Mitsubishi Electric's First Consumer Product

Before Mitsubishi Electric was spun off from Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., one of the products it had excelled at making was electric desk fans for use on passenger ships. So when Mitsubishi Electric was formed in 1921, the electric fan was a natural place to start. More than 10,000 units were produced at the Mitsubishi Electric Kobe Works plant between 1921 and 1923. The then company president was eager to find products that could be manufactured throughout the year, instead of relying on special orders for such industrial products as heavy electrical machinery. The production and marketing of electric fans was to become a key part of the company's initial business strategy -- and an integral first step into the consumer market.