History

In October 1956, Toshio Mikiya, founded Nitto Kohki to manufacture and market the Air Micrometer, a device which measures sizes in units of 0.1 microns.

The company also began development of high-performance fluid couplings, which were marketed under the Cupla brand name. Today, Nitto Kohki's product line numbers over 20,000 different Cupla products that are now recognized throughout the world.

Recognizing that there was a potentially massive demand for a portable drill press, Mikiya next developed the Atra portable drill press, which incorporates an electromagnet that holds the device in place.

The Atra drill press, having undergone continuous updates and improvements over the years, still holds its seat as one of our most popular products.

Our founder strove toward the goal of producing energy- and labour-saving technology, developing industrial tools that could be operated with equal ease by a novice or an experienced worker. At the time, Japan had an abundant work force and factories could easily find skilled workers for any operation. However, he realised that someday we would face high wages and labour shortages. In these convictions was born his long-term goal of developing energy- and labor-saving technology.

Today, Mikiya's predictions have become a reality. Worldwide, energy- and labour-saving are the watchwords. Armed with core technologies of fluid control engineering and mechanical engineering, Nitto Kohki continues to develop new products that correspond to market demand. We are currently introducing many unique products in diverse fields such as quick-connecting fluid couplings, machine tools, Linear and Diaphragm pumps, robots and balancers.

Chronology

1956 October Company founded in Kugahara, Tokyo; capitalized at ¥500,000 (Initial manufacture of the Air Micrometer and SP Cupla)
1958 February Atra introduced to the market
1960 March Toyama Sales Office opened
  December Capital increased to ¥2 million
1961 April Capital increased to ¥8 million
1962 January Osaka Sales Office opened
1963 February Capital increased to ¥18 million
  July Headquarters, factory and research center relocated to Naka-ikegami, Tokyo, its present location
  November Capital increased to ¥32 million
1965 October Jet Chisel received PM Superior Products Award
  November Nagoya Sales Office opened
1966 February Atra received an Honorable Mention Award at Tokyo Superior Inventions Exhibition
  October Jet Chisel received Tokyo Area Chairman's Award and Special Mention by the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation (JIII) at the Kanto Regional Invention Exhibition
1967 April Jet Chisel received Invention Award at National Invention Exhibition
  May Capital increased to ¥40 million
  June Hiroshima Sales Office opened
  October Fukuoka Sales Office opened
1968 February Mini-Cupla received Encouragement Award at the Tokyo Superior Inventions Exhibition by JIII
  June Capital increased to ¥60 million
  October Los Angeles Representative Office opened
  October Niigata Office opened
1969 July Takamatsu Office opened
  August Sendai Office opened
  September Capital increased to ¥91 million
  November NITTO KOHKI U.S.A. INC. established (member of Nitto Kohki group)
1970 March Capital increased to ¥300 million
  August New York Representative Office opened
  September Belton received PM Superior Products Award
  September Ryomo Office (later renamed as Kitakanto Sales Office) opened
1971 February Free Sander received Encouragement Award at the Tokyo Invention Exhibition by JIII
  November Sapporo Sales Office opened
  November Free-sander received PM Superior Products Award
  December Happy Precision Engineering (later renamed as Medotech Co., Ltd.) becomes a member of the Nitto Kohki group
1972 February Line Sander received JIII Chairman's Encouragement Award at the Tokyo Invention Exhibition
  October Shizuoka Office opened
  November Ujiie Plant obtained ISO9002
1973 January Adoption of five-day work week
  November Commercialization of Linear compressor
1975 February Establishment of Medo Industries Co., Ltd. (a member of Nitto Kohki group)
  June Linear Compressor received Strategic Technology Development Subsidy from Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI)
1977 June Completion of first stage of construction at the Ujiie Plant
1979 January Establishment of MEDO U.S.A. INC. (member of Nitto Kohki group)
  February Establishment of NITTO KOHKI EUROPE CO., LTD. (member of Nitto Kohki group)
1980 January Joint product development with Hougen Manufacturing, Flint, MI, U.S.A.. began
1981 October Joint research with Sidney University began
  October Development of solar collection tubes
1983 January Development of industrial robots began
1984 February Ujiie Plant became JIS (Japan Industrial Standards)--certified plant
  October LA-type sewage blower received MITI Good Design Award
1985 November Start of new system incorporating CAD/CAM
  November Bulk Cupla received first authorization from High Pressure Gas Safety Association
1987 March Extension of retirement age to 60
  November Development of Telemeasure product line wireless measurement quality control system
1988 September Introduction of merit-based wage system
1989 February Jet Chisel received Invention Grand Prix Ikeda Special Award by Japan Invention Promotion Association
  April Linear Compressor awarded Science and Technology Agency Director's Prize
  June MEDOMAN Co., Ltd. began operations as a member of Nitto Kohki group
  July Singapore Representative Office opened
1990 May Establishment of WESTAIR-NITTO SALES PTY., LTD. as a member of Nitto Kohki group
  May Completion of fifth stage of Ujiie Plant construction
  October Capital increased to ¥340 million
1991 June Completion of construction of new MEDOTECH office building
1992 March Establishment of NITTO KOHKI DEUTSCHLAND GmbH (member of Nitto Kohki group)
  March Capital increased to ¥768 million
  June President Toshio Mikiya retires to take up Chairman's position; replaced as President by Motoyuki Takata
1993 March Completion of new Osaka Branch office building
1994 October Ujiie Plant received PM Superior Factory Award
1995 May Capital increased to ¥838 million
  October Stocks went onto the OTC market and capital increased to ¥1.85 billion
  November Ujiie Plant obtained 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 Market
  December Ohio Representative Office of NITTO KOHKI USA.,INC. opens
1999 February Establishment of NITTO KOHKI SERVICE CENTER CO.,LTD.
  October NITTO KOHKI COUPLING, LLC established in the U.S. as the company´s first offshore production subsidiary for coupling
2000 March Niitto Kohki´s stock listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange Market
  April SHIRAKAWA NITTO KOHKI CO.,LTD (formerly Shirakawa Densei) begins as a member of Nitto Kohki group through M&A
  April Bangkok Representative Office opens under the umbrella of Nitto Kohki Co., Ltd., Singapore Branch
  May Establishment of TOCHIGI NITTO KOHKI CO., LTD.
  October Nitto Kohki´s Ujiie Plant splitts off into TOCHIGI NITTO KOHKI CO.,LTD.
  October Shanghai Representative Office opens in China
2001 May Mikawa Office opens
  August All issues of MEDOMAN CO.,LTD. stock sold
  October Keiji Office opens
  October U.S. coupling manufacturer, BRECO COUPLINGS, INC. purchased
  November TOCHGI NITTO KOHKI obtains ISO14001
  December Joint venture, NITTO KOHKI-MUIN CO.,LTD., established in South Korea
2002 February British machine tool manufacturer, UNIVERSAL DRILLING & CUTTING EQUIPMENT LTD. purchased
  March Seoul Office opens in South Korea
  March Cupla operations in North America integrated into BRECO COUPLINGS. NITTO KOHKI COUPLING liquidated
  March Kumamoto Offie opens
  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
Operations start in May
  October "Baby Belton" receives Good Desing Award
2004 January Nagoya Branch reloctes to brand new building
  May Headquarters / Research center obtains ISO14001
  June Shenzhen Office opens in South China
  June Saitama Office opens
  June Osahiko Miyazaki (formerly Senior executive managing director) assumes the presidency
2005 April Green Procurement starts
A division in charge of Chinese Market Development, wich controls Shanghai and Shenzhen Representative offices is newly established
  June Junji Suzukawa (a member of the board of directors) assumes the presidency
  July The office "Mikawa" was raised to the status of a sales office and moved to a new building
  August The business of Couplings carried by BRECO COUPLINGS in the U.S.A. is ancorporated into NITTO KOHKI U.S.A., INC., Subseguent to it BRECO COUPLINGS is to be desolved
2006 October 50th company anniversary of Nitto Kohki Co., Ltd (JP) Kitakanto Sales Office inaugurates
Establishment of YUMEKOBO CO.,LTD
2007 Feburary 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 relocates
  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
  April Mito Office moves
  July Koriyama Office is consolidated to Sendai Sales Office
  October Sapporo Sales Office moves
2012 February NITTO KOHKI U.S.A. and MEDO U.S.A. move
  July Niigata Sales Office moves
  August Establishment of NITTO KOHKI (SHANGHAI) CO.,LTD.
  October Takamatsu Sales Office moves
  December Establishment of NITTO KOHKI (SHANGHAI) Shenzhen Branch
2013 March NITTO KOHKI (THAILAND CO., LTD. and NITTO KOHKI COUPLING (THAILAND) CO., LTD. are dissolved
  April Establishment of NITTO KOHKI INDUSTRY (THAILAND) CO., LTD.
  May Fukuoka Sales Office moves.
  December Hiroshima Sales Office moves.
2014 March Shizuoka Sales Office moves.
  July NITTO KOHKI EUROPE CO., LTD. moves.
  September ISO13485, obtained
  October Joint venture company, NITTO KOHKI-MIJIN CO., LTD., sold
2015 March UNIVERSAL DRILLING & CUTTING EQUIPMENT LTD., sold
  May NITTO KOHKI DEUTSCHLAND GMBH moves.
  July Establishment of India Liaison Office.
  December Nagoya Branch moves.
2016 April NITTO KOHKI CO., LTD. merges MEDO INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
Establishment of Mexico Representative Office.
  August Kumamoto Satellite Sales Office moves.
  November Merge NITTO KOHKI DEUTSCHLAND GMBH and NITTO KOHKI EUROPE CO., LTD.
2017 February Hamamatsu Satellite Sales Office moves.
  April Mito Satellite Sales Office moves.
  August Merge NITTO KOHKI U.S.A., INC. and MEDO U.S.A., INC.
2019 Establishment of Indonesia Representative Office
2020 Toshio Mikiya, Founder, Representative Director and Chairman of the Board, passed away.

Contact Nitto Kohki Germany

NITTO KOHKI EUROPE GMBH
Gottlieb-Daimler-Str. 10
71144 Steinenbronn
Germany
Telephone: +49 (0)7157 989 555-0
Telefax: +49 (0)7157 989 555-40

Contact Nitto Kohki UK

NITTO KOHKI EUROPE GMBH UK BRANCH
Unit A5, Langham Park, Maple Road
Castle Donington, Derbyshire
DE74 2UT
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)1332 653 800
Telefax: +44 (0)1332 987 273