Canon UK celebrates 40th birthday

Print Solutions

Canon UK is marking its 40th anniversary with a birthday celebration for all 2000 employees, who will also receive an extra day off to celebrate their own birthdays.

Canon Business Machines was established in the UK on 21 June 1976 when the key focus was on sales of calculators, micrographic equipment and photocopiers for the business market. In 1982, Canon merged with a separate camera sales operation to create Canon UK, as it is now known, growing to become a leader of digital imaging solutions for office and home environments.

Dave Newell, a long serving Canon employee who joined the company in 1982 said: ‘It is brilliant to work at a company like Canon. There is a great atmosphere and staff are treated as valued members of the team, rather than just cogs in a wheel. When asked why I have chosen to stay at one company for so long, I have to say that it is not the same company – the business continually transforms in really exciting ways to support the changing needs of our customers.’

When Canon first came to the UK it operated from a house in Croydon but now has offices across the country including the award winning head office in Reigate, Surrey as well as London, Birmingham, Livingston, Scotland and Belfast where today’s anniversary will be celebrated.

Throughout the period, Canon has continued to evolve and enhance its broad offering to create exciting technologies that continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of imaging, including developments in broadcast, production print, photography and office solutions.

When Canon UK was established the latest product was the ‘AE-1’, the world’s first 35 mm AE SLR equipped with a central processing unit (CPU) and seen as a pioneer of automated and computerised cameras. With its strong on-going investments in research and development, Canon remains a creator of ground breaking new technologies, such as a 250 megapixel CMOS sensor, the world’s highest pixel count for its size.

Canon’s on-going passion for the power of image has extended and grown into new markets such as 3D print and Network Video Solutions ensuring that the demands of customers are met today and into the future.

Happy birthday Canon UK!