ROHM – up for the challenge in any era –
ROHM was established in Kyoto in 1958 as initially a manufacturer of small electronic components. In 1967 production was expanded to include transistors and diodes, and in 1969 ICs and other semiconductor products were added to the lineup. Two years later (in 1971), going against conventional Japanese business culture, the company entered the US market by establishing a sales office and IC design center in Silicon Valley. Through the hard work and passionate dedication of its young work force, business flourished, causing the industry to take notice. ROHM’s expansion overseas soon became a template for other companies and eventually was accepted as common business practice.
1954 – 1969
1954
- Toyo Electronics Industry established.
- Carbon film resistors developed and marketed.
1958
- Toyo Electronics Industry Corporation.
1962
- In-house production of automatic resistor assembly machine inaugurated.
1963
- Metal-firm resistors developed and marketed.
1965
- Quality control program introduced.
- Published “Visible Music History” (record of all volumes)
1966
- In-house Standardization Committee organized.
- ROHM Wako Co., Ltd. established.
1967
- Transistors and switching diode developed and marketed.
1968
- Completed production of diode arrays and diode matrices.
1969
- Began development of ICs.
- ROHM Apollo Co., Ltd. established
1970 – 1979
1970
- Computers for processing business data introduced.
- ROHM Logistec Co., Ltd. established.
- Established U.S. subsidiary company in California.
- Published “History of Musical Instruments” (record of all volumes)
1971
- Started research and development of integrated circuits (ICs) in Silicon Valley.
- ROHM Electronics GmbH established.
- Transistor developed and marketed.
1972
- ROHM Korea Corporation established.
1973
- LEDs and network resistors developed and marketed.
1974
- Thermal printheads developed and marketed.
- ROHM Electronics (H.K.) Co., Ltd. established.
1976
- Square-plante chip resistors developed and marketed.
1977
- Rectifying diodes developed and marketed.
1979
- Corporate trademark is changed from R.ohm to ROHM.
- ROHM Electronics Asia Pte. Ltd. (RES DIVISION) established.
- Began “ROHM’s Diary of Kyoto Natural History” for company public relations as a newspaper column.
1980 – 1989
- The path to integrated semiconductor manufacturing
1980
- Zener diodes developed and marketed.
1981
- Registered company name is changed from Toyo Electronics Industry Corporation to ROHM Co., Ltd.
- Began development of MOS ICs.
- ROHM Fukuoka Co., Ltd. established.
- Published “Asian Music” (recorded tapes of all volumes)
1982
- Semiconductor Research Center is completed.
- Digital transistors developed and marketed.
1983
- Listed on the Second Section of the Osaka Security Exchange.
- Band switching diodes developed and marketed.
1984
- First in the world to succeed in the practical industrial use of laser diodes with MBE methodology.
- ROHM Amagi Co., Ltd. established.
1985
- 4-bit and 8-bit microcontrollers using original CPUs developed.
1986
- Listed on the First Section of the Osaka Stock Exchange.
- Research and Development Center opened (presently LSI Development Center).
- Memory ICs developed and marketed.
- Capacitors marketed.
- Published public relations magazine “ROHM’s Diary of Kyoto Natural History.”
1987
- A manufacturing plant is established in Thailand (presently RIST).
- ROHM Electronics Taiwan Co., Ltd. established.
1988
- Obtained basic patent of flash memory in the USA.
- ROHM Mechatech Co., Ltd. established.
- Narita Giken Co., Ltd. established.
1989
Listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Received PM award (TPM)
LSI Research Center opened.
Liquid crystal process technology established and products marketed.
- A manufacturing plant is established in Philippines (presently REPI).
- ROHM-Wako Electronics (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. established.
- ROHM Electronics (U.K.) Limited established.
- Hosted “ROHM’s Music Festival with Play Bach.”
- Published public relations magazine “ROHM’s Diary of Kyoto Natural History II.”
1990 – 1999
- The challenge of new technologies and new sectors
1990
- America Technology Center opened.
- Began sales of LED message boards.
- ROHM Apollo Device Co., Ltd. established.
1991
- Second Research and Development Center opened.
- Established ROHM Music Foundation.
1992
- Completely abolished use of specific-fluorocarbons (all companies in ROHM Group)
1993
- ROHM Electronics Dalian Co., Ltd. established.
- A manufacturing plant is established in Tianjin, China (presently RSC).
- ROHM Electronics (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. established
- ROHM Mechatech Philippines, INC. established.
- Hosted “Kyoto International Music Students Festival” (held annually).
- Hosted “Keith Jarret plays Mozart.”
1994
- Obtained ISO9001 certification.
- Began “ROHM’s Diary of Science of the tales of old Japan” for company P.R as a newspaper column.
1995
- Second LSI Research Center opened.
- Published “ROHM’s Diary of Kyoto Natural History (Sound Report Edition)” CD-ROM.
1996
- ROHM Wako Device Co., Ltd. established
- ROHM Electronics Korea Corporation established.
- ROHM Electronics (Philippines) Sales Corporation established.
1997
- Yokohama Technology Center opened.
- ROHM Electronics (Thailand) Co., Ltd. established.
- ROHM Electronics (France) S.A.S. established.
- Published “ROHM’s Diary of Kyoto Natural History (Light Report Edition)” CD-ROM.
1998
- Obtained ISO14001 Environmental Management System Certification.
- VLSI Research Center opened.
- Co-sponsored “New Japan Philharmonic Special” concert, conducted by Seiji Ozawa.
- Began “ROHM’s Diary of Science of the tales” for company P.R as a newspaper column.
1999
- Kyoto Technology Center opened.
- LSI Development Center opened.
- ROHM Hamamatsu Co., Ltd. established.
- ROHM Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. established.
2000 – 2009
- Aiming towards further growth
2000
- Europe Technology Center opened.
- ROHM Semiconductor (China) Co.,Ltd. established.
- Co-sponsored “Seiji Ozawa Opera Project.”
- Co-sponsored “The Opening Concert of Autumn Kyoto Music Festival.”
2001
- ROHM Co., Ltd. (Shin yokohama) opened.
- Started forestation project in Australia named “ROHM Forest.”
- Contribution for Ritsumeikan University ROHM Plaza.
2002
- Optical Device Research Center opened.
2003
- LSI Test Technology Center opened.
- ROHM Electronics Trading (Dalian) Co., Ltd. established.
- ROHM Tsukuba Co., Ltd. established.
- Contribution for Doshisha ROHM Plaza.
- Co-sponsored “Kyoto Student Festival.”
2004
- Shanghai Technology Center opened.
- Taiwan Technology Center opened.
2005
- Korea Technology Center opened.
- A ROHM Plaza research facility was donated to Kyoto University.
- Co-sponsored “Seiji Ozawa Opera Project” in China.
2006
- Shenzhen Technology Center opened.
- Nagoya Design Center opened.
- ROHM Integrated Systems (Thailand) Co., Ltd. established.
- ROHM Electronics (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. established.
- A Selection of Japanese 78rpm Recording II.
2007
- ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation to Laboratory.
- Developed an ultra-compact LED “PICOLEDTM[picoled]” featuring both the smallest volume and area in the world.
- A Selection of Japanese 78rpm Recording III.
2008
- Logo changed (9/17/08) to “ROHM SEMICONDUCTOR” to mark our 50th anniversary.
- Acquired OKI SEMICONDUCTOR Co., Ltd.
2009
- Market leader Kionix, Inc., becomes a subsidiary of ROHM.
- A SiC supplier becomes a ROHM subsidiary.
2010 – Toward the next 50 years
2010
- Began mass production of SiC Schottky barrier diodes.
- ROHM Semiconductor (China) Co., Ltd. Established. · Co-Sponsored “Seiji Ozawa Opera Project.”
- C0-sponsore “The Opening concert of Autumn Kyoto Music Festival.”
2011
- Established ROHM Semiconductor India Pvt. Ltd.
- Constructed the Tsinghua-ROHM Electronic Engineering Hall at Tsinghua University (Beijing, China)
2012
- Established the ROHM-Tsinghua Joint Research Center
- ROHM Kyoto Station Building received the natural Resources and Energy Secretary Award for Energy Conservation
- Began mass production of Full SiC Power Modules
- Developed the world’s smallest Zener diodes (0402 size)
2013
- Acquired the naming rights for Kyoto Kaikan and renamed it ROHM Theater Kyoto
- Started mass production of the RASMID™ series of the world’s smallest products featuring breakthrough miniaturization, developed utilizing new process methods ·
Acquired OHSAS 18001 occupational health and safety standard certification
2014
- Established a design center in India
- Developed high power ultra-low-ohmic shunt resistors optimized for current detection in automotive and industrial applications ·Developed the world’s smallest transistors (VML0604)
2015
- The Industry’s First AC/DC Converter Control IC for SiC Drive
- The World’s First Trench-Type SiC MOSFET
- Established ROHM Shiga Co., Ltd. (Currently ROHM Co., Ltd Shiga Factory)
2016
- Opened ROHM Theatre Kyoto
2017
- Announced the world’s most advanced power supply core technology (Nano Series)
- Developed the world’s first noise-tolerant op amp
2018
- Developed DC/DC converter featuring the world’s lowest current consumption (180nA) utilizing Nano Energy® technology
- Acquired certification for the development process under the ISO 26262 Automotive Functional Safety Standard
2019
- The first to obtain certification under the Wi-SIN FAN wireless communication standard
- Developed the industry’s first AC/DC converter IC with built-in 1700V Sic MOS
- Acquired a part of the semiconductor device business from Panasonic
2020
- Formulated a Management Vision
- Established Nano Cap power supply technology that significantly reduces capacitance
- Developed 4th Generation Sic MOSFETs featuring the industry’s lowest ON resistance
2021
- Formulated ROHM Group Environmental Vision 2050
- Created our medium-term management plan Moving Forward to 2025
- Donated the ROHM BNCT Center to the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
2022
- Moved from the First Section to the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
- Joined the Global RE100 Initiative
- Signed an agreement with Shiga Prefecture to ‘Link people and forest’
- Entered into partnership agreement with Kyoto City to achieve a decarbonized society
