Tamron USA Names New G.M., Reexamines CCTV Optics Market

Nov. 7, 2007
Firm is exploring new avenues, will have to face off with low-cost competition

Tamron, a provider of video surveillance lens solutions, announced this week that Keiki Warashina will lead the company's industrial optics division for the Americas, and the announcement may signal changes ahead for the lens/optics firm.

Warashina, who has been with Tamron for 5 years, formerly was section manager for CCTV optics at Tamron for Europe, including Russia and Eastern Europe, and in 2006 moved to head the American market.

Warashina said the industry is facing major challenges as a commodity-type approach to products hits the industrial surveillance marketplace.

"The CCTV industry lens business is getting more difficult due to the increased demand of integrated and low cost products," said Warashina. "In this challenging business climate, my goal is to further develop Tamron's position as a high quality lens manufacturer.

Warashina added that Tamron's approach to the flood in the market by low-cost competitors would be to introduce "high quality and high performance lenses with unique features."

In a statement announcing his appointment as general manager for the Americas, Warashina hinted of additional growth plans and that "the company will explore the possibilities of entering other fields in the CCTV industry by exploiting the know-how and experience gained over many years of optical lens development."