Canon Inc.

Type	Public company TYO: 7751 NYSE: CAJ
Industry	Consumer electronics
Genre	Electronics
Founded	Tokyo, Japan (10 August 1937)
Headquarters	Ōta, Tokyo, Japan
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Fujio Mitarai (Chairman & CEO)
Products	SLR cameras, still cameras, digital cameras, camcorders, printers, scanners, lenses, LCDs, ophthalmic instruments, magnetic heads, micro motors
Revenue	¥3.557 trillion (2011)[1]
Operating income	¥378.071 billion (2011)[1]
Profit	¥248.630 billion (2011)[1]
Total assets	¥3.930 trillion (2011)[1]
Total equity	¥2.551 trillion (2011)[1]
Employees	198,307 (2011)[2]
Divisions	Office Business Unit, Consumer Business Unit, Industry and Others Business Unit
Website	www.canon.com

Canon Inc. (キヤノン株式会社^?) is a Japanese multinational corporation that specialises in the manufacture of imaging and optical products, including cameras, camcorders, photocopiers, steppers and computer printers. Its headquarters are located in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan.^[3]

Origins[link]

The original Digital IXUS

The company was originally named Kwanon^[4] by Goro Yoshida after the Buddhist bodhisattva Guan Yin, known in Japanese as Kannon. In 1934 it produced a prototype for Japan’s first-ever 35 mm camera with a focal plane shutter. In 1947 the company name was changed to Canon.

Company milestones[link]

Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory is the predecessor of Canon Inc. and was founded in Tokyo in 1937 by Takeshi Mitarai, Goro Yoshida, Saburo Uchida and Takeo Maeda.

1934 logo depicting Bodhisattva Kwan'on

1930s – 1960s[link]

• 1933 – 1936: ‘The Kwanon’,^[5] Japan’s first 35 mm focal plane-shutter camera, was produced in prototype form.
• 1940: An indirect X-ray camera, also a first for Japan, is developed.
• 1947: The company is renamed Canon Camera Co., Inc.
• 1958: A field zoom lens for television broadcasting is introduced.
• 1959: Reflex Zoom 8, the world’s first movie camera with a zoom lens, and Canonflex are introduced.
• 1961: Canon creates an outstanding Rangefinder camera, Canon 7, and 50mm 1:0.95 lens in a special bayonet mount.
• 1964: 'Canola 130', the first Japanese made 10-key calculator, is introduced. It was a substantial improvement on the design of the British Bell Punch company, which introduced the first fully electronic calculator two years earlier with the Sumlock Anita Mark 8 unit.
• 1965: Canon introduces Canon Pellix, an SLR camera with a semi-transparent stationary mirror which enables taking pictures through the mirror.
• 1969: The company's name is changed to Canon Inc.

1970s – 2010s[link]

• 1971: F-1, a top-end SLR (single lens reflex) camera, and FD lenses are introduced.
• 1976: AE-1 is launched, the world’s first camera with an embedded micro-computer.
• 1982: The "Wildlife as Canon Sees It" print ads first appear in the National Geographic magazine.
• 1985: The world’s first Inkjet printer using the bubble jet technology is introduced.
• 1987: Canon introduces Canon Electro-Optical System (EOS). EOS is also the name of a goddess of the dawn. EOS 650 autofocus SLR camera is introduced, and the Canon Foundation is established.
• 1988: Canon introduces 'Kyosei philosophy'.^[6]
• 1989: EOS 1 Flagship Professional SLR line launched.^[7]
• 1989: EOS RT is unveiled, the world's first AF SLR with a fixed, semi-transparent pellicle mirror.
• 1992: EOS 5, the first-ever camera with eye-controlled AF, is launched.
• 1992: PowerShot 600 – Canon's first digital Camera^[8]
• 1995: Canon introduces the first commercially available SLR lens with internal image stabilization, EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM. EOS-1N RS, the world's fastest AF SLR camera with a continuous shooting speed of 10 frame/s at the time. Based on the EOS-1N, the EOS-1N RS has a fixed, semi-transparent pellicle mirror with a hard coat.
• 1996: ELPH (America) IXUS (Europe), a pocket-sized digital camera with the Advanced Photo System, is introduced.
• 1997: Canon enters the digital video camcorder market.
• 2002: Fujio Mitarai, president and CEO of Canon Inc., is named one of the world’s top 25 managers by BusinessWeek.
• 2003: The world’s first portable digital X-ray system is used to reconstruct the face of an Egyptian mummy believed to be Queen Nefertiti.
• 2004: The XEED SX50 LCD projector is introduced.
• 2005: Canon’s first high-definition video camcorder is introduced.
• 2007: Canon Europe celebrates its 50th anniversary.
• 2009: Canon acquires Océ.
• 2010: Canon acquires Tereck Office Solutions, Inc.^[9]

Today, the company produces digital compact and SLR cameras, photographic lenses, video camcorders, printers and analog and digital copiers for the office, including its line of imageRUNNER and imagePRESS digital multifunctional devices.

Canon was granted more than 2000 patents in the U.S. in 2008. It regularly places in the top five in the total number of patents granted.

Proposed gTLD[link]

On 16 March 2010, Canon announced that it was seeking to acquire a new .canon generic top-level domain.^[10]

Products[link]

Canon is a manufacturer of business and consumer imaging products which includes printers, scanners, binoculars, compact digital cameras, film SLR and digital SLR cameras, lenses and video camcorders.

The Business Solutions division offers print and document solutions for small and medium businesses, large corporations and governments. These include multi-functional printers, black and white and color office printers, large format printers, scanners, black and white and color production printers, as well as software to support these products.

Lesser known Canon products include medical, optical and broadcast products, including ophthalmic and x-ray devices, broadcast lenses, semiconductors, digital microfilm scanners, and Handy Terminal Solutions.

Laser printers[link]

This section requires expansion.

For many years, Canon were the principal makers of the print-engines found in industry-standard laser printers. The first models of Apple LaserWriter, and the equivalent products made by HP, used the Canon LBP-CX engine. The next models (LaserWriter II series, LaserJet II series) used the Canon LBP-SX engine. Later models used the Canon LBP-LX, LBP-EX, LBP-PX engines and many other Canon print engines.

Between printer models based on the same Canon print engine, many parts (such as toner cartridges, fuser units, roller assemblies) are interchangeable.

Canon laser printers use cartridges.

Digital Copiers[link]

Canon's largest division in terms of revenue is its multifunction copier division. Many of the sweeping changes during the "Digital Revolution" in the industry were invented by Canon. This has enabled Canon to hold the highest market share in the industry for 26 of the last 27 years. Canon distributes its consumer and home office imageCLASS line though retail outlets and professional grade imageRUNNER series through subsidiary Canon Business Solutions and independent distributors. The professional grade series ranges from small table tops to large digital presses.

Inkjet printers[link]

Products

Digital cameras[link]

This section requires expansion.

A Canon EOS 50D camera

Canon has been manufacturing and distributing digital cameras since 1984, starting with the RC-701. The RC series was followed by the PowerShot and Digital IXUS series of digital cameras. Canon also developed the EOS series of digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLR) which includes high-end professional models.

See main articles:

Canon PowerShot

Canon PowerShot G series

Canon Digital IXUS

Canon EOS

Canon EF lens mount (includes list of EF lenses)

Canon EF-S lens mount, a subset of the EF mount specifically for DSLRs with APS-C sensors (includes list of EF-S lenses)

Canon has recently implicated Thermal Transition Copying as a part of the manufacturing process for all new cameras being produced by canon. This manufacturing process allows a camera's polymer casing to very slightly change temperature through an exothermic reaction triggered by electronic sensors, to assist in the prevention of condensation inside the camera; a common problem experienced when using an SLR camera in certain conditions.

Canon Speedlite[link]

A Canon 430EX II Speedlite flash system

Canon has also produced high-output flash units for their DSLR cameras. They have a wide variety of flash units available including the 270EX, 320EX, 430EX Speedlites and their bigger brother the Canon 580EX Speedlite. Canon also produces macro flash units including the Macro Twin Lite and the Macro Ring Lite. Canon’s flash units are known for their excellent workmanship and durability.

Scanners[link]

This section requires expansion.

Canon has manufactured high-quality scanners for use with home computers for many years; they also make flatbed scanners, film scanners, and document scanners. The Canon Canoscan 8800F is, as of 2009, one of the most popular devices for scanning photographs and transparencies.^{[citation needed]}

Computers[link]

Canon introduced two MSX home computer models in 1983, the V-10 and the V-20. Both offered just the minimum range of the MSX standards without any additional features. The V-20 was able to receive photos from the T90 Canon camera with the Data Memory Back T90 expansion.

See main article: Canon V-20

Camcorders[link]

See List of Canon camcorders

Company structure[link]

This section requires expansion.

Canon has regional headquarters in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Japan, Asia and Oceania (including Australia & New Zealand) . Canon in Europe is split into Canon Europa NV (based in the Netherlands) and Canon Europe Ltd (based in London). Both make up the European headquarters for Canon.

Canon corporate headquarter building

Canon corporate headquarter building distant view

Environmental activities[link]

A report by the environmental organization Clean Air-Cool Planet puts Canon at the top of a list of 56 companies the survey conducted on climate-friendly companies.^[11]

Canon has also launched three new calculators in Europe, called "Green Calculators", which are produced in part from recycled Canon copiers.^[12]

The company has a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy in Europe, named ‘Green is just a shade of blue’. The strategy places emphasis on green issues being ‘a small part of the bigger, bluer picture’, and therefore gives equal importance to other areas, including ethics, attitudes, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, education, science and social welfare.

The Canon Group has an environmental charter which looks at ‘offering products with a lower environmental burden through improvements in resource efficiency, while eliminating anti-social activities that threaten the health and safety of mankind and the environment.’^[13]

In 2008 Canon donated financial support to help the estimated 5 million people displaced by the earthquake that hit China’s Sichuan province in May 2008.^[14]

1million RMB was donated to the Red Cross Society of China shortly after the earthquake. Canon Inc, Japan, soon followed with a donation of RMB10 million.^[14]

Sponsorship[link]

In Europe[link]

Football[link]

Canon was the sponsor of the English Football League, with a deal from 1983 to 1986. Canon has sponsored Champions League and other UEFA tournaments as either an official sponsor or a supplier of imaging equipment. The company also sponsored the World Cup tournaments from 1978 to 1998.^[15]

The company sponsored the UEFA Cup final matches from 2006/07 to the 2008/09, and the UEFA Super Cup matches in 2007 and 2008, and most recently, sponsored the UEFA EURO 2008 football tournament.

Canon Europe was also an official sponsor of the MTN Africa Cup of Nations 2008 in Ghana and the Russian Premier Football League.^[16]

Fashion[link]

Canon Europe is sponsor of Paris Fashion Week and principal sponsor of London and Milan Fashion Weeks.^[17]

The Red Cross[link]

Since 2006 Canon has been helping the Red Cross provide support to thirteen Red Cross National Societies across Europe, with focus on youth projects. Support from Canon includes financial contributions and donations of imaging equipment; including cameras, copying machines and digital radiography devices, as well as volunteer activities.^[18]

WWF[link]

Canon Europe has been a WWF Conservation Partner since 1998. The company provides funding to WWF's global conservation work to aid its environmental practices.

Since 2007, WWF and Canon have been working on a Polar Bear Tracking Programme and 'Canon Kids' Zone' children’s microsite. The WWF-Canon Polar Bear Tracking Programme tracks the movements of polar bears in the Arctic through radio collars placed around the bears’ necks. Their positions are transmitted to scientists for investigation on how climate change is affecting them.^[19]

The WWF-Canon Kids’ Zone is a microsite that teaches children across Europe about the environmental threats faced by the polar bear. It also helps them to understand how saving power at home and becoming more energy efficient can help save the polar bear from extinction.

World Press Photo[link]

Canon Europe has been a partner of World Press Photo for sixteen years. World Press Photo promotes the professional standards in photography; organises the largest international contest for professional photojournalists and acts as a worldwide platform for press photography.^[20]

Formula One[link]

Canon Europe was involved in sponsorship of Formula One from 1985–1993, (primarily as title sponsor of Williams F1), and again from 2001–2004. Canon Singapore sponsored Brawn GP for the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix as well as being the title sponsor for the races from 2008 until 2012.

They have also sponsored the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, Quebec.

In Canada[link]

Canon was the official camera sponsor & provider of Montreal's Olympics Games in 1976.

In USA[link]

Canon USA has a number of sponsorships, including: PGA TOUR, LPGA TOUR, New York Yankees, United States Open Tennis Tournament, The American Junior Golf Association's Canon Cup, Outback Steakhouse Empire Challenge Eisenhower Park Lakeside Theatre Summer Concert Series.^[21]

Canon Virginia, located in Newport News, Virginia, is a sister company of Canon USA. Formed in 1985, CVI has two large manufacturing warehouses, the newest unveiled in 2008. In these two warehouses, CVI provides manufacturing for Canon copiers, printers, and cartridges. They also provide reverse manufacturing services for Canon copiers, printers, and cameras. CVI also houses camera repair services for Canon brand digital cameras (both EOS Digital and PowerShot), as well as video cameras. CVI's goal is to be responsible for 50% of Canon camera repairs by January 2010.

Since opening their doors to outside business in 2005, Canon Virginia has become the contract manufacturer of choice for a major business computing company, tooled multi-cavity molds for manufacturers large and small, and signed reverse-logistics contracts.

In Oceania[link]

In 2010 Canon Australia launched the inaugural Canon EOS Festival of Photography.^[22] In addition to the Canon EOS Festival of Photography Canon Australia continues to support professional photographers through its ongoing sponsorship of the Canon Australian Professional Photography Awards (APPA).^[23]

In New Zealand Canon continued its 4 year association with the Newspaper Publishers' Association (NPA) as new naming rights sponsor of their annual awards now known as the Canon Media Awards^[24]

Headquarters[link]

• 30-2 Shimomaruko 3-chome, Ota-ku, Tokyo 146-8501, Japan

See also[link]

	Tokyo portal
	Companies portal

• List of Canon products
• Canon Open
• Fujio Mitarai

References[link]

This article relies on references to primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject, rather than references from independent authors and third-party publications. Please add citations from reliable sources. (December 2008)

External links[link]

• Canon official site
• Canon Australia's official site
• Canon's Online Camera Museum
• Canon Electronic Business Machines (H.K.) Co., Ltd.
• Canon Owners Exchange

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v t e Nikkei 225 companies of Japan 7&i Advantest ÆON AGC Ajinomoto ALPS ANA Asahi Breweries Asahi Kasei Astellas Bank of Yokohama Bridgestone Canon Casio Chiba Bank Chiyoda Chuden Chugai Chuo Mitsui Trust Citizen Clarion Comsys Credit Saison CSK Daiichi Sankyo Daikin Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Daiwa House Daiwa Securities Denka Denso Dentsu DNP Dowa Ebara Eisai Fanuc Fast Retailing Fuji Electric Fuji Heavy Industries Fujifilm Fujikura Fujitsu Fukuoka Financial Furukawa Furukawa Electric GS Yuasa Heiwa Real Estate Hino Hitachi Hitachi Construction Machinery Hitz Hokuetsu Paper Honda IHI INPEX Isetan-Mitsukoshi Isuzu Itochu JFE J. Front Retailing JGC JR Central JR East JR West JSW JT JTEKT JX Kajima KEPCO Kao Kawasaki KDDI Keio Keisei Kikkoman Kirin K Line Kobelco Komatsu Konami Konica Minolta Kubota Kuraray Kyocera Kyowa Hakko Kirin Marubeni Maruha Nichiro Marui Matsui Securities Mazda Meidensha Meiji Holdings MES Minebea Mitsubishi Chemical Mitsubishi Corporation Mitsubishi Electric Mitsubishi Estate Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Mitsubishi Logistics Mitsubishi Materials Mitsubishi Motors Mitsubishi Paper Mitsubishi Rayon Mitsui & Co. Mitsui Chemicals Mitsui Fudosan Mitsui Kinzoku Mitsumi Mizuho Mizuho Securities Mizuho Trust MOL MS&AD MUFG NEC NGK Nichirei Nikon Nippon Express Nippon Kayaku Nippon Light Metal Nippon Ham Nippon Paper Group Nippon Soda Nippon Steel Nippon Suisan Nissan Nissan Chemical Nisshin Seifun Nisshin Steel Nisshinbo Nittobo NKSJ Nomura NSG NSK NTN NTT NTT Data NTT docomo NYK Obayashi Odakyu Oji Paper OKI Okuma Olympus Osaka Gas Pacific Metals Panasonic Panasonic Electric Works Pioneer Resona Ricoh Sanyo Sapporo Brewery Secom Sekisui House Sharp Shimz Shin-Etsu Shinsei Bank Shionogi Shiseido Shizuoka Bank Showa Denko Showa Shell SKY Perfect JSAT SoftBank Sojitz Sony Sumco Sumitomo Chemical Sumitomo Corporation Sumitomo Electric Sumitomo Heavy Industries Sumitomo Metal Industries Sumitomo Metal Mining Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Sumitomo Osaka Cement Sumitomo Realty Sumitomo Trust Suzuki T&D Taiheiyo Cement Taisei Taiyo Yuden Takara Takashimaya Takeda TDK Teijin TEPCO Terumo Tobu Toho Toho Zinc Tokai Carbon Tokan Tokio Marine Tokyo Dome Tokyo Electron Tokyo Gas Tokyu Tokyu Land Toppan Toray Toshiba Tosoh TOTO Toyobo Toyota Toyota Tsusho Trend Micro Ube Unitika Uny Yahoo! Japan Yamaha Yamato Transport Yokogawa Electric Yokohama Rubber

Look up canon or canonical in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

It has been suggested that canonical be merged into this article or section. (Discuss) Proposed since December 2011.

Canon (Latin canon from Greek κανών "measuring rod, standard") may refer to any standard or convention. The corresponding adjective is canonical. English canon may also represent Latin canonicus "one who is canonical".

• Canon (basic principle)
  • Western canon, the books, music, and art that have been the most influential in shaping Western culture
  • Chinese classics or Chinese canonical texts
  • Canon of Dutch Literature, list of the most important Dutch literary works

Music

• Canon (music), a contrapuntal composition which employs a melody with one or more imitations
• Pachelbel's Canon

Visual arts

• Aesthetic canon, a rule for the proportions of a human figure
• Film canon, the limited number of masterpieces by which all other films are judged

Literature

• The Canon, nonfiction science book by Natalie Angier
• The Western Canon (book), book on the Western canon by Harold Bloom
• Canon (fiction), material that is considered to be genuine by a fan base

Religion

• Canon law, the body of laws and regulations made by or adopted by ecclesiastical authority
  • Canon law (Catholic Church)
• Canon (priest), a Christian priest who belongs to one of certain chapters
• Biblical canon
• Canon (hymnography), a type of Eastern Orthodox hymn
• Canon of the Mass, the Eucharistic Prayer of the Roman Rite
• Penitential canons
• Taoist canon or Daozang
• Pāli Canon
• Chinese Buddhist canon
• Tibetan Buddhist canon
• Tanakh, sometimes referred to as the Jewish Bible Canon

As a proper noun, Canon may also refer to:

toponymy

• Canon, Georgia, a city in Franklin County, Georgia, United States
• Cañon or canyon, a deep valley between cliffs

brands and products

• Canon (company), a Japanese imaging and optical products corporation; produces Canon cameras
• Canon Communications, a media company headquartered in Los Angeles
• Canon (game), an online browser-based strategy war game
• Canon (manga), a shōjo manga by Chika Shiomi

See also[link]

• Standard (disambiguation) (disambiguation)
• Canonization
• Cannon (disambiguation)
• Kanon (disambiguation)
• Canon of Dutch History, official list of several key moments in Dutch history
• The Canon of Medicine, a medical text written by Ibn Sina (Avicenna)
• Canon of Eclipses, a compilation of eclipses by Theodor Ritter von Oppolzer

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (April 2010)

A company is a business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be made to exist in law and then a company is itself considered a "legal person". The name company arose because, at least originally, it represented or was owned by more than one real or legal person.

In the United States, a company may be a "corporation, partnership, association, joint-stock company, trust, fund, or organized group of persons, whether incorporated or not, and (in an official capacity) any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, or similar official, or liquidating agent, for any of the foregoing."^[1] In the US, a company is not necessarily a corporation.^[2]

In English law and in the Commonwealth realms a company is a body corporate or corporation company registered under the Companies Acts or similar legislation.^[3] It does not include a partnership or any other unincorporated group of persons, although such an entity may be loosely described as a company.

Meaning and definition[link]

A company can be defined as an "artificial person", invisible, intangible, created by or under Law, with a discrete legal entity, perpetual succession and a common seal. It is not affected by the death, insanity or insolvency of an individual member.

The English word has its origins in the Old French military term compaignie (first recorded in 1150), meaning a "body of soldiers",^[4] originally taken from the Late Latin word companio "companion, one who eats bread with you", first attested in the Lex Salica as a calque of the Germanic expression *gahlaibo (literally, "with bread"), related to Old High German galeipo "companion" and Gothic gahlaiba "messmate". By 1303, the word referred to trade guilds. Usage of company to mean "business association" was first recorded in 1553 and the abbreviation "co." dates from 1769.

History[link]

According to one source, "it may be formed by Act of Parliament, by Royal Charter, or by registration under company law (referred to as a limited liability or joint-stock company)."^[5] In the United Kingdom, the main regulating laws are the Companies Act 1985 and the Companies Act 2006.^[5] Reportedly, "a company registered under this Act has limited liability: its owners (the shareholders) have no financial liability in the event of winding up the affairs of the company, but they might lose the money already invested in it".^[5] In the USA, companies are registered in a particular state—Delaware being especially favoured—and become Incorporated (Inc).^[5]

In North America, two of the earliest companies were The London Company (also called the Charter of the Virginia Company of London)—an English joint stock company established by royal charter by James I of England on April 10, 1606 with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America—and Plymouth Company that was granted an identical charter as part of the Virginia Company. The London Company was responsible for establishing the Jamestown Settlement, the first permanent English settlement in the present United States in 1607, and in the process of sending additional supplies, inadvertently settled the Somers Isles, alias Bermuda, the oldest-remaining English colony, in 1609.

Types[link]

For a country-by-country listing, see Types of business entity.

There are various types of company that can be formed in different jurisdictions, but the most common forms of company (generally formed by registration under applicable companies legislation) are:

• A company limited by guarantee. Commonly used where companies are formed for non-commercial purposes, such as clubs or charities. The members guarantee the payment of certain (usually nominal) amounts if the company goes into insolvent liquidation, but otherwise they have no economic rights in relation to the company. This type of company is common in England. A company limited by guarantee may be with or without having share capital.
• A company limited by shares. The most common form of company used for business ventures. Specifically, a limited company is a "company in which the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount individually invested" with corporations being "the most common example of a limited company. This can be a public company or private company."^[1] This type of company is common in England.
• A company limited by guarantee with a share capital. A hybrid entity, usually used where the company is formed for non-commercial purposes, but the activities of the company are partly funded by investors who expect a return. This type of company may no longer be formed in the UK, although provisions still exist in law for them to exist.^[6]
• A limited-liability company. "A company—statutorily authorized in certain states—that is characterized by limited liability, management by members or managers, and limitations on ownership transfer", i.e., L.L.C.^[1]
• An unlimited company with or without a share capital. A hybrid entity, a company where the liability of members or shareholders for the debts (if any) of the company are not limited. In this case doctrine of veil of incorporation does not apply.

Less commonly seen types of companies are:

• Companies formed by letters patent. Most corporations by letters patent are corporations sole and not companies as the term is commonly understood today.
• Charter corporations. Before the passing of modern companies legislation, these were the only types of companies. Now they are relatively rare, except for very old companies that still survive (of which there are still many, particularly many British banks), or modern societies that fulfil a quasi regulatory function (for example, the Bank of England is a corporation formed by a modern charter).
• Statutory Companies. Relatively rare today, certain companies have been formed by a private statute passed in the relevant jurisdiction.

Note that "Ltd after the company's name signifies limited company, and PLC (public limited company) indicates that its shares are widely held."^[5]

In legal parlance, the owners of a company are normally referred to as the "members". In a company limited or unlimited by shares (formed or incorporated with a share capital), this will be the shareholders. In a company limited by guarantee, this will be the guarantors. Some offshore jurisdictions have created special forms of offshore company in a bid to attract business for their jurisdictions. Examples include "segregated portfolio companies" and restricted purpose companies.

There are however, many, many sub-categories of types of company that can be formed in various jurisdictions in the world.

Companies are also sometimes distinguished for legal and regulatory purposes between public companies and private companies. Public companies are companies whose shares can be publicly traded, often (although not always) on a regulated stock exchange. Private companies do not have publicly traded shares, and often contain restrictions on transfers of shares. In some jurisdictions, private companies have maximum numbers of shareholders.

See also[link]

	Business and economics portal
	Companies portal

• Corporate personhood

References[link]

1. ^ ^{a b c} Black's Law and lee Dictionary. Second Pocket Edition. Bryan A. Garner, editor. West. 2001.
2. ^ http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/company
3. ^ Companies Act 2006, Section 1
4. ^ Harper, Douglas. "company". Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=company. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Company." Crystal Reference Encyclopedia. Crystal Reference Systems Limited. 27 Nov. 2007. Reference.com
6. ^ Companies Act 2006

Further reading[link]

Look up company in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Dignam, A and Lowry, J (2006) Company Law, Oxford University Press ISBN 978-0-19-928936-3.
• John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge, The Company: a Short History of a Revolutionary Idea (New York: Modern Library, 2003)