ELECTRIC.
  • Created Compliance Charter, Basic Rules, and Committee Rules.
Dec
  • Submitted request for delisting from Osaka Securities Exchange and Nagoya Stock Exchange.
  • ALPS DE BRAZIL transferred operations to Primotech-21 Industria e Comercio de Componetes Ltda.
  • IPTJ announced establishment of the IP Incubation Fund.
2004 Sep
  • DALIAN ALPS ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. celebrated 10th anniversary of its founding.
Oct
  • The Mid Niigata Prefecture Earthquake struck. Entire Alps Group supported recovery operations.
  • Concluded research contract with Cambridge University and two private companies.
Nov
  • Operations commenced at a new plant of Tianjin Alps Electronics Co., Ltd.
2005 Aug
  • Changed stock trading unit from 1000 to 100.
Oct
  • Moved and started operation of a new plant of NINGBO ALPS ELECTRONICS.
Nov
  • WUXI ALPS ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. celebrated 10th anniversary of its founding.
2006 Feb
  • Established DANGDONG ALPS ELECTRONICS CO.,LTD.
  • Moved to new plant of SHANGHAI ALPS CO.,LTD.
Oct
  • Acquisition of ISO9001 certification(2004 version) for the DANGDONG ALPS ELECTRONICS CO.,LTD.
2007 Mar
  • Concluded basic agreement upon transfer of facilities and intellectual property rights of HDD head business to TDK Corporation.
Dec
  • Concluded basic agreement upon partial transfer of trimmer potentiometer business to Teikoku Tsushin Kogyo Co., Ltd.
  • Designated for the first time in Japan as Compliance Customs Clearance (Approved Special Importer and Approved Special Exporter for outstanding compliance with Japanese laws and regulations), at the same time.
2008 Jul
  • Established DONGGUAN ALPS ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. in Dongguan City, P.R. of China.
Oct
  • Completed the first stage of construction of the new headquarters building (completed section operational in November)
2009 Jan
  • ALPS NORDIC AB merged with ALPS ELECTRIC EUROPE GmbH
Jan
  • Closed the Magnetic Devices Division and transferred functions to the Mechatronic Devices Division
Apr
  • Reformed company structure into a three-Division organization (AUTO, HM&I and MMP)
2010 Mar
  • Closed Soma Plant (Fukushima Pref.).
Apr
  • Official opening of the new headquarters building (Ota Ward, Tokyo), certified rank “S" under Japan's Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental Efficiency (CASBEE).
May
  • Established Alps Green Devices Co., Ltd. as a joint venture with the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan.

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