Japan controls about 90% of the global lens camera industry market, but in the face of competition with China and South Korea, suffered a severe competition and gradually losing market share, however, combines the advantage of research and development, the Japanese camera manufacturers still have confidence to maintain their leadership in the industry.

Hit from the sluggish this decade, has always been optimistic in Japan is desperate to see signs of recovery and, although there are optimists think from a variety of signs that the Japanese economy will soon awakening, but it turns out that these signs are still not enough to every shift in Japan this decade. On February 19, 2003, the Japanese government issued a gloomy national economic outlook report, the economy is still weak, its content said sluggish business activities, people's consumption contraction. And the bank of Japan more published in this report was published two days ago from good results, they do not expect any turn signal will appear in the near future. Japan belongs to the serious structural problems, it suffers from irrational and unsound Japanese stock market impact, even at 20 years in a new low.

In not ideal of the Japanese market, however, there are still a lot of the hidden value is kept ─ ─ the camera industry is one of them.

Lens is made up of many tiny glass, polycarbonate, or plastic, these are often seen as useless thing in the world, after grinding and polishing, into high value products. The Japanese camera maker is the world recognized as a leader in technology and innovation. Probably? 0 years ago, the Japanese camera maker control more than 90% of the global lens market, which is in 10 cameras on the street, there is 9 lens is made in Japan. It was the golden age of Japanese camera maker.

Get guidance from Germany

In Japan is not always in a position of leadership. Join Optical industry since 1965 are Yamano Optical President mountains SiLang said, he clearly remember the Japanese camera maker is step by step, how to take the lead position. According to the field SiLang, Germany has its strong government support, long before the second world war, he led the world in optical industry. At that time, Japan has been carried out with the German submarine periscope cooperation plan, "the Japanese government invited a German engineer to Japan to teaching how to make a periscope in Japan." Twenty years later, in 1965, Germany still leading the global optical industry, especially in the camera lens. Japanese camera and lens is bought from Germany, try to learn how to make this kind of sophisticated products and intermediate manufacturing process you need. At this point, although Japan has already started to make camera and lens, they still work hard to enhance their abilities, the wild SiLang said, "this is the first time that Japan in lens manufacture world-class technology." After 38 years, through continuous efforts and investments in r&d, technology and innovation of Japan in the lens, and the most important market share and become the leader of the world.

Powerful competitors from South Korea and China

But the situation has begun to change. More and more Korean and Chinese manufacturers into the market, with low cost products, Japanese camera maker in the face of severe competition, and the loss of the market share.

Seikou project manager who confirmed Canon said, "the price is the most main considerations." According to Space Inc., the business department minister of Ma Xiao man said, the Japanese lens manufacturer's market share has dropped to 60-70%. Field SiLang said. "China is stepping Japan 38 years ago the same pace, this is the biggest threat to us." Field SiLang further said China purchasing a lot of the most advanced polishing machine, in order to get the latest technology, "I have felt over the past two years China on technical progress. When I joined in security exhibition held in Beijing last year, when Chinese companies in the progress of technology and quality is obvious, especially in polishing and grinding technology." He is worried that Chinese manufacturers will soon catch up with Japanese companies, or even replace them.

For most Japanese camera maker, the threat is not so fast, Tamron machine enterprise headquarters sales department minister, added into hongzhi said, "we are not too worried because optical design is the key to the lens manufacturing, it is a barrier, Chinese companies don't have the experience we have to overcome these obstacles." Field SiLang also agreed that China is not the lens manufacturing experience, and is limited by such as design and the progress of surface treatment technology. Field SiLang said, "the Japanese experience in enhancing the lens production, and manufacture of tough times, and through them to get quite a lot of experience, and this is not only the optical lens itself, but the overall solution, Chinese manufacturers may be able to master some techniques, but they never can provide the top products in every field." He polishing, for example, when in polishing, the temperature of the lens will rise, affects the different factors such as humidity and temperature, so you must adjust the machine to produce the same quality of the lens, adjust ability is the Japanese camera maker is superior. If Chinese companies to master these techniques, field SiLang said, and it also depends on many factors, such as equipment and the most important attitude, he said, "mentality will is the key to Chinese manufacturers can rise."

The price war

Anyway, from South Korea and the Chinese competitors or a Japanese camera maker great threat, interior door cover Canon said, "in two or three years ago a lens price 4000 yen, now the price below 3000 yen, down more than 20%." , "the market is undoubtedly in the expansion, but the cost has been a problem with the price." Ma Xiao men give a Space also will launch the low price products to meet customer demand, the price is 20% lower on two years ago."

Fuji Photo Optical sales overseas image machine KeKe, also said toshio for this company product price is less than three years ago by at least 30%. The said toshio, "competition is really hard to survive, cannot attend the competitor will be eliminated." Fuji Photo Optical this year to launch a 2.7 mm to 2.7 mm zoom lens, but no matter how, this said toshio, the company will have to find a more acceptable price level. He said, "we have no choice, otherwise will not be able to survive." Kenko security products department business class is a long black of Thai one explains the rise in price is impossible thing, "we have to reduce costs to prices in an acceptable range."

Factories in China is the key to survival

Toshio from up to this point of view, survival is the key to the factories in China, using the low production and labor costs in China, "this is the only solution." Set up factories in China, however, require huge investments, up to this toshio points out that many such as CBC, Pentax and Seikou such big company, has factories in China for many years, "they have more resources than small company." Seikou, for example, it has been 15 years in China, and set up six to seven offices, it is already recognized as leading companies in China. Computar (CBC) also early to enter the Chinese market, Computar manager yu Ming, said yamauchi Computar in 1993 in Bangladesh and polishing and grinding factory was established in 2001 in Beijing, the intermediate lens Computar import to Japan. Results are obvious, has attracted more and more Chinese companies such as Fuji Photo Optical, Tamron and Kenko company invest into China.

Tamron and to lower costs to have factories in China in 1997 after many years of effect is obvious, add into hongzhi said, "we have successfully reduce the cost of 20%." Kenko is another example of black of Thai, Kenko in changchun factories in 1997, the factory to produce reliable bifocal and zoom lens, in 1999, was established in zhongshan Kenko another factory to produce stents and shell. Black of Thai said, including the labor, materials and manufacturing costs, "we've already cut the cost of about 30%, now use polycarbonate with ABS, these materials are very cheap in China, in southern China, these materials can be 30-40% cheaper than Japan."

The quality control

Quality control is the most Japanese camera manufacturers in China the biggest factor, Tamron's into hongzhi said that "the customer believe that the quality should be the same, no matter where the lens is made." Use the same machine and equipment is essential, in addition, engineers also were sent to China for education training and quality control. In order to ensure the quality, Computar sent five engineers to its factory for quality control, technical support and education training. Kenko in order to ensure the quality level of "made in Japan", also arranged for engineers to China.

counterfeiting

Imitation is one of the biggest problems facing overseas investors, this will directly reduce the sales, to make matters worse, it will affect the brand reputation.

Seikou is lens brand leader in the Chinese market, but also affected by a lot. "We sent engineers to support our distributors to education, similarly, more than 10 exhibitions in China this year, we will go to in order to further explain how to distinguish true Seikou lens with fake goods." According to the inner Canon said, the key is must establish a good relationship with dealers and the government. "Of course, it takes time."

Computar also fake problems in two or three years ago, in the mountain yu Ming said that "the good news is that China joined the world trade organization (WTO) last year, this means that if they continue to counterfeit our products, we will be able to Sue them, the government will support us, they don't want to lose the position in the WTO. This is a great opportunity for us, we can predict the future of counterfeit problem will be reduced."

For Fuji Photo Optical, fake is not a very serious problem, this said toshio, "first of all, our high-tech product is not easy to be copied, second, our product also is not so popular in China."

To prevent counterfeiting, the company said toshio segregation products into the high-end market, the Japanese products is not easy to counterfeit, from the end to low-end products are manufactured in China. Tamron said. "we have the better than other Japanese camera maker, we use the aspheric technology, it is very difficult to be counterfeit."

Most Japanese camera maker believe that as long as the technical barriers, Chinese manufacturers and more difficult to cross the limit.

Japan's research and development advantage

Inner Canon said, "Japanese camera maker only chance is published advanced products, such as zoom, IR (infrared) and low aperture of the lens, to keep the lead." Infrared lens is a case of, for example, "the IR camera need to be able to automatically adjust in different light conditions, during the day and night to be able to carry out all-round monitoring."

IR camera Seikou development has been more than a year, according to the inner Canon said, facing the challenge is to make high resolution camera for CCTV applications, he explained this kind of lens has been used in factory automation, but for security industry still is too expensive. "In the security industry has already formed the demand, the future will be more and more widely used, first will be adopted in the some such as Banks and other places." Lead at the same time also can bring risk, "no one knows how many users will buy the products, so we must be very careful to decide when put into product development, it usually takes six months to decide whether we need to put into research and development." He said.

Tamron into hongzhi said, "the Japanese camera maker has the advantage of reliability and stability, we have very good reputation on provide the best products." Collocation, add into hongzhi explained, analog video equipment, it can't store the camera images taken by 100%, "it said, it does not require high resolution images, for storage devices with this can't store down." Word video recorder can store the camera images taken by 100%, this is why to improve picture quality requirements. Added into hongzhi said Tamron has adopted such as the aspherical lens, a new technology to production line, "using this technique, the resolution can be increased from 40000 pixels to 70000 pixels, can even reach one million pixels in the future."

The lens trend

What is a Japanese manufacturers use the latest technology? Yamauchi yu Ming says the trend is moving in the zoom lens, he says, popular products such as 3.5 cm to 8 cm double zoom lens, Computar provide competitive prices, as well as some CBC exclusive products, such as wide Angle, high speed camera, Computar specializing in high-end market, its sales of natural limits. When it comes to aspherical lens, yamauchi yu Ming said the price is still too high, this is because the sales co., LTD., the relationship between "it will take five years to have the means to reduce price." , he said, "the biggest challenge is to correctly predict the future products." Computar has bet the day/night amphibious zoom lens, it will provide two to three times zoom zoom capability. Yamauchi yu Ming, said "lens industry trend is the integration of different functions, smaller size and higher resolution."

According to Pentax Precision Co., Ltd. Overseas operating light machine sales supervisor Tian Chang department said, has become increasingly difficult to survive, day/night dual-purpose zoom zoom lens Pentax developed new products, develop new business, more under the condition of maintaining quality and reduce the cost and price.

Adjust the

Fuji Photo Optical has also been the market share of recession, Fuji only specializing in high-end products, are now providing low-end products. Up to this toshio describes it feels like, "we are very hungry for market share, will in any way to get it."

Kenko is to increase the turnover to fill the OEM orders. Black of tai said, "a decade ago, a large Japanese electronics maker and no optical sector, they don't know anything about it, now, there have been some companies have optical department, and has become a very important sector." China and South Korea company also focus on OEM business, "we also provide the best service to get performance in the market, we provide different technology and design a variety of lens." Because there are quite a few companies to enter the market, Yamano Optical currently only focus in the security industry, "we are also looking for opportunities to enter other areas, such as check the lens for the use of medical devices."

China is more and more important

For most Japanese camera maker, larger market is in abroad, such as Fuji Photo Optical only 25% of the turnover in the regional market, 75% came from abroad. "We sell a lot of products for export to increase market share." According to the mountain yu Ming, said China's potential is bigger and bigger, "compared with mature markets in the United States and Europe, China's growth potential is quite striking, because the 2008 Olympic Games will be held in Beijing."

Computar has to how to maintain services in China, how to education customers, and how to prepare Chinese catalog and manual and so on, ready to work plan. "In China, we focus on the high-end market, we must tell the customer not to compare our products with South Korea together." Ma Xiao men said, "China is the best export market, has great potential." China accounts for 10% of turnover Space company, the United States and Europe accounted for 70%, while the domestic market accounted for 20%. "We believe that China will be accounted for 20% in a year."

For Seikou, accounts for 40% of OEM sales in the United States, 30% 30% in Europe and Asia, "the magnitude of the growth came mainly from the Chinese market."

According to optical division Kowa motor sales overseas business class section supervisor Mr Jiang Yixiong said Kowa turnover of 80% from Europe and the United States, 15% comes from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore, only 5% are from China, "now everybody focus on China market, so why don't we invest?" Mr Jiang Yixiong will mean Kowa camera lens for China into a greater effort to cultivate the market. Mr Jiang Yixiong confident said, "we believe that a year can be a multiple growth of 10%."

Thanks to early into the Chinese market, Pentax is now grasp the growth of China's security business, okada Tian Chang said, "the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games let China become a star of tomorrow, especially in security business." He observed that most of the procurement activities come from the government, the efficiency and quality more seriously, "they are a 20 - do not hesitate to purchase from us 55 times zoom zoom lens, it is more precious than our competitor product, but better quality is more important."

Japanese camera maker, for China is the world's largest potential market, but this is not only their biggest goal, at the same time is also the biggest rivals.