Komatsu Ltd. history, company profile (overview) and corporate video
Komatsu Limited (株式会社小松製作所) is a multinational manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, utility equipment (compact machines), forest machines, industrial machinery, and others. It is headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
INDUSTRIES
- Construction;
- Demolition, waste and recycling;
- Agriculture and livestock;
- Forestry;
- Mining;
- Quarry;
- Logistics;
- Industrial machinery;
- Other industries;
- Service & support.
HISTORY
Komatsu’s origins date back to 1917 when Takeuchi Mining Industry (founded in 1894) established Komatsu Iron Works to manufacture machine tools and mining equipment for in-house use.
In 1921, Komatsu Iron Works was separated from Takeuchi Mining Co. to become Komatsu Ltd., a
In 1924, the company built its first press, a 450-ton sheet-forming press.
In 1931, the company produced Japan’s first crawler-type farm tractor.
In 1934, Komatsu was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
In 1941, the production of large hydraulic presses began.
In 1943, the company produced the Komatsu Model 1 Ground Leveling Machine (the prototype of Japan’s bulldozers).
In 1947, the D50 bulldozer was introduced.
In 1948, diesel engine production began.
In 1952, the Kawasaki and Himi plants were established after the acquisitions of Ikegai Automobile Manufacturing Company and Chuetsu Electro Chemical Co., Ltd. It also began the production of motor graders.
In 1953, the production of forklift trucks, dump trucks and special purpose vehicles began.
In 1956, the production of shovel loaders began.
In 1965, the production of wheel loaders began.
In 1967, N.V. Komatsu Europe S.A., Komatsu’s first overseas subsidiary in Belgium, was established.
In 1968, the production of hydraulic excavators began.
In 1970, Komatsu America Corp. was established.
In 1971, Komatsu Singapore Pte. Ltd. was established.
In 1974, Dina Komatsu Nacional S.A. de C.V. was established in Mexico.
In 1979, Komatsu Australia Pty., Ltd. was established.
In 1982, PT Komatsu Indonesia was established.
In 1985, Komatsu UK Ltd., Komatsu America Manufacturing Corp. and Komatsu America Industries LLC were established.
In 1986, Komatsu Industries Europe GmbH. was established in Germany.
In 1988, Komatsu Dresser Company was established in the United States.
In 1993, Komatsu Cummins Engine Co., Ltd. and Cummins Komatsu Engine Company, were established in Japan and the United States, respectively.
In 1994, Komatsu Industries Corporation and Komatsu Machinery Corporation were established.
In May 1995, Komatsu Changlin Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. (renamed Komatsu(Changzhou) Construction Machinery Corporation in November 2000) was established in China.
In Aug. 1995, Komatsu Shantui Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. was established in China.
In Sept. 1995, FKI Fai Komatsu Industries S.p.A. (renamed Komatsu Utility Europe S.p.A. in June 2000) was established in Italy.
In Nov. 1995 Bangkok Komatsu Co., Ltd. was established in Thailand.
In 1996, Demag Komatsu GmbH (currently, Komatsu Germany GmbH) and Komatsu(Shanghai) Ltd. were established.
In 1997, Komatsu Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd. was established.
In 1999, Komatsu established Komatsu Cummins Chile Ltda., a holding company of construction and mining equipment sales distributors in Chile, as a joint venture with Cummins Engine.
In 2000, Hensley Industries, Inc., an American construction and mining equipment component maker, was acquired.
In 2001, Komatsu (China) Ltd., was established as a holding company in China.
In 2004, Komatsu Forest AB was established after acquiring Partek Forest AB, a manufacturer and distributor of forestry equipment in Sweden
In 2008, the world’s first hybrid hydraulic excavator was introduced.
In 2009, the company reorganized the Japanese sales and service structure for construction equipment and established Komatsu Construction Equipment Sales and Service Japan Ltd.
In 2011, Komatsu NTC Ltd. and Komatsu Machinery Corporation merged. It also merged with Komatsu Engineering Corp.
In 2011, the company also merged with Komatsu Utility Co., Ltd., and Gigaphoton Inc. became a wholly owned subsidiary of Komatsu.
In 2014, the company merged with Komatsu Diesel Co., Ltd.
In 2017, Komatsu acquired Joy Global Inc., one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of mining equipment, and changed the trade name to Komatsu Mining Corp.
With more than 60.000 employees and over 200 subsidiaries across the world, Komatsu Limited is considered one of the largest manufacturers of construction and mining equipment in the world. According to Forbes, it is considered one of the Largest Public Companies in the World.
*Information from Forbes.com and Wikipedia.org, and www.komatsu.jp/en.
**Video published on YouTube by “Komatsu“