Nikon focuses on lenses with optics division as part of its restructuring plan

As Nikon continues to move through a company restructure prompted by falling profits, the imaging giant is creating a new focus on lenses. On Monday, it announced the new Optical Engineering Division.

The move, which reorganizes the company’s optical engineering into one place, is designed to maximize what Nikon says is its greatest strength — optical technology. With the change, the company’s lens development, as well as optically relevant mechanical and system engineering, is now housed in its own division.

The new division is part of the Tochigi Nikon Corporation, a newly consolidated subsidiary of Nikon that contains all of the company’s manufacturing of optical components. Tochigi is also part of the company’s restructuring, created in February.

The move is designed to help Nikon maximize their position in the market by focusing on optical components such as lenses. “In addition to these advances for manufacturing technology of optical components,” Nikon’s statement says, “the newly established Optical Engineering Division will further improve our greatest strength, optical technology, by aggregating optical engineering functions, thereby helping to maximize our products’ competitiveness.”

The restructure comes at the same time the company is celebrating 100 years in business. Earlier on Monday, it announced several special edition products, including a new finish on the D5 and D500, as part of the centennial celebration.

Nikon announced its restructuring plan in November, saying the decision was made while the company was still in a financially strong position. The announcement came with a promise to focus on high-end cameras. So far, the restructure has led to a voluntary retirement plan and the reorganization of several sub companies. During the restructure, the company also canceled its DL line of cameras. While the company has ventured out into additional consumer markets, sales of the 360 camera have been reportedly slow.