Hoya Sells Pentax-Brand Survey Instrument Business

Biro · 12-09-2009, 04:31 PM

According to Japan's Nikkei newspapers, Hoya Corp. has sold its measurement equipment business under the Pentax brand to a Taiwanese company. The operations at subsidiary Pentax Industrial Instruments Corp., including development and production sites in Japan, patents and shares in a joint venture in China, have been taken over by Taiwan Instrument Co. The deal is estimated at 200-300 million yen. The Pentax trademark is licensed for five years. The business was previously handled by the former Pentax Corp., which Hoya acquired in 2007. The segment apparently has been in the red on an operating basis amid reduced public works and weak housing starts. Hoya will concentrate resources on its mainstay medical equipment operations.

**monochrome** · 12-09-2009, 06:10 PM

Originally posted by Biro

According to Japan's Nikkei newspapers, Hoya Corp. has sold its measurement equipment business under the Pentax brand to a Taiwanese company. The operations at subsidiary Pentax Industrial Instruments Corp., including development and production sites in Japan, patents and shares in a joint venture in China, have been taken over by Taiwan Instrument Co. The deal is estimated at 200-300 million yen. The Pentax trademark is licensed for five years. The business was previously handled by the former Pentax Corp., which Hoya acquired in 2007. The segment apparently has been in the red on an operating basis amid reduced public works and weak housing starts. Hoya will concentrate resources on its mainstay medical equipment operations.

You can find Pentax laser levels and survey equipment on eBay for virtually nothing.

Arpe · 12-10-2009, 04:38 PM

I thought the camera and the surveying instruments divisions werre separate anyway!

**SCGushue** · 12-10-2009, 06:17 PM

Originally posted by Biro

According to Japan's Nikkei newspapers, Hoya Corp. has sold its measurement equipment business under the Pentax brand to a Taiwanese company. The operations at subsidiary Pentax Industrial Instruments Corp., including development and production sites in Japan, patents and shares in a joint venture in China, have been taken over by Taiwan Instrument Co. The deal is estimated at 200-300 million yen. The Pentax trademark is licensed for five years. The business was previously handled by the former Pentax Corp., which Hoya acquired in 2007. The segment apparently has been in the red on an operating basis amid reduced public works and weak housing starts. Hoya will concentrate resources on its mainstay medical equipment operations.

The most interesting thing to note here is ....

The myth that a Japanese company, Pentax, will not be sold to a non Japanese business. Apparently, money is money and anyone whom may have some is a viable contender or suiter for Hoya/Pentax.

Stephen

kickboxingpenguin · 12-10-2009, 06:17 PM

This is scary... what is going to happen to the quality! There have already been problems with the DA* lenses.

LeDave · 12-10-2009, 06:25 PM

Originally posted by kickboxingpenguin

This is scary... what is going to happen to the quality! There have already been problems with the DA* lenses.

Well it certainly can't get worse than the SDM issues as well as the decentering defects of many 16-50's. If anything at all, the DA*'s would get better, because it's hard to get messier than it already is.

**SCGushue** · 12-10-2009, 06:31 PM

Originally posted by kickboxingpenguin

This is scary... what is going to happen to the quality! There have already been problems with the DA* lenses.

Originally posted by LeDave

Well it certainly can't get worse than the SDM issues as well as the decentering defects of many 16-50's. If anything at all, the DA*'s would get better, because it's hard to get messier than it already is.

Hey guys,

Light'in up. It ain't the camera division being sold. Just some subsection of a subsection. This has little or nothing to do with your camera.

Stephen

LeDave · 12-10-2009, 06:38 PM

Not the camera division but just some warning signs that Hoya is "loosening" it up.

omega leader · 12-10-2009, 07:22 PM

Originally posted by monochrome

You can find Pentax laser levels and survey equipment on eBay for virtually nothing.

You can find any brand total station for cheap everywhere. Our firm (I'm a municipal engineer) has switched over to GPS for all our survey work, in the last two years and other firms have been doing the same. I've seen a room with probably about a million dollars (about 20 or so) worth of equipment that is practically useless now.

It allows 1 person to do what used to take two.

Arpe · 12-10-2009, 10:56 PM

Originally posted by omega leader

You can find any brand total station for cheap everywhere. Our firm (I'm a municipal engineer) has switched over to GPS for all our survey work, in the last two years and other firms have been doing the same. I've seen a room with probably about a million dollars (about 20 or so) worth of equipment that is practically useless now.

It allows 1 person to do what used to take two.

As long as there's no tall buildings or bush or cliffs or large hills in your way.

RMabo · 12-11-2009, 07:47 AM

So have they cured the front focusing and SDM problems of the lasers yet?

Now, the front focusing in tungsten lighting for those measurements lasers means they never get things correct, that is why the company always produced red figures hahaha.

No, jokes aside, this has nothing to do with the imaging business.
It is not a problem that Hoya wishes to streamline it's business and focus (!) on the most important business products and segments.

ogl · 12-11-2009, 08:44 AM

Originally posted by SCGushue

The most interesting thing to note here is ....

The myth that a Japanese company, Pentax, will not be sold to a non Japanese business. Apparently, money is money and anyone whom may have some is a viable contender or suiter for Hoya/Pentax.

Stephen

Not to NON JAPANESE. not to Korean company.

It's not the myth.

**SCGushue** · 12-11-2009, 09:56 AM

Originally posted by ogl

Not to NON JAPANESE. not to Korean company.

It's not the myth.

I pondered that aspect when I posted. But thought a step or two ahead.

If one extrapolated Japanese/Chinese history confrontations pre WWII and the history of failed Chinese invasions on the Japanese homeland, one would most certainly think that anything sold to China might be equally, if not more taboo.

Stephen

PentaxPoke · 12-11-2009, 10:26 AM

Anyone else thinking that Hoya has evaluated the Breakup Value of Pentax?

kickboxingpenguin · 12-11-2009, 04:50 PM

Originally posted by kickboxingpenguin

This is scary... what is going to happen to the quality! There have already been problems with the DA* lenses.

i misread the original message... this could actually be good news!

12-09-2009, 04:31 PM	#1
Biro Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,200	Hoya Sells Pentax-Brand Survey Instrument Business According to Japan's Nikkei newspapers, Hoya Corp. has sold its measurement equipment business under the Pentax brand to a Taiwanese company. The operations at subsidiary Pentax Industrial Instruments Corp., including development and production sites in Japan, patents and shares in a joint venture in China, have been taken over by Taiwan Instrument Co. The deal is estimated at 200-300 million yen. The Pentax trademark is licensed for five years. The business was previously handled by the former Pentax Corp., which Hoya acquired in 2007. The segment apparently has been in the red on an operating basis amid reduced public works and weak housing starts. Hoya will concentrate resources on its mainstay medical equipment operations.

12-10-2009, 07:22 PM	#9
omega leader Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Niagara Region, Ontario Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 417	Optical and Laser survey equiptment is going the way of the dinasaur Originally posted by monochrome You can find Pentax laser levels and survey equipment on eBay for virtually nothing. You can find any brand total station for cheap everywhere. Our firm (I'm a municipal engineer) has switched over to GPS for all our survey work, in the last two years and other firms have been doing the same. I've seen a room with probably about a million dollars (about 20 or so) worth of equipment that is practically useless now. It allows 1 person to do what used to take two.

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12-09-2009, 06:10 PM	#2
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by Biro According to Japan's Nikkei newspapers, Hoya Corp. has sold its measurement equipment business under the Pentax brand to a Taiwanese company. The operations at subsidiary Pentax Industrial Instruments Corp., including development and production sites in Japan, patents and shares in a joint venture in China, have been taken over by Taiwan Instrument Co. The deal is estimated at 200-300 million yen. The Pentax trademark is licensed for five years. The business was previously handled by the former Pentax Corp., which Hoya acquired in 2007. The segment apparently has been in the red on an operating basis amid reduced public works and weak housing starts. Hoya will concentrate resources on its mainstay medical equipment operations. You can find Pentax laser levels and survey equipment on eBay for virtually nothing.

12-10-2009, 04:38 PM	#3
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	I thought the camera and the surveying instruments divisions werre separate anyway!

12-10-2009, 06:17 PM	#4
SCGushue Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,449	Originally posted by Biro According to Japan's Nikkei newspapers, Hoya Corp. has sold its measurement equipment business under the Pentax brand to a Taiwanese company. The operations at subsidiary Pentax Industrial Instruments Corp., including development and production sites in Japan, patents and shares in a joint venture in China, have been taken over by Taiwan Instrument Co. The deal is estimated at 200-300 million yen. The Pentax trademark is licensed for five years. The business was previously handled by the former Pentax Corp., which Hoya acquired in 2007. The segment apparently has been in the red on an operating basis amid reduced public works and weak housing starts. Hoya will concentrate resources on its mainstay medical equipment operations. The most interesting thing to note here is .... The myth that a Japanese company, Pentax, will not be sold to a non Japanese business. Apparently, money is money and anyone whom may have some is a viable contender or suiter for Hoya/Pentax. Stephen

12-10-2009, 06:17 PM	#5
kickboxingpenguin Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 41	This is scary... what is going to happen to the quality! There have already been problems with the DA* lenses.

12-10-2009, 06:25 PM	#6
LeDave Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Minneapolis - St. Paul Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,067	Originally posted by kickboxingpenguin This is scary... what is going to happen to the quality! There have already been problems with the DA* lenses. Well it certainly can't get worse than the SDM issues as well as the decentering defects of many 16-50's. If anything at all, the DA*'s would get better, because it's hard to get messier than it already is.

12-10-2009, 06:31 PM	#7
SCGushue Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,449	Originally posted by kickboxingpenguin This is scary... what is going to happen to the quality! There have already been problems with the DA* lenses. Originally posted by LeDave Well it certainly can't get worse than the SDM issues as well as the decentering defects of many 16-50's. If anything at all, the DA*'s would get better, because it's hard to get messier than it already is. Hey guys, Light'in up. It ain't the camera division being sold. Just some subsection of a subsection. This has little or nothing to do with your camera. Stephen

12-10-2009, 06:38 PM	#8
LeDave Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Minneapolis - St. Paul Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,067	Not the camera division but just some warning signs that Hoya is "loosening" it up.

12-10-2009, 10:56 PM	#10
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	Originally posted by omega leader You can find any brand total station for cheap everywhere. Our firm (I'm a municipal engineer) has switched over to GPS for all our survey work, in the last two years and other firms have been doing the same. I've seen a room with probably about a million dollars (about 20 or so) worth of equipment that is practically useless now. It allows 1 person to do what used to take two. As long as there's no tall buildings or bush or cliffs or large hills in your way.

12-11-2009, 07:47 AM	#11
RMabo Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 845	So have they cured the front focusing and SDM problems of the lasers yet? Now, the front focusing in tungsten lighting for those measurements lasers means they never get things correct, that is why the company always produced red figures hahaha. No, jokes aside, this has nothing to do with the imaging business. It is not a problem that Hoya wishes to streamline it's business and focus (!) on the most important business products and segments.

12-11-2009, 08:44 AM	#12
ogl Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sankt Peterburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,382	Originally posted by SCGushue The most interesting thing to note here is .... The myth that a Japanese company, Pentax, will not be sold to a non Japanese business. Apparently, money is money and anyone whom may have some is a viable contender or suiter for Hoya/Pentax. Stephen Not to NON JAPANESE. not to Korean company. It's not the myth.

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12-11-2009, 09:56 AM	#13
SCGushue Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,449	Originally posted by ogl Not to NON JAPANESE. not to Korean company. It's not the myth. I pondered that aspect when I posted. But thought a step or two ahead. If one extrapolated Japanese/Chinese history confrontations pre WWII and the history of failed Chinese invasions on the Japanese homeland, one would most certainly think that anything sold to China might be equally, if not more taboo. Stephen

12-11-2009, 10:26 AM	#14
PentaxPoke Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,411	Anyone else thinking that Hoya has evaluated the Breakup Value of Pentax?

12-11-2009, 04:50 PM	#15
kickboxingpenguin Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 41	Originally posted by kickboxingpenguin This is scary... what is going to happen to the quality! There have already been problems with the DA* lenses. i misread the original message... this could actually be good news!