Epson Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Epson Brand

Leveraging the spirit of "Creativity and Challenge" and "Integrity and Effort" to build a trusted brand

Seiko Epson Corporation (TSE: 6724, "Epson") today marks the 50th anniversary of the Epson brand. Since its inception in 1975, Epson has built a global reputation by upholding the values of creativity, challenge, integrity, and effort. Drawing on its origins in watchmaking in 1942, Epson has continuously developed its efficient, compact, and precise technologies into products that have shaped industries and enriched lives across the world.

The Epson 50th Anniversary Logo expresses our gratitude to everyone who has supported us so far and our determination to continue to be a globally trusted brand

Epson: Our First Innovation and its “Sons”

The name "Epson" was born from the EP-101, the world's first compact digital printer, with the ambition to produce many "sons" of this original innovation. That ambition has resulted in decades of product excellence and customer trust, with a presence spanning home, office, commercial, and industrial domains.

Printing Solutions

Epson's printing legacy continued with the MP-80, which introduced ESC/P, later an industry standard. In 1993, the MJ-500 debuted with Micro Piezo technology, followed by the MJ-700V2C in 1994, which brought 720 dpi high-resolution printing to homes at an affordable price. In 2010, Epson launched high-capacity ink tank printers based on customer feedback in Indonesia; today, Epson is ranked No.1 ink tank printer brand with more than 100 million units sold worldwide in over 170 countries*1

Epson’s PrecisionCore printhead technology extended Epson's reach to develop a wide range of products, not only for the home and office but also for commercial and industrial applications. Our printheads are recognised for their outstanding quality and are widely used in third-party printers, making Epson a leading supplier of printheads used in industrial inkjet machines.  Epson's professional large-format printers and textile solutions, like the Monna Lisa 160B, support sustainable small-lot production, while the SurePress series meets the short-run packaging needs of fast-moving industries.

Visual Communications

Epson's LCD projector journey began in 1989 with the VPJ-700, followed by the ELP-3000 in 1994, offering triple brightness in a portable form. Key to Epson's projectors are high-temperature polysilicon (HTPS) panels, which ensure vibrant, high-quality images using semiconductor-grade fabrication techniques. The 2016 EB-L25000U set a benchmark as the world's brightest^*2 3LCD laser projector at 25,000 lumens. Epson now leads the global business projector market^*3, powering everything from meetings to immersive cultural exhibitions like projection mapping on Matsumoto Castle.

Manufacturing and Wearables

Epson has led in factory automation since launching its SCARA-type industrial robots in 1983. Compact, fast, and precise, these robots support flexible production across sectors such as automotive, electronics, and healthcare. Epson has secured and maintained the world's top market share^*4 in terms of sales revenue in the industrial SCARA robot segment. By integrating vision and force-sensing technology, the robots now handle delicate, human-like tasks, helping manufacturers boost productivity and address labour shortages. Their use has expanded beyond factories into life sciences and research settings, where precision is critical.

In horology, Epson launched the world's first quartz watch in 1969 and introduced innovations like the TV watch and self-winding quartz models. The acquisition of Orient Watch Company in 2009 expanded Epson's presence in mechanical watches. Meanwhile, Epson's quartz crystal devices – grown in-house – are essential in modern electronics, used in smartphones, drones, and infrastructure monitoring. Epson ranks among the world's top manufacturers of these components*5.

Delivering Globally

Epson's global journey began with manufacturing in Singapore in 1968 and sales operations in the U.S. in 1975. Over the decades, Epson has developed a strong international network with key production sites in China, Indonesia, and the Philippines, and regional headquarters in the U.S., Europe, Singapore, and China. Local insights have driven innovation, such as ink tank printers initially launched in Indonesia. In 2023, Epson expanded into the Middle East and Africa through a new sales company in Dubai, strengthening support in emerging markets.

Epson Has Expanded a Global, Diverse Customer Base

Epson technologies have become essential across fields – from home printing and digital art to projection mapping and collaborative robotics. Our print solutions serve professional photographers, designers, and educators, while our projectors support both business presentations and large-scale events. Industrial robots and crystal devices help drive precision agriculture, automation, and infrastructure resilience. This wide application is anchored by our commitment to reliable, high-quality products and sustainability.

As we reflect on the past 50 years, we honour the trust of our partners and customers. Rooted in the natural beauty of Nagano, we remain committed to protecting the environment and pursuing our vision: to become carbon negative and eliminate the use of exhaustible underground resources by 2050.

We will continue to champion innovation that is efficient, compact, and precise – enriching lives and creating a better world for generations to come.

Note: The product model names listed are the names used for products released in Japan at the time.

*1 As of the end of September 2024

*2 As of December 2015, for already released 3LCD projector products, per Epson research,

*3 Share of projectors with 500 lumens or more, excluding screenless TV products, per FY2023 Futuresource Consulting Ltd.

*4 "2025 Worldwide Robot-Related Market Status and Future Prospects FA Robots," (Shipments of industrial SCARA robots in 2024 based on revenue), Fuji Keizai Co., Ltd.

*5 Based on the 2023 issue of QYRESEARCH's Global Timing Device Market Report, per Epson’s research