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Nikon is reported to have closed its factory in Japan, bringing an end to more than 70 years of domestic camera production. Instead, manufacturing will continue only at its facility in Thailand.
The news was reported by AERAdot which claims that preparations for the closure began in October, shortly after Nikon completed a production run of the Z 7 and Z 6 cameras — presumably the recently announced mark II models. As yet, there is no news regarding job losses and Nikon has not published a press release.
The reported closure follows what has been possibly the camera industry’s most challenging year with Nikon telling investors in May to expect the company to post “extraordinary losses” as a result of COVID-19 and a market that was already contracting. The Japanese manufacturer reported some slightly more optimistic news back in November but the move to close the factory is part of its efforts to restructure the company which saw it cut its overseas workforce by 20% earlier this year.
Nikon is thought to have two more DSLRs due for release next year, dragging out its pivot to mirrorless and arguably squeezing the last of the juice out of its existing technology. There’s speculation that if its imaging division can’t return to profit in the near future, Nikon might seek to cut its losses and find a buyer sometime in the next two years.
Source (Asahi News)
English source (FStoppers)
The news was reported by AERAdot which claims that preparations for the closure began in October, shortly after Nikon completed a production run of the Z 7 and Z 6 cameras — presumably the recently announced mark II models. As yet, there is no news regarding job losses and Nikon has not published a press release.
The reported closure follows what has been possibly the camera industry’s most challenging year with Nikon telling investors in May to expect the company to post “extraordinary losses” as a result of COVID-19 and a market that was already contracting. The Japanese manufacturer reported some slightly more optimistic news back in November but the move to close the factory is part of its efforts to restructure the company which saw it cut its overseas workforce by 20% earlier this year.
Nikon is thought to have two more DSLRs due for release next year, dragging out its pivot to mirrorless and arguably squeezing the last of the juice out of its existing technology. There’s speculation that if its imaging division can’t return to profit in the near future, Nikon might seek to cut its losses and find a buyer sometime in the next two years.
Source (Asahi News)
English source (FStoppers)