Further to last week’s report on the impact of the earthquake and tsunami on Japan’s leading camera manufacturers, Ricoh has advised that it has suspended operations at several manufacturing plants in the Tohuko, Kanto and Shizuoka prefectures.
The company also advised that none of its employees had been injured as result of the March 11 earthquake.
The divisions that have suspended operations include Ricoh Optical Industries (optical products and projectors), Hazama Ricoh (product parts), Tohoku Rioch (MFPs, printesr and toner), Ricoh Printing Systems (production printing products) and Gotemba Plant (MFPs and printers).
Meantime, Olympus has added to the earthquake relief fund with a donation of Yen100 million ($1.2 million). Panasonic, Sony and Canon have each donated Yen300 million ($3.6 million) to various relief organisations while Nikon has donated Yen100 million ($1.2 million).
Panasonic has also donated 500,000 batteries, 10,000 radios, 10,000 torchlights and 4000 Sanyo solar LED lanterns and while Sony has donated 30,000 portable radios.
Panasonic and its Workers Unions Association will also launch a fund-raising campaign involving employees of the Panasonic Group companies to support the affected area.
Fujifilm reports that its Taiwa-Cho factory, which is located 35 kilometres miles from Sendai, was damaged but none of its workers were reported injured. Production of the FinePix X100 has been temporarily stopped and delays can be expected for this new camera. The company says the rest of its operation is not affected.
Hoya Corporation, which owns Pentax, reports that several employees were slightly injured but none seriously. Some production facilities were damaged, although the company is still trying to assess the extent of damage. It isn't known how the camera and lens facilities have been affeccted but due to traffic problems and blackouts, production has been disrupted.
Epson cancelled its Colour Imaging Exhibition trade show, which was planned for March 19-21 in Tokyo. Epson reports that while no casualties were reported at its facilities, one of its factories was hit by a one-metre tsunami, while three other facilities have been temporarily shut due to rolling blackouts as a result of the quake. Two buildings that are within 16 kilometres from the Fukushima nuclear plant have sustained some damage and are closed for the time being.
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