The is a
Japanese manufacturer of
electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and
software. It was founded by
Ikutaro Kakehashi in
Osaka on April 18, 1972, with ¥33 million in capital. In 2005, Roland's headquarters relocated to
Hamamatsu in
Shizuoka Prefecture. Today it has factories in
Italy,
Taiwan,
Japan, and the
USA. As of March 31, 2010, it employed 2,699 employees. It has existed in different forms since 1960, making it relatively old among still-operating manufacturers of musical electronics. Known for hundreds of popular synthesizers, drum machines, and other instruments, Roland has been one of the top names in professional music equipment since the late 1970s.