Ever wondered, “What country is Buffalo from?”
Many people recognize the name from computers, Wi-Fi routers, and external HDDs, but might not know the details.
This article provides an easy-to-understand overview of Buffalo’s country of origin, history, and key features.
Ms. GadgetI think quite a few people know the products, but don’t know much about the company itself…
What you’ll learn in this article!
Author of this article: "Mr. Gadget"
- Studied under Masatoshi Ono, a million-selling singer who has performed at Kohaku Uta Gassen
- Experience supervising for Ameba Choice and the web media Picky's
- Individual member of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association
Nice to meet you!
This article is also available as a video on YouTube!
What country is Buffalo from?
Key points of this section!
Buffalo is a Japanese company
Buffalo is a Japanese company with its headquarters located in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.
- Buffalo is a long-standing Japanese manufacturer
- Its headquarters is in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture
- It also maintains a headquarters in Tokyo and is stable as a listed company
It was founded in Nagoya as “Melco” by Makoto Maki in 1975 and incorporated in 1978. The company changed its trade name to “BUFFALO INC.” in 2003 and has continued operating in Japan to this day.
Ms. GadgetBuffalo sounds like an overseas brand, but it’s a Japanese company?
Mr. GadgetYes. Its headquarters has been in Japan since its founding.
Nagoya Headquarters and community ties
The headquarters is located in Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, which is also where the company was founded.
It continues its community-rooted business and deepens its ties with the local economy.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Trade Name | BUFFALO INC. |
| Nagoya Headquarters Address | Akamon-dori Building, 3-30-20 Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi 460-8315 |
Ms. GadgetThe fact that its headquarters is still in its birthplace shows how much they value the local community!
Tokyo Headquarters and stability as a listed company
The company also has a headquarters in Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, adopting a dual-headquarters system.
This makes it easier to handle nationwide expansion and overseas business, and being listed on both the Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market and the Nagoya Stock Exchange Premier Market ensures high management transparency and stability.
Ms. GadgetWhat are the benefits of a dual-headquarters system?
Mr. GadgetHaving bases in major cities makes it easier to gather talent and information.
The history of Buffalo
Key points of this section!
Buffalo was founded in 1975 as “Melco,” starting out as a manufacturer of high-end audio equipment.
In 1981, it entered the PC peripherals market and has contributed significantly to Japan’s digitalization.
It changed to its current company name in 2003 and continues to grow in a wide range of fields such as networking equipment and storage.
| Era | Event |
|---|---|
| 1975 | Melco founded in Nagoya (high-end audio equipment) |
| 1981 | Entered the PC peripherals market |
| 2000 | Released “AirStation” wireless LAN |
| 2003 | Changed trade name to BUFFALO INC. |
| 2017 | Launched data recovery service |
Transition from an audio manufacturer
At its inception, the company developed and sold high-end audio equipment.
It gained popularity for analog record turntables and amplifiers, and that technology lives on in its later IT equipment development.
Ms. GadgetGoing from audio to PC peripherals is quite a big shift in genres.
Mr. GadgetThat’s true. But that flexibility is what led to its current growth.
Entry into PC peripherals
The company entered the PC peripherals market in 1981, releasing printer buffers and expansion RAM boards. These products resolved inconveniences in the PC environments of the time and won the support of many users.
Ms. GadgetSo they’ve been helping PC users since that long ago.
Name change and brand unification
In 2003, Melco Inc. changed its trade name to BUFFALO INC. The name “Buffalo” originates from its hit product, the printer buffer, and also embodies the meaning of “moving forward with strength.”
Key features of Buffalo
Key points of this section!
Buffalo develops products across a wide range of fields, including networking equipment, storage, memory, and peripherals.
With products like the “AirStation” Wi-Fi router, which has surpassed 60 million cumulative units sold, and data recovery services that also support third-party products, the company possesses both technological capability and strong support.
| Field | Main Products & Services |
|---|---|
| Networking | “AirStation” Wi-Fi routers, management software for businesses |
| Storage | “LinkStation” and “TeraStation” NAS, external HDDs, SSDs |
| Memory | USB flash drives, memory modules, JEDEC member |
| Support | Data recovery services, user-friendly manuals and FAQs |
| Other | “Omoidebako” digital photo albums, etc. |
Ms. GadgetHaving everything from Wi-Fi to storage all in one place is quite reassuring!
Data recovery service
Buffalo provides data recovery services not only for its own products, but also for third-party HDDs, SSDs, and USB flash drives. They have a system in place where specialist technicians handle a wide range of issues, from logical failures to physical failures.
Ms. GadgetIt’s rare for a company to support third-party products as well.
Summary
Buffalo is a long-standing Japanese manufacturer with headquarters in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, and Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. They develop a wide range of products from networking equipment to storage and peripherals, earning high praise for both their technological strength and support system.
- Founded in 1975, with a long track record
- Over 60 million Wi-Fi routers sold cumulatively
- Data recovery services supporting third-party products
- Easy-to-use products crafted with the user in mind
- Two domestic bases + stability as a listed company
Mr. GadgetLooking at it this way, they are a manufacturer that combines solidity and peace of mind.
In particular, having comprehensive post-purchase support is a major source of reassurance. Having a reliable system in place when trouble strikes, alongside product performance, is an essential condition for long-term use.
Ms. GadgetSo choosing Buffalo products means you’re in safe hands?
Mr. GadgetYes. They tick all three boxes: reliability, technological strength, and support capability.
For anyone looking for devices that will last a long time, Buffalo is certainly a strong contender.
Thank you for reading until the end!
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This article was originally written in Japanese and has been translated.
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