History
1938-1964
Independence from RIKEN
era of turbulence
1938Kenichiro Hayashibe becomes the company’s first president
RIKEN Sangyodan purchases Fukoku Machinery Co., Ltd. to manufacture and sell optical gas indicators, photo-elasticity apparatus, and other precision equipment invented and developed at the Tsuji Laboratory of the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN).
Manufacture and sale of optical gas indicators and photo-elasticity apparatus commence following acquisition of patent licenses belonging to Tsuji Laboratory.
Kenichiro Hayashibe becomes the company’s first president (office held from December 1938 until May 1944). Capital of JPY450,000 and workforce of approximately 100 employees.
Kenichiro Hayashibe-company’s first president
1939Company founded as RIKEN KEIKI Co., Ltd.
Company founded; name changed to RIKEN KEIKI Co., Ltd. Thirty koto shogakko (higher elementary school) graduates taken on as technical apprentices.
Technical apprentices
1940Completion of new factory.
1941First sales office opened in Sapporo
First sales office opened in Sapporo to expand sales in Hokkaido, where numerous coal mines are located.
1944Jiro Tsuji appointed company’s second president
Factory commandeered as munitions factory by the Minister of Munitions.
Jiro Tsuji appointed company’s second president (office held from May 1944 until October 1968).
Modern lens factory completed to support military production. Part of the factory relocated to Tokamachi in Niigata Prefecture as a precaution against air raids.
Jiro Tsuji-company’s second president
1945Lens factory at head office destroyed in air raid.
Lens factory at head office destroyed in air raid.
After the end of the war, the gas indicator factory relocated to Tokamachi in Niigata is moved back to Tokyo on the orders of the GHQ Economic and Science Section to support increased coal production.
1946Approved by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as a major important factory for the manufacture of coal mining safety equipment.
Reversion to civilian production following approval from GHQ.
Approved by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as a major important factory for the manufacture of coal mining safety equipment.
Becomes approved gas indicator manufacturer, contributing significantly to improved safety in coal mines.
The head office in 1948
1950Unable to keep abreast of inflation
Large orders received from China lost due to trade ban during Korean War; in Japan demand from coal mines stagnates; compelled to maintain production at a loss when the price of gas indicators (controlled by pricing regulations) is unable to keep abreast of inflation.
1951RIKEN SEIKI KOGAKU Co., Ltd.
established as manufacturing company.
Manufacture separated from retail operations; RIKEN SEIKI KOGAKU Co., Ltd. (merged with RIKEN KEIKI in 1952) established as manufacturing company.
Awarded Director’s Award from the Coal Mining Safety Agency for achievements in manufacturing coal mining safety equipment.
1952Gas indicators pass certification examination of the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Resources Research Institute.
Gas indicators pass certification examination of the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Resources Research Institute.
Development and introduction of Type 17 and Type 18 gas indicators.
Type 17
Type 18
1956Development of automatic gas alarm.
Automatic gas alarm
1959Development and introduction of
combustible gas alarm and detector
Development and introduction of combustible gas alarm and detector (catalytic combustion type).
1961Listed on Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Post-war head office and factory overview
1965-1989
Period of sensor and product range expansion
era of growth
1965Development and introduction of GP-105 catalytic combustion type fixed automatic gas alarm.
GP-105
1966Completion of head office No. 1 building.
Completion of head office No. 1 building.
Development and introduction of GP-300 catalytic combustion type portable automatic gas alarm.
Under construction
of head office
No. 1 building.
GP-300
1967Development and introduction of
OX-1 oxygen monitor
Development and introduction of OX-1 oxygen monitor based on newly developed galvanic cell type sensor.
OX-1
1968Hideo Oshima appointed third president .
Hideo Oshima appointed third president .
(held office from November 1968 until July 1980)
Hideo Oshima-company’s third president
1969Development and introduction of GX-1 oxygen deficiency and explosive gas alarm.
GX-1
1970Nara Factory begins operating to expand the manufacturing division.
Development and introduction of FP-200 hydrogen sulfide detector.
Nara Factory (in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture) begins operating to expand the manufacturing division.
Head office and factory
air photograph of that time
Nara factory
at time of opening
1971RIKEN SERVICE Co., Ltd. established to spin off and expand the Service Division.
RIKEN SERVICE Co., Ltd. established to spin off and expand the Service Division (merged with RIKEN KEIKI in 2015).
Subsequently established: RIKEN KEIKI HOKKAIDO SERVICE Ltd.
(merged with RIKEN SERVICE in 2010);
RIKEN KEIKI CHUBU SERVICE Co., Ltd., RIKEN KEIKI CHUGOKU SERVICE Co., Ltd., and RIKEN KEIKI KYUSHU SERVICE Co., Ltd.
(all three companies merged in 2011 to form RIKEN KEIKI NISHI-NIHON SERVICE Co., Ltd., then merged with RIKEN KEIKI in 2015);
RIKEN KEIKI KANSAI SERVICE Co., Ltd.
(merged with RIKEN KEIKI in 2015).
1972Nara factory spun off to form RIKEN KEIKI NARA MFG. Co., Ltd.
Nara factory spun off to form RIKEN KEIKI NARA MFG. Co., Ltd.
Development and introduction of Gascon household gas leak alarm. Introduction of Infrared-based devices.
RIKEN KEIKI KYUSHU SALES Co., Ltd. established (renamed RIKEN KEIKI KYUSHU SERVICE Co., Ltd. in 1987).
1974Completion of head office No. 3 building.
Completion of head office No. 3 building.
Awarded Ota Award (present-day Technology Award) from The Japan Gas Association for the development of a gas identification device.
GX-1B and GX-110 toxic gas detectors approved as certified products by Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation (present-day NTT). Development of GL-100 gas leak detector in collaboration with Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. and device certification by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (present-day Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry).
Head office No. 3 building on completion
1975Development and introduction of EC-231 carbon monoxide detector.
1976Development and introduction of BL-1000 bus line gas leak monitoring system.
1977Completion of head office No. 4 and No. 5 buildings.
Head office No. 4 building
on completion
Head office No. 5 building
on completion
1978Development and introduction of portable automatic suction type combustible gas detector.
Development and introduction of portable automatic suction type combustible gas detector (intrinsically safe explosion-proof type).
1979RIKEN KEIKI KANSAI SERVICE Co., Ltd. established.
RIKEN KEIKI KANSAI SERVICE Co., Ltd. established. Development and introduction of DC-3A oil/water boundary surface automatic detector.
Manually pushed gas leak inspection car based on hydrogen flame ionization receives Ota Award (present-day Technology Award) from The Japan Gas Association.
Development and introduction of GX-7 toxic gas detector.
1980Yoshio Nakajima appointed fourth president.
Yoshio Nakajima appointed fourth president
(held office from July 1980 until June 2006)
Development and introduction of ultra-compact personal toxic gas and combustible gas detectors; development and introduction of LP gas alarm for fishing vessels.
Yoshio Nakajima- company's fourth president
1981Development and introduction of Repco 472R wheel balancer.
Repco 472R
1982Development and introduction of "82" series
of personal gas alarms
Development and introduction of 82 series of personal gas alarms (capable of detecting four different gas types).
"82" series
1984Development and introduction of
GASMAN (GX-82) combination gas alarm
Development and introduction of GASMAN (GX-82) combination gas alarm.
1986Development and introduction of
"AC-1" "IF-774"
Joint development and introduction of AC-1 atmospheric photoelectron spectrometer with RIKEN. Development and introduction of the IF-774 optical interferometric calorimeter.
AC-1
IF-774
1987RIKEN KEIKI CHUBU SERVICE Co., Ltd. established.
Development and introduction of RM-570 fixed gas monitor incorporating bar meter. RIKEN KEIKI CHUBU SERVICE Co., Ltd. established. Overseas joint venture launched with capital participation in EPI SYSTEM Co., Ltd. (wholly-owned subsidiary from 2002).
RM-570
1988RIKEN KEIKI CHUGOKU SERVICE Co., Ltd. established.
1990-2014
Refining quality and expanding after-sales service
era of stability
1990RIKEN KEIKI ESAN MFG. Co., Ltd. established
RIKEN KEIKI ESAN MFG. Co., Ltd. established in Esan in Hokkaido (present-day Hakodate City) to expand the manufacturing division (merged with RIKEN KEIKI in 2008 to form the present-day Hakodate Plant).
1991Awarded 23rd Ichimura Industry Award
Awarded 23rd Ichimura Industry Award (Contribution Prize) from the New Technology Development Foundation for the development of the AC-1 atmospheric photoelectron spectrometer.
1992Development and introduction of FP-250
Development and introduction of FP-250 paper-tape photoelectric photometry high-sensitivity toxic gas monitor.
FP-250
1993RIKEN KEIKI HOKKAIDO SERVICE Ltd. established.
1994Head office annex completed.
Head office annex completed. RKI INSTRUMENTS Inc. established in the USA with capital funding (spun off as subsidiary in 2017).
1995Listed on First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Notification of First Section
of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
1996Acquired ISO 9001 international standard quality assurance certification.
1997Acquired ISO 14001 international standard environmental management certification.
2000Development and introduction of GX-2000 portable suction-type four-gas detector.
Development and introduction of GX-2000 portable suction-type four-gas detector.
2001Development and introduction of "GX-2001" and "FI-21"
Development and introduction of GX-2001 four-gas detector; development and introduction of FI-21 optical gas concentration meter.
GX-2001
FI-21
2002Further shares in EPI SYSTEM Co., Ltd. purchased to make it a wholly-owned subsidiary.
Further shares in EPI SYSTEM Co., Ltd. purchased to make it a wholly-owned subsidiary (present-day RIKEN KEIKI TAIWAN Co., Ltd.).
Development and introduction of Gas Watch series of wristwatch-style monitors.
GW-2X
2003Development and introduction of FI-800 optical interferometric gas concentration meter.
FI-800
2006Takeshi Koido appointed fifth president.
Takeshi Koido appointed fifth president
(held office from June 2006 until June 2008)
The AC-3 atmospheric photoelectron spectrometer awarded ADY2006 First Prize at Finetech Japan and Manufacturing & Equipment Division Award at Orgatechno 2006.
Takeshi Koido - company's fifth president
2007Completion of head office technical center.
2008Tadashi Iwasawa appointed sixth president.
Tadashi Iwasawa appointed sixth president
(held office from June 2008 until December 2013)
Tadashi Iwasawa- company's sixth president
Absorption and merger of RIKEN KEIKI ESAN MFG. Co., Ltd.
Development and introduction of GX-2009 personal gas detector;
development and introduction of GD-70D fixed gas detector
GX-2009
GD-70D
2009RIKEN KEIKI COMMERCIAL (SHANGHAI) Co., Ltd. established as sales subsidiary in China.
2011Three companies merged to form RIKEN KEIKI NISHI-NIHON SERVICE Co., Ltd.
Three companies (RIKEN KEIKI CHUBU SERVICE Co., Ltd., RIKEN KEIKI CHUGOKU SERVICE Co., Ltd., and RIKEN KEIKI KYUSHU SERVICE Co., Ltd.) merged to form RIKEN KEIKI NISHI-NIHON SERVICE Co., Ltd. Development and introduction of AC-5 atmospheric photoelectron spectrometer.
AC-5
2013Hisayoshi Kobayashi appointed seventh president.
Hisayoshi Kobayashi appointed seventh president
(held office from December 2013 until March 2021)
Hisayoshi Kobayashi- company's seventh president
Development and introduction of CO-FL1 Hantei Meijin carbon monoxide monitor; development and introduction of OHC-800 explosion-proof calorimeter.
OHC-800
2014Development and introduction of FI-8000 optical interferometric gas concentration meter.
FI-8000
2015-2019
Advancing to the next generation
era of innovation
2015Completion of development center in Kasukabe City in Saitama Prefecture; development and production division relocated from head office.
Completion of development center in Kasukabe City in Saitama Prefecture; development and production division relocated from head office. RIKEN SERVICE Co., Ltd., RIKEN KEIKI NISHI-NIHON SERVICE Co., Ltd., and RIKEN KEIKI KANSAI SERVICE Co., Ltd. absorbed and merged. Development and introduction of GX-6000 portable gas monitor, capable of detecting six gas types simultaneously; development and introduction of SDWL-1 Series of fixed wireless gas detectors (meets ISA 100.11a wireless communication standards).
Development center exterior
GX-6000
SDWL-1
2016Development and introduction of SP-220 portable gas leak checker.
2017Completion of new head office building.
Completion of new head office building. Additional shares of RKI Instruments Inc.
purchased to make it a subsidiary. The subsidiary RIKEN KEIKI GmbH established in Germany to expand shares in European market and provide maintenance and servicing. Development and introduction of OX-08 drop-in type portable oxygen monitor.
New head office exterior
OX-08
2018Completion of new head office.
2019Development and introduction of "GX-3R/GX-3R Pro"
Development and introduction of the world's smallest and lightest portable gas monitor "GX-3R" as a four-component gas detector, as well as its superior model, the "GX-3R Pro", which is equipped with Bluetooth for the first time in Japan.
Development and introduction of a new type of gas detector, "GX-2100", which uses a "diffusion type" detector as a hazardous gas detector for manhole pit work.
GX-3R / GX-3R Pro
GX-2100
2020Completion of production center
Production center was completed on premises of the Development Center (Kasukabe City, Saitama Prefecture) as a production base for gas detectors. Development and introduction of "GW-3" the world's smallest and lightest portable gas monitor.
We developed and released a fixed gas detector "SD-3".
It conforms to various global standards and is recognized as the global product.
We developed and released a Multi Gas Detector "GD-84D" for semiconductor factories. It puts four detectors into a single unit.
Production center exterior
GW-3
SD-3
GD-84D
2021Junichi Koyano appointed eighth president.
Junichi Koyano appointed eighth president
(held office from April 2021 )
Junichi Koyano- company's eighth president
We developed and released an atmospheric photoemission yield spectrometer "AC-2S". It is a successor model of "AC-2" which can measure work functions and ionization potential in air. "AC-2S" is added new functions from "AC-2" and realized a great improvement.
AC-2S
2023 2023 Tetsuya Matsumoto appointed ninth president.
2023 Tetsuya Matsumoto appointed ninth president.
(held office from April 2023 )
Tetsuya Matsumoto- company's ninth president