About ROHM

Company History

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.

• Founding - 1969
• 1970 - 1979
• 1980 - 1989
• 1990 - 1999
• 2000 - 2009
• 2010 -

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

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

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).
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

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 -

2010	Began mass production of SiC Schottky barrier diodes. Retrofitted the Kyoto Technology Center and Business Center with green technology,including ROHM LED lighting products, high efficiency air conditioners, and a garden rooftop. Began mass production of SiC-DMOSFET
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 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-SUN 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 forests’ Entered into a partnership agreement with Kyoto City to achieve a decarbonized society