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Origin of Nitto Kohki
Toshio Mikiya(current director-chairman)
Founder
Toshio Mikiya
(current
director-chairman)
In October 1956, Toshio Mikiya (current director-chairman) succeeded in developing an Air Micrometer, which measures sizes in units of 0.1 microns, and founded Nitto Kohki to manufacture and market this invention. The company also developed -- as a jig for connecting fluid lines -- high-performance fluid couplings, which were marketed under the "CUPLA" brand name as quick-connecting devices. This was the genesis of the high-performance couplings that are now known worldwide under the "CUPLA" brand name. Since that time, the company has commercialized some 25,000 different types of products.
Recognizing a potentially massive demand for a portable drill press, Mr. Mikiya next developed the "ATRA" portable drill press, which incorporates an electromagnet. This product, continuously updated and improved over the years, still ranks as one of our most popular products.
Our founder was committed to the goal of producing "energy- and- labor-saving" technology, by developing industrial tools that could be operated with equal ease by both absolute beginners and experienced workers. At that time, Japan had an abundant workforce and factories could easily find skilled workers for any operation. However, Toshio Mikiya had a sense of mission that Japan should move beyond depending solely on personal skills that called for long experience. He believed that, with continued reliance on such skills, Japanese industry would never be able to catch up with its Western counterparts. At the same time, he foresaw that someday Japan would face a situation of high wages and labor shortages. These convictions gave birth to his goal.
Today, Mr. Mikiya's predictions have become reality. We have been in an era of worldwide labor saving. Armed with core technologies in fluid engineering and mechanical engineering, Nitto Kohki continues to develop new products that correspond to market demands. We are currently introducing a number of unique products in such diverse fields as quick-connecting fluid couplings, machines and tools, linear pumps, door closers, and many more.
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Historical Development of Nitto Kohki
1956
October :
Company founded in Kugahara, Tokyo; capitalized at 500,000YEN. (Initial manufacture of the "AIR MICROMETER" and "SP CUPLA")
1958
February :
Portable Magnetic Base Drilling Machine "ATRA" introduced to the market.
1960
March :
Toyama Sales Office(subsequently renamed Hokuriku Sales Office) opens.
December :
Capital increased to 2 million YEN.
1961
April :
Capital increased to 8 million YEN.
1962
January :
Osaka Sales Office opens.(subsequently renamed Osaka Branch)
1963
February :
Capital increased to 18 million YEN.
July :
Headquarters, factory and R&D lab relocated to Nakaikegami, Tokyo. (present location)
November :
Capital increased to 32 million YEN.
1965
October :
Pneumatic Needle Scaler "JET CHISEL" receives the Prime Minister's Award for Superior Products.
November :
Nagoya Sales Office opens. (subsequently renamed Nagoya Branch)
1966
February :
"ATRA" receives an Honorable Mention Award at the Tokyo Superior Inventions Exhibition.
May :
Sales and distribution organization, "Nittokai" established.
Fukuoka Sales Office opens.
1967
March :
"JET CHISEL" receives the Invention Award at the National Invention Exhibition.
May :
Capital increased to 40 million YEN.
June :
Hiroshima Sales Office opens.
September :
Niigata Office opens.(subseguently renamed Niigata Sales Office)
1968
February :
"MINI-CUPLA" receives the Invention Prize at the Tokyo Superior Inventions Exhibition, organized by the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation.(JIII)
June :
Capital increased to 60 million YEN.
September :
Capital increased to 70 million YEN.
October :
Los Angeles Representative Office opens.
November :
Nitto School opens.
1969
April :
Okayama Office opens.(subseguently renamed Okayama Sales Office)
May :
Shizuoka Office opens.(subsequently renamed Shizuoka Sales Office)
July :
Takamatsu Office opens.(subsequently renamed Takamatsu Sales Office)
Sendai Office opens.(subsequently renamed Sendai Sales Office)
September :
Capital increased to 91 million YEN.
Ryomo Office opens.(subsequently renamed Kitakanto Sales Office)
November :
NITTO KOHKI U.S.A., INC. established.
1970
March :
Capital increased to 300.3 million YEN.
August :
New York Representative Office opens.
September :
Pneumatic Belt Sander "BELTON" receives the Prime Minister's Award for Superior Products.
1971
November :
Sapporo Office opens.(subsequently renamed Sapporo Sales Office)
Handy Pneumatic Sander "FREE SANDER" receives the Prime Minister's Award for Superior Products.
1972
February :
Pneumatic Reciprocating Sander "LINE SANDER" receives JIII Chairman's Encouragement Award at the Tokyo Invention Exhibition.
1973
November :
Successful commercialization of linear motor driven free piston pump.
1975
June :
Linear motor driven free piston pump receives Strategic Technology Development Subsidy from Ministry of International Trade and Industry(subsequently renamed Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry).(METI)
1977
January :
Happy Precision Engineering (subsequently renamed MEDOTECH CO., LTD.) becomes a member of the Nitto Kohki group.
June :
Completion and commissioning of the Ujiie Plant(subsequently renamed TOCHIGI NITTO KOHKI).
1978
June :
Capital increased to 325.85 million YEN.
December :
Establishment of MEDO INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
1979
January :
Establishment of MEDO U.S.A., INC.
February :
Establishment of NITTO KOHKI EUROPE CO., LTD.
1983
January :
Development of industrial robots begins.
1984
February :
Ujiie Plant becomes JIS (Japan Industrial Standards) certified plant.
October :
"LA" type sewage blower receives METI Good Design Award.
1985
November :
"BULK CUPLA" receives first authorization from High Pressure Gas Safety Association.
1989
February :
"JET CHISEL" receives Invention Grand Prix Ikeda Special Award from the Japan Invention Promotion Association.
April :
Linear Compressor awarded Science and Technology Agency Director's Prize.
June :
MEDOMAN CO., LTD. begins operations as a member of Nitto Kohki group.
July :
Singapore Representative Office opens.(subsequently renamed Singapore Branch)
September :
NITTO KOHKI EUROPE CO., LTD. Representative Office established in Germany.
1990
May :
Establishment of WESTAIR-NITTO SALES PTY., LTD. (subsequently renamed NITTO KOHKI AUSTRALIA) as a member of Nitto Kohki Group.
October :
Capital increased to 340 million YEN.
November :
Establishment of MIKIYA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION.
1992
March :
Establishment of NITTO KOHKI DEUTSCHLAND GmbH.
Capital increased to 768 million YEN.
June :
President Toshio Mikiya retires to become Chairman; replaced as President by Motoyuki Takata.(formerly Vice-President)
September :
Establishment of WESTAIR-NITTO MANUFACTURING.(subsequently renamed NITTO KOHKI AUSTRALIA MFG.)
1994
October :
Ujiie Plant receives TPM Superior Factory Award.
1995
May :
Capital increased to 838 million YEN.
October :
Stocks enter OTC market.
Capital increased to 1.85 billion YEN.
November :
Ujiie Plant obtains ISO9002.
1996
April :
Three new divisions established: couplings, machine tools, and linear products.
1997
April :
NITTO KOHKI (THAILAND) CO., LTD. established in Thailand as the company's first offshore production subsidiary.
December :
Couplings and Machine Tools divisions obtain ISO9001.
1998
February :
Linear Products Division obtains ISO9001.
April :
Nitto Kohki's stock listed in the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
1999
February :
Establishment of NITTO KOHKI SERVICE CENTER CO., LTD.
2000
March :
Nitto Kohki's stock listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
April :
SHIRAKAWA NITTO KOHKI CO., LTD. (formerly Shirakawa Densei) begins operations as a member of Nitto Kohki group through M&A.
Bangkok Representative Office opens under the umbrella of Nitto Kohki Co., Ltd., Singapore Branch.
May :
Establishment of TOCHIGI NITTO KOHKI CO., LTD.
October :
Ujiie Plant splits off into TOCHIGI NITTO KOHKI CO., LTD.
Shanghai Representative Office opens.
2001
May :
Mikawa Office opens.(subsequently renamed Mikawa Sales Office)
August :
All issues of MEDOMAN CO., LTD. stock sold.
October :
Keiji Office opens.
U.S. coupling manufacturer, BRECO COUPLINGS, INC. purchased.
November :
TOCHIGI NITTO KOHKI obtains ISO14001.
December :
Joint venture, NITTO KOHKI-MIJIN CO., LTD., established in South Korea.
2002
February :
British machine tool manufacturer, UNIVERSAL DRILLING & CUTTING EQUIPMENT LTD. purchased.
March :
Kumamoto Office opens.
May :
NITTO KOHKI (THAILAND) CO., LTD. obtains ISO9001.
July :
NITTO KOHKI COUPLING (THAILAND) CO., LTD. established in Thailand as a production center for Cupla.
October :
Piezoelectric Pumps "BIMOR PUMP SERIES" operations purchased from a member of the Mitsubishi Chemical group.
2003
January :
Operations start at NITTO KOHKI COUPLING(THAILAND)CO., LTD.
April :
NITTO KOHKI BUTSURYU CO., LTD. established as a logistics company.
October :
"BABY BELTON" receives Good Design Award.
2004
January :
Nagoya Branch relocates to a brand-new building.
May :
Headquarters / R&D lab obtains ISO14001.
June :
Shenzhen Representative Office opens.
Saitama Office moves and renames Saitama Sales Office.
Osahiko Miyazaki(formerly Senior executive managing director) assumes the presidency.
October :
NITTO KOHKI COUPLINGS (THAILAND) CO,. LTD. obtains ISO9001.
2005
April :
Green Procurement starts.
SHIRAKAWA NITTO KOHKI CO., LTD. receives TPM Challenge Award.
June :
Junji Suzukawa ( a member of the board of directors ) assumes the presidency.
July :
Mikawa Office moves and renames Mikawa Sales Office.
August :
The business of Couplings carried by BRECO COUPLINGS in the U.S.A. is incorporated into NITTO KOHKI U.S.A.,INC., Subsequent to it BRECO COUPLINGS is to be dissolved.
2006
August :
Establishment of YUMEKOBO CO.,LTD.
October :
50th Anniversary.
November :
Kitakanto Sales Office inaugurates.
2007
February :
Reconstruction of headquarters starts.
April :
Himeji Office moves and renames Hyogo Office.
May :
Singapore Branch moves.
June :
TOCHIGI NITTO KOHKI CO., LTD. celebrates 30th anniversary.
October :
NITTO KOHKI-MIJIN CO., LTD. obtains ISO9001.
2008
March :
Okayama Sales Office moves.
June :
Naoyuki Kotake(formerly Senior executive managing director) assumes the presidency.
August :
Construction of new headquarters' building completes.
October :
YUMEKOBO CO.,LTD. and NITTO KOHKI SERVICE CENTER CO.,LTD are merged into NITTO KOHKI CO., LTD.
2009
June :
MEDOTECH CO., LTD. receives C-TPM Challenge Award.
July :
TOCHIGI NITTO KOHKI CO.,LTD. merges NITTO KOHKI BUTSURYU CO.,LTD.
August :
NITTO KOHKI (THAILAND) CO., LTD. and
NITTO KOHKI COUPLING (THAILAND) CO., LTD. obtain ISO14001
November :
Construction of new lab building completes.
2010
March :
MEDOTECH CO.,LTD. obtains ISO14001.
April :
Final completion of new headquarters' building construction.
2011
February :
SHIRAKAWA NITTO KOHKI CO.,LTD. Obtains ISO14001.
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