Rion Co. Ltd.

History

Year	Detail
1944	Kobayasi-riken Co. Ltd. is established in Tokyo, Japan.
1946	Rochelle salt piezoelectric phono cartridge and microphone are introduced.
1948	The first hearing instrument in Japan (H-501) is introduced.
1950	Hearing instruments are granted as meeting requirements 01 of the Act on Welfare of Physically Disabled Persons.
1952	RION's first Audiometer (A-1002) is introduced.
1954	Osaka Service Station (current West-Japan Office) is opened.
1955	RION's first Sound level meter (N-1101) is introduced.
1956	A transistorized hearing instrument (H-530) is introduced. Audiometric Test Room (AT-2) is introduced. Viscotester (RV-1501) is introduced.
1959	Nystagmographs (NY-2301) are introduced.
1960	The corporate name was renamed to RION Co. Ltd., and Rion Metal Engineering Co. Ltd. was established.
1961	Rionet Center is opened.
1962	A disc-type Sound Reproduction Device (RR-01) is introduced.
1963	Sendai Branch (current Sendai Office) is opened.
1964	The piezoelectric Igniter (PE-01) and Behind-the-ear hearing instrument (HA-07) are introduced.
1965	Vibration Meter (VM-01) is introduced.
1969	Tohoku Rion Co. Ltd. is established, and an E.E.G. adding device (AR-03) is introduced.
1970	Komiyadenki Co. Ltd. is acquired as a subsidiary of Rion . The first digital sound level meter in the world (NA-10) is introduced.
1974	Rion sound level meter got the type approval of the Measurement Act, as the first for sound level meters.
1979	Rion Electronic Industries Co. Ltd. in Taiwan, R.O.C., is established.
1981	The first transistorized Anemometers in the world (AM-02,AM-03) and The first hearing instrument with Automatic Noise Suppression (A.N.S.) in the world (HA-39AS) is introduced.
1983	The first middle ear implant in the world is developed. The first bone conduction hearing instrument spectacles with wireless CROS (HE-72) is introduced.
1984	Introduced Custom-made in-the-ear hearing instrument (HI-02), The first drip-proof B.T.E. hearing instrument in the world (HB-35), and The first Liquid-borne particle counter manufactured in Japan (KL-01).
1986	The first waterproof B.T.E. hearing instrument in the world (HB-35PT) and The first 1/N Realtime Analyzer in the world (SA-26) is introduced.
1993	IS09001 certificate for noise meters is approved.
1996	R.I. Inc. is established. The first hearing instrument with Either-way Circuit in the world (HB-55S) is introduced.
1997	Kokusai Hochouki Co. Ltd. is acquired as a subsidiary of Rion.
2002	Established Rion Service Center Co. Ltd. and Rion Techno Co. Ltd. European representative office in the Netherlands is opened.
2004	The first automatic shell manufacturing system for custom-made hearing instruments, "Yumejikoubou", has started its operation.
2005	The first custom-made waterproof digital hearing instrument in the world (HI-G4WE) is introduced.
2006	Rion Measuring Instruments Sales Co. Ltd. and Tokai Rion Co. Ltd. are established.
2009	Hear Link (currently Tokyo Rionet Sales Co., Ltd., a non-consolidated company) has been acquired.
2010	China Representative Office is opened in China and The first handheld O.A.E. screener manufactured in Japan (ER-60) is introduced.
2012	Shanghai Rion Retail Co. Ltd. is opened in China.
2017	The world's first cartilage conduction hearing instrument is marketed.
2020	The world's first wireless rechargeable system for hearing instrument is marketed. The world's first completely wireless audiometer is marketed.
2022	Norsonic AS is acquired as a subsidiary of Rion.