Canon tops among Japanese firms in US patent ranking

To date, the company's total number of patents since 2000 has been up to more than 28,500.

Canon Inc. registered 3,188 new patents during 2012, surpassing the company record of 2,813 new patents in 2011, an 11.3 per cent increase from 2011. Based on weekly patent counts issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for 2012, Canon placed third overall marking a new milestone in the company’s history as one of the top five patent holders worldwide for more than a quarter of a century.

Canon prizes its corporate DNA of placing a high priority on technology and closely cooperate the operations of technology and intellectual property divisions. The company aims to improve its technological capabilities while further enhancing its intellectual property rights. Achieving new advancements throughout a variety of technologies helps to bring forward innovation, delivering new value and solutions to customers.

Canon actively promotes the globalisation of its business and places great value on obtaining patents overseas, carefully adhering to a patent-filing strategy that pursues patents in essential countries and regions.

In South East Asia, especially Vietnam, the country recorded the highest growth rate in the digital camera market. According to GfK updated until August 2012, Canon held the first place of Vietnamese market share in DSLR (51 per cent) and compact camera (31.8 per cent) segments, which mean Canon’s products have been favored by many technology users in Vietnam.

Taking in consideration, Vietnam represents a particularly important country in South East Asia in term of business expansion. In July 2012, Canon took a vigorous move by establishing a new Canon marketing subsidiary in Vietnam – Canon Marketing Vietnam, aims to create an import, distribution, sales and service system for Canon products.

The development of Canon Marketing Vietnam and expansion of official dealer networks is Canon's commitment to present patents approved by global experts and also delight Vietnamese customers in every latest technology product.

Canon products have been available in Vietnam since the 1980s through its authorised distributors. In the last ten years, it established a more significant presence when it set up three production facilities in Thang Long Industrial Park (IP) in Hanoi, and northern Bac Ninh province’s Que Vo and Tien Son IPs, and Canon Marketing Vietnam Co. Ltd.

Besides providing employment for more than 25,000 people, Canon also makes outstanding contributions to the country’s development through its meaningful social activities.

Along with the distributor Le Bao Minh, Canon has more than 300 authorised service partners in the country.