With roots stretching back over 100 years, Ushio was incorporated in 1964 and has since established itself as a global lighting specialist and a pioneer of ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light applications.

From humble beginnings in Japan, Ushio has concentrated on applying light to life sciences, visual imaging, and electronics. The global group has grown to 5,590 employees across 57 global locations, with major offices serving Asia, EMEA, and the Americas.

The origins of Ushio’s LED business stretch back to 1989, with the establishment of Epitex Inc. The first Epitex product was a silicon carbide (SiC) blue light emitting diode, before high-speed, high-power IR LEDs became the principle Epitex product.

In 2008, Ushio acquired Epitex to strengthen its ‘LEDs for OEMs’ business and, in 2016, merged it with the top-class laser diode division acquired from Hitachi. By 2020, Ushio’s primary business had positioned itself to absorb the SSL division to achieve the end goal of becoming a one-stop lighting solution provider.