Introduction
Maxell has been producing world class products in Japan in the fields of energy (batteries, etc.) and storage (tape, disks, etc.) since 1960.
Maxell has grown globally and rapidly since then, placing itself firmly as a world leader in production, design and research in the many new and diverse products it manufactures today. Just a brief list includes; consumer batteries, specialist and industrial batteries, award winning recordable media for consumers and the broadcast industry, RFID devices and systems, lenses, moulding equipment and much more.
Maxell leads competitors with globally important “greener” manufacturing and products in many areas, for example, strong CSR reports, bio-degradeable and/or recyclable packaging of many products, 0% mercury and 0% cadmium consumer batteries, and so on.
The name Maxell was formed by shortening the phrase “maximum capacity dry cell” to include only the first and last three letters and creating Maxell.
The Maxell name and trademark are owned by Hitachi Maxell Ltd, Japan, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd. Japan.
History
Maxell’s first production was in a small factory, almost like a stable, in Osaka, Japan in 1947 by Dr. Kamai and his co-founders.
Dr. Kamai’s story of the humble but determined founding of Maxell inspired the business relationship between Maxell and Omophonic, as Australian Agents, since late 1969.
In 1961, the dry battery and magnetic tape divisions of Nitto Electric lndustrial Co Ltd, were finally set up independently as Maxell Electric lndustrial Co., Ltd.
In 1964, Maxell was joined with Hitachi Ltd, Japan, to become Hitachi Maxell Ltd., with it’s headquarters in Osaka, Japan. The global sales headquarters are now located in Tokyo, Japan.
Maxell has, since its humble beginnings, placed the utmost importance on creating “world best” products, with research and development at the forefront of Maxell’s endeavours. Maxell has pioneered and developed many battery products, optical storage devices, consumer and professional broadcast tape and recordable media products. With this leading technological edge, Maxell has put itself ahead of the competition.
Maxell in Australia
Dr. Kamai’s story of the humble but determined founding of Maxell first factory inspired the starting of the business relationship between Maxell and Omophonic Imports. Since 1969, Omophonic Imports (then trading as Omonia Music House) has been Sole Australian Agents for Maxell batteries.
In 1971 Omophonic Imports was re-incorporated as Omophonic Imports P/L and has retained the longstanding Sole Australian Agency relationship with Maxell, Japan, ever since. Omophonic Imports P/L trades and is known as Maxell Batteries Australia and has been appointed recently, for Australia, also for Maxell consumer and professional (broadcast) recordable media, headphones, flash memory and all other types of accessories for audio and video.
Omophonic Imports P/L is an independent, Australian family owned and managed business. It is recognised globally as an integral part of the extended “ Maxell family” and is proud of its more than 45 year relationship with Maxell, Japan.