s ▁food ▁and ▁chemical ▁indust ries , ▁and ▁partner ed ▁with ▁Kit ah ama ▁Works , ▁a ▁major ▁scientific ▁instruments ▁company , ▁to ▁sell ▁them . ▁The ▁p H ▁meters ▁were ▁sold ▁to ▁fert il izer ▁plants ▁throughout ▁Japan ▁to ▁monitor ▁p H ▁levels ▁in ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁am mon ium ▁sul f ate ▁fert il izer ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁rice ▁production . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁" Hor iba ▁Radio ▁Labor atory " ▁was ▁renamed ▁" Hor iba ▁Ltd ." ▁ ▁Technology ▁development ▁ ▁Mas ao ▁Hor iba ▁continued ▁to ▁look ▁for ▁new ▁opportun ities ▁for ▁his ▁company . ▁After ▁investig ating ▁gas ▁chrom at ography , ▁Hor iba ▁decided ▁instead ▁to ▁develop ▁instruments ▁for ▁inf ra red ▁analysis . ▁The ▁Hor iba ▁company ▁already ▁had ▁some ▁experience ▁in ▁creating ▁synth etic ▁single ▁cry st als ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁inf ra red ▁instruments . ▁With ▁support ▁from ▁the ▁Japanese ▁Ministry ▁of ▁International ▁Trade ▁and ▁Indust ry , ▁the ▁first ▁Hor iba ▁IR ▁inf ra red - based ▁gas ▁analy zer ▁was ▁sold ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁model ▁for ▁industrial ▁use ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 . ▁ ▁Mas ao ▁Hor iba ▁visited ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁study ▁tour ▁for ▁deleg ates ▁approved ▁by ▁the ▁Japan ▁Product ivity ▁Center . ▁He ▁was ▁particularly ▁interested ▁in ▁seeing ▁the ▁National ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Stand ards . ▁During ▁this ▁trip , ▁he ▁also ▁met ▁represent atives ▁of ▁Hit