Messages from Management
Progressing hand-in-hand with customers based on mutual prosperity
FOR-A continues to meet the needs of today by adopting cutting-edge technology to a wide range of products, adopted by to countless customers since our founding. We have made it our mission to contribute to the advancement of society through perpetual technological challenge and service dedicated to our customers. Our confidence and pride are backed by over 50 years of experience in the video industry. In our quest to remain your ideal business partner, we will expand the capabilities of video technology and in so doing, broaden our mutual business potential.
We are at a major turning point for our business. In these uncertain times, our lifestyles reflect a new normal, and FOR-A is responding by establishing a new business model through rapid digitization. FOR-A COMPANY LIMITED will strive to contribute to the progress of the new era while remaining dedicated to our customers under our corporate theme of “Find Your Next Innovation.”
- Katsuaki Kiyohara, President and Representative Director -
The use of video content has accelerated in various fields outside of the broadcast market, including medicine, education, and security. Many companies are introducing the use of video in business situations at a rapid rate. The video viewing environment has expanded far beyond television, with video currently being delivered via outdoor electronic billboards, digital signage displays, computers, tablets, and smartphones.
Markets that utilize video are growing, and methods of communication are changing significantly and dramatically. In this era, FOR-A’s corporate philosophy of “Progressing hand-in-hand with our customers, based on mutual prosperity” is more important than ever. We embrace this era filled with video by providing products, solutions, and services to a wider range of industries than ever before. The ideal business partner could emerge from both our traditional and entirely new markets to FOR-A. We will continue to solve challenges faced by new and old customers and alike as they create superior video-production environments.
- Shoei Utsuda, Chairman and Director -
FOR-A Timeline
1970
Company
- 1971.10
- Established in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan by founder Keizo Kiyohara.
- 1974.2
- FOR-A Corporation of America was established in California.
ProductsPRODUCT HISTORY
- 1971
- VTG-32 (Video Timer)
World’s first production timer.
- 1977
- FVW-900 (Video Writer)
Freehand on-screen drawing system via light pen.
1980
Company
- 1985.9
- R&D Center was opened in Sakura City, Chiba (Japan) for new product development and to expand manufacturing facilities.
- 1988.4
- FOR-A Corporation of Canada was established in Toronto.
- 1989.9
- Sakura R&D Center expansion was completed.
Products
- 1981
- FA-410P (Time Base Corrector)
Considered the best time base corrector on the market.
- 1986
- MF-2000 (Digital Video Effects)
First digital video effects manipulation unit produced.
1990
Company
- 1991.10
- R&D Center opened in Sapporo City, Hokkaido (Japan).
- 1994.3
- PC board assembly factory opened at Sakura R&D Center.
- 1995.4
- FOR-A (UK) Limited was established in London (England).
- 1996.4
- FOR-A Italia S.r.l. was established in Milan (Italy).
- 1998.3
- Headquarters moved to Ebisu in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (Japan).
- 1999.4
- 24/7 FOR-A service call center established for Japanese market.
Products
- 1993
- VWS-100 (Character Generator)
Successor model VWS-300 selected for official production display use at Nagano Olympic Games.
- 1997
- digiWarp (Virtual Studio System)
Virtual studio system product addition to lineup.
- 1999
- DCC-700H (Digital Color Corrector)
One of our first HD products produced at the start of digital broadcasting.
2000
Company
- 2000.1
- ISO certification of Sakura R&D Center was successfully completed.
- 2001.7
- New headquarters building was completed in Ebisu in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (Japan).
- 2004.10
- FOR-A Corporation of Korea was established in Seoul.
- 2005.7
- ISO 14001 certification of Sakura R&D Center was successfully completed.
- 2006.3
- Adoption of solar power generation at Sakura R&D Center.
- 2007.5
- FOR-A MFG Center opened in Sakura City, Chiba (Japan).
- 2008.4
- FOR-A Latin America was established in Florida.
- 2008.4
- FOR-A China Limited was established in Beijing.
- 2008.11
- ISO 27001 certification of administrative headquarter and engineering headquarter was successfully completed.
- 2009.10
- FOR-A IBE Campany Limited was established in Tokyo, Japan.
Products
- 2001
- HVS-3000 (2M/E Digital Video Switchers)
SD and HD versions developed simultaneously. Debuted to acclaim at IBC 2001.
- 2006
- FA-9000 (HD/SD Frame Synchronizer)
Won the "STAR Award" of the TV Technology USA magazine.
- 2006
- FRC-7000 (HD Frame Rate Converter)
Won the "STAR Award" of the TV Technology Europe magazine.
- 2007
- MediaConcierge® (Media Management System)
Comprehensive content management systems with file base.
- 2008
- HVS-5000 Series / HVS-300HS (Digital Video Switcher)
large-sized model, to Portable model, Further expansion of the lineup.
- 2009
- FRC-8000 (Framerate Converter)
Won the "Best of IBC 2009" of the TVB Europe magazine.
2010
Company
- 2011.4
- FOR-A YEM Eletex Campany Limited was established in Tokyo, Japan.
- 2011.6
- FOR-A Middle East-Africa Office established in Dubai (UAE).
- 2011.10
- Katsuaki Kiyohara appointed President and Representative Director.
- 2012.11
- Transferred all shares of Visual Graphics Inc. and acquired shares of TM Research Co., Ltd., establishing both as associated companies of the FOR-A Group.
- 2013.5
- FOR-A Europe S.r.l. established in Milan (Italy).
- 2013.9
- Acquired shares of and established Flovel Co., Ltd., as an associated company of the FOR-A Group.
- 2014.1
- FOR-A YEM Eletex Honored with 2013 Technology & Engineering Emmy® Award presented by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) for the development, standardization and productization of the HD serial digital interface.
- 2014.8
- Acquired shares of and established Agiv (India) Private Limited, as an associated company of the FOR-A Group.
- 2017.1
- FOR-A honored with 2016 Technology & Engineering Emmy® Award for its work on "Live Production Technology Beyond HD to Achieve Non-Interpolated Video for Instant Replay."
- 2017.1
- Established FOR-A South East Asia Office in Hong Kong.
- 2017.8
- Launched InSync Technology Products Ltd, a joint venture with InSync Technology (UK).
- 2018.1
- Established Matsuyama Office (Japan).
- 2019.1
- Made a strategic Investment in Variant Systems Group (USA).
Products
- 2010
- LTR-100HS (LTO-5 Video Archiving Recorder)
Won the "PICK HIT Award" of the Broadcast Engineering magazine.
- 2011
- VFC-7000 "Flash EYE" (HD Variable Frame Rate Camera)
Won the "STAR Award" of the TV Technology USA magazine.
- 2012
- World's first high-speed camera capable of filming at 4K resolution introduced.
Won the "Best of IBC", "STAR Award(NAB)", "BIRTV Award", "MPTE Award" and "Government Video Salute".
- 2014
- FA-505 Multi Channel Signal Processor introduced with up/down/cross-conversion and HDR & WCG support as well as FA-1010 features.
- 2015
- HVS-2000 Flagship 7M/E Video Production Switcher released supporting 4K resolution.
- 2018.9
- SOM-100 (integrated SDI/IP control and monitoring software)
Software solution for integrated control and monitoring in mixed SDI (baseband) and IP video environments.
- 2019.3
- USF-10IP Series (IP Gateway)
Video-over-IP module for video and audio signal conversion between IP formats and between IP and SDI. Ideal for building a mixed baseband/IP system.
2020
Company
- 2020.3
- Affiliated company Flovel Co., Ltd. honored with the 2019 Technology & Engineering Emmy® Award for its early efforts in the development of ultra-high sensitivity cameras and their contributions to the market.
Products
- 2020.3
- MFR-4100/6100 (Routing Switcher)
Support from SD-SDI to 12G-SDI. Designed for solid performance and fault tolerance as a core system component.