Corporate Timeline

History of Business Activities

Growth Period: Building Core Technology (1981–1989)

  • 1981

    1. AMDEK Corporation was established in Osaka as a subsidiary of the Roland Corporation with the goal of expanding further upon a wealth of electronic music technology, beginning with the manufacture of electronic music instrument kits.
    • AMDEK

  • 1983

    1. Changed the corporate name to Roland DG Corporation (DG stands for Digital Group).

  • 1985

    1. Established a subsidiary in Belgium (currently Roland DG EMEA N.V.).
    2. Moved the company headquarters to Takaoka-cho, Hamamatsu.

  • 1988

    1. Moved the company headquarters to a new office in Okubo-cho, Hamamatsu.
    2. Established a subsidiary in Australia (Roland DG Australia Pty. Ltd.).
    • Roland DG

    • Transition Period: Building Core Markets (1990–1999)

  • 1990

    1. Established a subsidiary in the U.S.A. (Roland DGA Corporation).

  • 1992

    1. Established a factory in Shin-Miyakoda, Hamamatsu.
    • Miyakoda factory

  • 1996

    1. Moved the company headquarters to Shin-Miyakoda, Hamamatsu.
    2. Roland DGA Corporation established the group’s first Roland University (currently Roland DG Academy).

  • 1999

    1. Received ISO 9001 certification.
    2. Constructed factory blocks at the Miyakoda headquarters.

    • Growth Period: Establishment of Business Model (2000–2009)

  • 2000

    1. Received ISO 14001 certification.
    2. Started digital cell production using the Digital Yatai.
    3. Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Second Section.
    • Digital Yatai

  • 2001

    1. Roland DGA Corporation received ISO 9002 certification.
    2. Established Modeling R Corporation to expand the 3D business.

  • 2002

    1. Established a subsidiary in the U.K. (Roland DG (U.K.) Ltd.).
    2. Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section.

  • 2005

    1. Established a subsidiary in Spain (Roland Digital Group Iberia, S.L.).
    2. Established a new Miyakoda factory.
    • Miyakoda factory

  • 2006

    1. Established a subsidiary in Italy (Roland DG Mid Europe S.r.l.).
    2. Renewed the Digital Yatai and started as D-Shop.

  • 2007

    1. Implemented IMS (Integrated Management System), incorporating ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

  • 2008

    1. Established the group’s first Roland DG Creative Center at the subsidiary in Italy.
    2. Launched Roland DG Care.
    3. Expanded Miyakoda factory.
    4. Established a subsidiary in Denmark (Roland DG North Europe A/S).

    • New Founding (2010–2019)

  • 2011

    1. Established the first foreign manufacturing subsidiary in Thailand (Roland Digital Group (Thailand) Ltd.).

  • 2012

    1. Established a subsidiary in China (Roland DG (China) Corporation).
    2. Established a subsidiary in Korea (Roland DG Korea Inc.).
    3. Established a shared services subsidiary in Spain (Roland DG EMEA, S.L.).

  • 2013

    1. Established a subsidiary in Brazil (Roland DG Brasil Ltd.).
    2. Held the first-ever SE Awards of the World contest for service engineers.

  • 2014

    1. Established a subsidiary in the Netherlands (Roland DG Europe Holdings B.V.), a holding company providing fund management of group companies in Europe.
    2. Established a subsidiary in Russia (Roland DG RUS LLC).

  • 2017

    1. Transferred the 3D business to a newly-established subsidiary, DGSHAPE Corporation.
    2. DGSHAPE started operation focusing on the dental, medical and 3D digital fabrication businesses.

    • Portfolio Transition Period (2020–2024)

  • 2022

    1. Established a joint venture company (CERAWEI TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD) engaged in binder-jet 3D printer business in China.

  • 2023

    1. Commenced operations at the new Thailand factory building and transferred production functions.
    2. Established a subsidiary in Lithuania (UAB DG DIMENSE).
    3. Completed relocation and commenced operations at the newly built head office building, consolidating the previous head office and the Miyakoda office.
    • Thailand factory
    • Roland DG Head office

  • 2024

    1. Delisted the company’s shares.
    2. Conducted a corporate merger with XYZ K.K. as the surviving company and Roland DG Corporation as the dissolving company and changed the corporate name to Roland DG Corporation.

History of Product Development

Growth Period: Building Core Technology (1981–1989)

  • 1982

    1. Released the CMU-800 Computer Music, which allowed the user to compose and automatically perform music using a computer.
    2. Released the DXY-100 pen plotter, which could be connected to a computer to produce architectural drawings and schematics.
    • CMU-800
      CMU-800
    • DXY-100
      DXY-100

  • 1983

    1. Released the DXY-800 A3-size pen plotter.

  • 1985

    1. Released the DPX-2000 A2-size pen plotter.
    • DPX-2000
      DPX-2000

  • 1986

    1. Released the first of the CAMM-3 series of 3D milling machines, the PNC-3000.
    • PNC-3000
      PNC-3000

  • 1987

    1. Released the first of the CAMM-2 series of engraving machines, the PNC-2000.
    • PNC-2000
      PNC-2000

  • 1988

    1. Released the first of the CAMM-1 series of cutting plotters, the PNC-1000.
    • PNC-1000
      PNC-1000

    • Transition Period: Building Core Markets (1990–1999)

  • 1995

    1. Released the Color CAMM PNC-5000, the world’s first thermal transfer color printer/cutter.

  • 1996

    1. Released the STIKA STX-7 compact cutting plotter and MODELA MDX-3 3D milling machine, targeting the hobby and crafts markets.
    • MDX-3
      MDX-3

  • 1997

    1. Released the CAMMJET CJ-70, the world’s first wide-format inkjet printer/cutter, capable of printing water-based pigment ink.
    2. Released the PC-60 thermal transfer printer/cutter.
    • PC-60
      PC-60

  • 1998

    1. Released the world’s first 6-color, 1440-dpi wide-format inkjet printer, the Hi-Fi JET FJ-50.
    • FJ-50
      FJ-50

    • Growth Period: Establishment of Business Model (2000–2009)

  • 2002

    1. Released the PRO II series (SJ-740/SJ-540/SC-540/FJ-540/CJ-540).
    • SC-540
      SC-540

  • 2003

    1. Released ECO-SOL INK, an environmentally friendly eco-solvent ink that could print directly onto uncoated media.
    2. Released the VersaCAMM SP-300, an inkjet printer/cutter designed to enhance on-demand production of small jobs.
    • ECO-SOL INK
      ECO-SOL INK

  • 2004

    1. Released the SOLJET PRO II SJ-1000EX grand format inkjet printer, capable of 2600 mm print width.

  • 2007

    1. Released the VersaCAMM VP series inkjet printer/cutter, capable of in-house production of promotional materials.
    • VP-540
      VP-540

  • 2008

    1. Released the VersaUV LEC-300, UV-LED inkjet printer/cutter, capable of multi-layered printing on a wide variety of substrates.
    • LEC-300
      LEC-300

  • 2009

    1. Released the SOLJET PRO III XC-540MT, the world’s first inkjet printer/cutter, capable of printing metallic silver ink.
    • XC-540MT
      XC-540MT

    • New Founding (2010–2019)

  • 2010

    1. Released the first of the DWX series of dental milling machine.

  • 2011

    1. Released the iModela iM-01 digital hobby mill.
    2. Released the VersaUV LEF-12, desktop-size UV-LED inkjet printer.
    • LEF-12
      LEF-12

  • 2012

    1. Released the METAZA MPX-90M, direct part marking device for the medical industry.

  • 2013

    1. Released the SOLJET PRO 4 XF-640, the company’s fastest inkjet printer to date.
    • XF-640
      XF-640

  • 2014

    1. Released the monoFab series, the company’s first 3D printer, the ARM-10, and a new milling machine, the SRM-20.
    2. Released the Texart RT-640, dye sublimation transfer printer for exclusive use in textile printing.
    3. Launched medical instrument traceability and maintenance support system project run in conjunction with Hamamatsu University School of Medicine.
    • ARM-10
      ARM-10

  • 2015

    1. Released the company’s first dental wet mill and a new dry mill.

  • 2018

    1. DGSHAPE released the dental mill with DWINDEX performance visualization software to help dental labs run a more productive and efficient business.
    2. DGSHAPE released the LD-80, the world’s first laser foil decorator.
    3. Released cotodesign design and print management software for customizing store merchandise on demand using customers’ favorite designs and photos.
    • DWINDEX
      DWINDEX

    • Portfolio Transition Period (2020–2024)

  • 2021

    1. Launched the free cloud-based Roland DG Connect service.
    2. Released the VersaSTUDIO BN-20A desktop printer/cutter for a new era of work styles.
    • VersaSTUDIO BN-20A
      BN-20A

  • 2023

    1. Released the AP-640 resin printer from the TrueVIS series.
    • TrueVIS AP-640
      AP-640

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