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Review of the Year Ended March 2009
In the bioscience field, Nikon concentrated on increasing
sales of high-end system products launched in the fiscal
year ended March 2008, such as the inverted research
microscope ECLIPSE Ti, as well as products such as the
confocal microscope A1. We also revised the sales organi-
zation at sales subsidiaries. In the industrial instruments
field, we worked to promote sales in a variety of areas,
including the launch in October 2008 of the inverted
metallurgical microscope ECLIPSE MA200 for visual
inspection of metals, ceramics and other materials.
Establishing a Premium Brand in the Bioscience Field
Research using live cells is the focus of development for
biological microscopes. The ECLIPSE Ti and A1 series
have been recognized in particular for their high speed,
high resolution, and stability. The dedicated NIS-
Elements imaging software accentuates the hardware’s
capabilities, earning these system products a strong repu-
tation for their all-around system performance. As appli-
cations also have become increasingly important, Nikon
is further expanding its lineup of related applications by
drawing on its many years of experience with technologies
such as precision control and image processing. Through
these efforts, we are establishing Nikon as a premium
brand in the bioscience field and seeking to gain a com-
manding lead over our competitors for high-end products.
The BioStation series includes the BioStation CT (Cell
Tracking), a cell culture observation system that simplifies
stable cultivation and quality control for live cells, as well
as the BioStation IM (cell IMaging), a time-lapse imaging
system that captures images of live cells at fixed intervals,
and combines them to allow for observation of the cell
as a moving image. Both of these systems provide for
highly reliable data management and we have worked to
promote sales since the fiscal year ended March 2008. The
BioStation CT in particular, due to its ability to observe
the cultivation of numerous samples without a change
in environment, enjoys high expectations for use in such
cutting-edge fields as iPS cell (induced pluripotent stem
cell) research, and pharmaceutical development.
Expansion in Measuring Instruments to Broaden
Business Domains
Of the three main product groups in the industrial instru-
ments field (industrial microscopes, semiconductor inspec-
tion equipment, and measuring instruments), Nikon is
focusing particularly on expanding sales of measuring
instruments. Nikon’s measuring instruments for electronic
components and similar products already enjoy a large
share of the market in Japan and other areas of Asia.
Looking ahead, we aim to broaden our business domain
and earnings base through expansion into measuring
instruments for a variety of industries. As one part of this
strategy, in June 2009 we announced a plan for a friendly
MARKET ENVIRONMENT AND BUSINESS TRENDS
In the bioscience field, we anticipate stable growth in the microscope market, but as the performance requirements for instru-
ments expand year by year, we expect competition for product technology development to become increasingly fierce. In the
industrial instruments field, we anticipate that conditions will remain harsh as a result of such factors as the curbs on capital
expenditures that have followed the deterioration of conditions in the semiconductor-related market.
Net Sales
(Millions of yen)
Years ended March 31
44,643
59,043
59,252
200920082007
Operating Income(Loss)
(Millions of yen)
Years ended March 31
200920082007
–2,724
4,081
5,123
Nikon Annual Report 2009 17