Nouvelles

Nikon Instruments, Inc. Creates New Business Divisions

sept. 16, 2002

Nikon Well-Positioned to Expand Leadership in Microscopes

Nikon Instruments Inc., the world leader in precision optics manufacturing, today announced that it has formed two new business Divisions -- Microscopy Sales and Microscopy Product/Marketing. The focus will be on expanding Nikon's leadership position in microscopy. This new organizational framework will streamline the Company's operations, allow greater flexibility in responding to market and customer needs and secure its number one market share position in microscopes.

Hiro Kusaka, Nikon Instruments' recently appointed President and CEO, stated, "The new group will position Nikon to drive innovation, expand the strength of its technology base and build upon its current success in the market place. Nikon is well-positioned to invest in its future and to meet the opportunity."

The two new Microscopy Divisions within the Instruments Group will combine the BioScience and Industrial microscope departments, but will split the Product/Marketing and Sales functions. Segmenting these two functions will allow Nikon to be more flexible and respond more quickly to market needs and customers.

Heading the new Instruments Group is Lee Shuett, a Nikon veteran who has been with the company for 29 years. "The new Divisions will afford Nikon the opportunity to drive significant new growth to its leading microscopy and imaging businesses, capitalize on new markets and products and spearhead development of new technologies," stated Lee Shuett, Executive Vice President. "The strengthening of our core competency is fundamental to our new structure," continued Shuett.

Stan Schwartz, a Nikon veteran of 22 years and former department manager for the Bioscience group, will manage the new Microscopy Product/Marketing division. Michael Bady, also a Nikon veteran of 22 years, and former national sales manager, will oversee the Microscopy Sales Division.

In addition to the newly formed division, three other Departments comprise key sectors of the Instruments Group: Measuring Instruments, Surveying Instruments and Ophthalmic Products.

In other news at Nikon Instruments, the newly created Nikon Semiconductor Inspection Technology Group (SITECH) was formed in the beginning of July to broaden the U.S. distribution of Nikon's advanced semiconductor inspection products. SITECH is located in Tempe, AZ.