History
External view of the no.1 plant at Kobayasi-riken
Rion was founded in 1944 under the name of Kobayasi-riken Co.,Ltd. to commercialize the products based on the results of research activities by the Kobayasi Institute of Physical Research, a foundation dedicated to the study of physics and acoustics. Rion started to manufacture crystal elements for acoustic equipments and their applied products, as the first manufacture of such products in Japan.
After that, Kobayasi-riken started to manufacture and sell the first hearing instruments in Japan with aiming to solve the stress for hearing-impaired people and to make their speech communication better. "Rionet" hearing instruments, as the brand name of Rion hearing instruments, have been familiar and popular and keep on taking top market share in Japan. It also spreads such network worldwide.
In 1960, Kobayasi-riken changed its name to Rion, which derived from Ri of Rigaku meaning science + On from Onkyogaku meaning acoustics.
In addition to hearing instruments, Rion provides wide range of products to various fields. Medical instruments typified by audiometers are used in the field of otolaryngology. Sound and vibration measuring instruments are demanded by government agencies and industries to protect environment and quality in manufacturing. Particle counters are indispensable for cleanliness management of semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and precision equipment. Not only domestic but also international, our products get good evaluations from customers.
As mentioned above, Rion has tried to keep the technologies and to challenge for new technologies. Rion is proud of its role for promoting social welfare, for contributing to safe and comfortable life and to technological innovation, and will strive for achieving its mission.
Timeline
| 1944 | Kobayasi-riken Co., Ltd. is established. |
| 1946 | Rochelle salt piezoelectric phono cartridge and microphone are introduced. |
| 1948 | The first hearing instrument in Japan (H-501) is introduced. |
| 1950 | Hearing instruments is granted as meeting requirements 01 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 | Transistorized hearing instrument (H-530) is introduced. Audiometric Test Room (AT-2) is introduced. Viscotester (RV-1501) is introduced. |
| 1959 | Nystagmographs (NY-2301) is introduced. |
| 1960 | Rion Metal Engineering Co., Ltd. (currently a consolidated subsidiary) is established. Corporate name is renamed to RION Co., Ltd. |
| 1961 | Rionet Center is opened. |
| 1962 | Disc-type Sound Reproduction Device (RR-01) is introduced. |
| 1963 | Sendai Branch (current Sendai Office) is opened. |
| 1964 | Behind-the-ear hearing instrument (HA-07) is introduced. Piezoelectric Igniter (PE-01) is introduced. |
| 1965 | Vibration Meter (VM-01) is introduced. |
| 1969 | Tohoku Rion Co., Ltd. (completion of stopping its business on Mar. 2010) is established. EEG adding device (AR-03) is introduced. |
| 1970 | Komiyadenki Co., Ltd. is acquired as a subsidiary of Rion (currently a consolidated subsidiary and renamed to Kyushu Rion Co., Ltd). The first digital sound level meter in the world (NA-10) is introduced. |
| 1971 | Rion hearing instrument (HA-27 series) receives a Good Design Award in Japan, as first for hearing instruments. |
| 1972 | Nagoya Branch (current Tokai Office) is opened. |
| 1974 | Hiroshima Branch (closed in May 2002, merged with the current West-Japan Office) is opened. Rion sound level meter got the type approval of the Measurement Act, as first for sound level meters. |
| 1977 | Airborne Particle Counter (KC-01) is introduced. |
| 1979 | Rion Electronic Industries Co., Ltd. in Taiwan, R.O.C., (sold on Oct. 2013) is established. |
| 1980 | Seismometer (SM-10) is introduced. |
| 1981 | The first transistorized Anemometers in the world (AM-02,AM-03) are introduced. The first hearing instrument with Automatic Noise Suppression (ANS) 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 | Custom-made in-the-ear hearing instrument (HI-02) is introduced. The first drip-proof BTE hearing instrument in the world (HB-35) is introduced. The first Liquid-borne particle counter manufactured in Japan (KL-01) is introduced. |
| 1986 | The first waterproof BTE hearing instrument in the world (HB-35PT) is introduced. The first 1/N Realtime Analyzer in the world (SA-26) is introduced. |
| 1991 | The first Digital hearing instrument in the world (HD-10) is introduced. |
| 1993 | IS09001 certificate for noise meters is approved. |
| 1995 | IS09001 certificate for all products other than noise meters is approved. |
| 1996 | Stock is listed on the OTC market. RI Inc. (current non-consolidated company) is established. The first hearing instrument with Either-way Circuit (battery can be inserted without caring for +- side) in the world (HB-55S) is introduced. |
| 1997 | Kokusai Hochouki Co., Ltd. is acquired as a subsidiary of Rion (currently named Kanto Rion Co., Ltd. a consolidated subsidiary) |
| 1998 | CE certificate (93/42/EEC) is approved. |
| 1999 | ISO14001 certificate is approved. |
| 2000 | Stock is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange 2nd Section. |
| 2002 | Rion Service Center Co., Ltd. (currently a consolidated subsidiary) is established. Rion Techno Co., Ltd. (currently a consolidated subsidiary) is extablished. European representative office in the Netherlands is opened. |
| 2003 | ISO13485 certificate is approved. |
| 2004 | The first automatic shell manufacturing system for custom-made hearing instrument,"Yumejikoubou", is started its operation. |
| 2005 | The first custom-made waterproof digital hearing instrument in the world (HI-G4WE) is introduced. Fukuoka Hearing Aid Center (current non-consolidated company) is acquired by Kyushu Rion Ltd. to be a subsidiary. |
| 2006 | Rion Measuring Instruments Sales Co., Ltd. is established (completion of stopping its business on Nov. 2012) Tokai Rion Co., Ltd. is established (current consolidated subsidiary) Total number of Hearing Instrument shipments reached 6 million Total quantity of hearing instrument sales is passed 6 million. |
| 2008 | Tokyo Office is opened. |
| 2009 | Hear Link (current Tokyo Rionet Sales Co., Ltd., a non-consolidated company) is acquired, to be a subsidiary. |
| 2010 | China Representative Office is opened in China (closed in Mar. 2013) The first handheld OAE screener manufactured in Japan (ER-60) is introduced. |
| 2011 | Stock is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange 1st Section. |
| 2012 | East-Japan Office is opened. (closed in Mar. 2016) Shanghai Rion Retail Co., Ltd. (current non-consolidated company) 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 | Moved to Prime Market in Tokyo Stock Exchange. Norsonic AS is acquired as a subsidiary of Rion (currently a consolidated subsidiary). |