2020 wasn’t the best year for Nikon, and it looks like the trend lingers in 2021. Due to decreasing demand in the consumer market, Nikon has decided to shut down and sell two lens factories in Japan.
Nikon plants in Nagai City (Yamagata prefecture) and Tadami Town (Fukushima prefecture) will be closed. Nikon said in a statement that the 162 employees of these factories will be relocated to the factory in Otawara City:
“We will ask 108 employees working at the Nagai factory and 54 employees at the Aizu factory to move to the factory in Otawara City, and if it is difficult to move, we will support reemployment. The site of the Nagai factory will be sold, and the site of the Aizu factory will be returned to the local government.”
It seems that bad news from Nikon keeps coming in. In November last year, it was revealed that the company would cut 20% of its workforce overseas and move the camera production to Thailand. Then in December last year, more sad news: Nikon was to end its camera production in Japan after 70 years. Since the pandemic is still going strong this year, Nikon announced shipping delays in January. And lastly, Brexit has also affected new orders and shipping of the gear.
There’s no doubt that the pandemic hasn’t been kind to anyone. However, the changing demands of the market also have a huge impact. I don’t think Nikon will go bust any time soon. After all, they are strong in other fields. But it appears that the camera business isn’t going strong at the moment, and I’m curious to see how the company will adapt its tactics in order to jump back on its feet.
[via Light Stalking]
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