History

1916-1944
1945-1970
1971-1985
1986-2001
2002-2016
2017-

●：Event ●：Technology / Product [　]：indicates first product(s) manufactured

1916 — 1944

Supporting Japan’s modernization

Founded as a bearing manufacturer to establish the rolling bearing industry in Japan

Head office and plant (Osaki, Tokyo) circa 1930

World Events

1914　World War I breaks out
1920　League of Nations launched
1929　Great Depression

Japan Events

1923　Great Kanto Earthquake
1927　Japan’s first subway line opens (Asakusa to Ueno)

1895

JapanYamaguchi Takehiko tours nail-making factories in the US

Yamaguchi Takehiko, first president of NSK Ltd.

1914

JapanNippon Seiko Limited Partnership Company established

1916

JapanNSK Ltd. founded in Yurakucho, Tokyo
First bearings produced

1916

First in JapanBearing mass production achieved

1917

First in JapanRolling bearings for trucks

Japan’s oldest surviving bearings catalog published (4th edition from 1918)

1918

First in JapanLarge-size double-row thrust ball bearings for slewing rim of cranes (OD 510 mm)

1925

First in JapanDeep groove ball bearings for marine gyrocompass rotors

1926

First in JapanCylindrical roller bearings for aeroengines

First in JapanBearing steel balls produced

1930

Exhibited at the Sea and Sky Exhibition in Tokyo

Expanded heat treatment equipment, steel ball factory and grinding machines at the Osaki Plant

1931

First in JapanDouble-row cylindrical roller bearings for rolling mills (roll neck bearings for Nippon Kokan)

First in JapanBearings for domestically produced aeroengines

1932

First in JapanBearings for gas-powered railcars for Japanese National Railways

1934

JapanTamagawa Plant established in Ota, Tokyo (closed in 1999)
[1934 steel ball factory → 1935 ball bearing factory]

1937

JapanFujisawa Plant established in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture
[1937 steel ball factory → 1939 ball bearing factory]

1945 — 1970

Supporting postwar reconstruction and rapid economic growth in Japan

Establishing world-leading quality, enhancing production capacity, and taking on the challenge of diversification

World Events

1945　United Nations (UN) established
1949　People’s Republic of China (PRC) founded
1969　First human landing on the moon by Apollo 11 (US)

Japan Events

1945　Beginning of post-war era
1953　NHK begins TV broadcasting
1964　Tokaido Shinkansen goes into service
1969　Tomei Expressway fully completed

1945

First in JapanMain shaft bearings for licensed production of aero jet-engines

1947－

JapanBearing exports to Asian countries

1948

First in JapanSpindle inserts for spinning machines

Testing of spindle inserts for spinning machines

1949

First in JapanMiniature ball bearings for use in cameras

1953

JapanNishi Nippon Seiko (now Otsu Plant) established
[low-variety, high-volume production plant focused on single-row deep-groove ball bearings]

1958

USLong-term export, sales and technical cooperation agreement concluded with Hoover International Inc.

1958

First in JapanMass production of ball screws and ball screw type manual steering systems (installed in the 1959 Isuzu ELF)

1959

JapanNishi Nippon Seiko Ishibe Plant (now Ishibe Plant) established
[tapered roller bearings]

1959

Precision ball screws for machine tools

1960

JapanKita Nippon Seiko (now Maebashi Plant) established
[steering systems, ball screws]

GermanyMajor export agreement for small size ball bearings established with Bosch, a major manufacturer of electric appliances

1961

JapanTechnology Center established in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, as a global center for bearing R&D

1961

First in JapanStainless steel miniature ball bearings for use in dental air turbine (300,000 min^-1)

Tamagawa Plant automation (precision extra-small ball bearings)

1962

JapanCompany Creed “NSK Spirit” and “4S Principle” guidelines for employees established

USJAMCO Corporation established (company name changed to NSK Corporation in 1967)

1963

JapanNSK Torrington Co., Ltd. (now Takasaki/Haruna plants) established in Gunma Prefecture
[needle roller bearings]

GermanyDeutsche Nippon Seiko GmbH and sales office established in Dusseldorf

1964

JapanNSK-Warner K.K. established
[one-way clutches, fan clutches]

1964

First in the worldJournal bearings for the world’s fastest train (Tokaido Shinkansen, 210 km/h)

Bearings for the world’s largest parabolic antenna at the Mt. Fuji weather station

1965

Fujisawa Plant automation (tapered roller bearings)

1966 – 1976

Contributed to industrialization by exporting technology and plants to developing countries

1966

Slewing bearings for turning satellite communication dishes

1968

Two-point seat belts for passenger cars (business transferred in 2003)

Bearings for high-speed elevators in skyscrapers (start of the skyscraper era in Japan)

1970

PolandBall bearing plant exported to FLT Iskra S.A.

AustraliaNSK Manufacturing (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. and Geelong Plant, NSK’s first overseas plant, established (closed in 1977)
[extra small ball bearings, small-size ball bearings]

BrazilNSK do Brazil Industria e Comercio de Rolamentos Ltda., (now NSK Brasil Ltda.) established (production starts at Suzano Plant in 1972 under Mother plant system)
[extra small ball bearings]

1971 — 1985

Supporting Japanese motorization and internationalization

Full-scale overseas expansion into developed countries, while taking on the challenge of building a creative development-driven company (including the mechatronics field), and expanding the production system in Japan

World Events

1975 Vietnam War ends
1981 Space Shuttle Columbia’s first visit to space
1982 Falklands War

Japan Events

1972 Japan and People Republic of China establish diplomatic relations
1973 Oil Crisis
1983 Nintendo Family Computer released

1971

FranceNSK France S.A. established as a sales office in Paris

1973

USHoover-NSK Bearing Company established as a joint venture with Hoover Ball and Bearing Company (becoming NSK Corporation’s Ann Arbor Plant in 1985 and closing in 2007)
[ball bearings]

1974

UKNSK Bearings Europe Ltd. established

Decision to construct the Peterlee Plant made (production starts 1976)
[ball bearings]

1975

USClarinda Plant established by Hoover-NSK Bearing Co. (production starts) (1985 Clarinda Plant, NSK Corporation)
[ball bearings]

1975,1976

Start of plant exports to China

1975

SingaporeNSK Singapore (Private) Ltd. established as sales base

JapanSaitama Plant established
[small size tapered roller bearings]

JapanSoja Plant established
[steering columns, steering joints]

1975

First in the worldHigh-precision ball bearings for home VCRs

1976

ItalyNSK Italia S.P.A. established as a sales office in Milan

1977

First in the worldSealed multi-row tapered roller bearings for roll necks of rolling mills

1978

1st generation hub unit bearings for automobiles

1979

First in the worldHigh precision XY table for semiconductor manufacturing equipment

1980

2nd generation hub unit bearings

1984

JapanFukushima Plant established (highly automated plant)
[Super extra small ball bearings, miniature bearings]

1984

First in the worldLaser printer bearings

First in the worldMegatorque Motor™ direct drive motor for factoryautomation

Multipurpose lithography for semiconductor manufacturing (business transferred in 2015)

1985

JapanWorld’s first private-sector tribology research center established

South KoreaRepresentative office established in Seoul, South Korea

1985

Jet engine (V2500) bearings for civil aircraft

1986 — 2001

Becoming an outstanding global company that can succeed in the face of intense global competition

Enhancing production outside Japan, primarily in Asia, strengthening global technology systems, and revamping the corporate mission while promoting “selection and concentration” (business restructuring)

World Events

1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in the Soviet Union
1989 Berlin Wall falls
2001 9-11 terrorist attacks in the US

Japan Events

1987 JNR privatization and creation of JR
1989 Consumption tax introduced in Japan（3%）
1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake

1986

First in the worldElectric power steering (EPS) systems for battery-powered forklifts

Bearings for excavating equipment used in the Channel Tunnel (4 meter diameter)

1987

ThailandNSK Bearings (Thailand) Co., Ltd. established as a joint venture with Siam Motor Co., Ltd.

South KoreaKorea High Precision Co., Ltd. established (started production in 1988, opened Changwon Plant in 1989, and changed name to NSK Korea Co., Ltd. in 1998)
[miniatureball bearings, extra small ball bearings]

1987

3rd generation hub unit bearings

1988

USNSK Americas Technical Center (ATC) established

1988

First in the worldPinion EPS system (installed in the Mitsubishi Motors MINICA in 1989)

1989

UKHUB production started at the Peterlee Plant

UKNSK European Technical Centre (ETC) established (ETC and the RHP Bearing Research Institute integrated and the NSK-RHP European Research Centre (ERC) established in 1991）

TaiwanTaiwan NSK Precision Co., Ltd. established (sales of precision products and automotive products)

1990

UKUPI Ltd. acquired

1990年

Bearings for hard disk drive (HDD) units (SDU bearings)

1992

ChinaRepresentative office established in Beijing

1993

MalaysiaNSK Micro Precision (M) established(started production in 1995)
[miniature ball bearings]

USProduction started at Franklin Plant
[HUB I, II, ball screws]

1993

Spherical roller bearings for high-speed elevators

1994

IndonesiaP.T. NSK Bearings Manufacturing Indonesia established

1995

IndonesiaProduction started at the Jakarta Plant
[miniature ball bearings, extra small diameter ball bearings]

SingaporeNSK International (Singapore) Pte Ltd. established

ChinaKunshan NSK Hongshan Co., Ltd. Established (production started in 1997, and name changed to Kunshan NSK Co., Ltd. in 2000, then to NSK Kunshan Co., Ltd. in 2014)
[small size ball bearings]

ThailandSiam Nastech Co., Ltd. established (steering parts production) as a joint venture with the Siam Group (production started in 1996, and name changed to Siam NSK Steering Systems Co., Ltd. in 2002)

JapanNSK Kyushu Co., Ltd. established (automotive parts → ball screw production in 2001)
[steering joints]

1996

USNSK Corporation’s Liberty Plant completed (production starts)
[factory specializing in hub unit bearing pre-process]

1996

High-load drive ball screws for injection molding machines (HTF Series)

1997

ChinaNSK China Technology Center established in Kunshan Plant

IndiaRane Nastech Ltd. (now Rane NSK Steering Systems Ltd.) established (full-scale operation in 1998)
[steering parts]

USNSK Americas, Inc. established as the regional headquarters

1998

PolandFLT Iskra S.A. acquired

1999

JapanAdvanced Production System (APS) for production innovation begins

1999

Large bearings for wind turbine gearboxes

First in the worldCommercialization of toroidal continuously variable transmission (CVT)

Powertoros unit, a practical application of toroidal CVT

2000

IndonesiaP.T. AKS Precision Ball Indonesia established (production starts 2002)

UKName of NSK-RHP Europe Ltd. changed to NSK Europe Ltd.

2001

ThailandNSK Bearings Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. established (production starts 2002
[automotive bearings (hub unit bearings, bearings for automotive engines)]

2002 — 2016

In response to rapid growth in emerging countries such as China and countries in Asia, etc., supporting global economic growth and the creation of happier and more prosperous societies

After “selection and concentration,” launching new drive for the next 100 years and actively promoting a paradigm shift for a new era. Implementing growth strategies (emerging regions and EPS) as well as establishing corporate fundamentals appropriate for a company with net sales of 1 trillion yen (promoting true localization).

World Events

2002 Adoption of the single-currency Euro in 12 European countries
2008 Bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers
2016 Chinese yuan becomes a global currency

Japan Events

2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan
2011 Great East Japan Earthquake
2012 TOKYO SKYTREE® opens

2002

JapanFujisawa Technology Center completed (Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture)

ChinaNSK Steering Systems Dongguan Co., Ltd. established
[steering columns, steering joints]

ChinaTimken-NSK Bearings (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., (now Suzhou NSK Bearings Co., Ltd.) established (production starts 2004)
[automotive bearings, tapered rollerbearings]

ChinaZhangjiagang NSK Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. established (automotive bearings) (production starts 2004)
[turning rings (pre-process)]

2003

ChinaNSK (China) Investment Co., Ltd. established

ChinaChina Technology Center (CTC) established (becoming NSK (China) Research & Development Co., Ltd. in 2008)

2004

ChinaChangshu NSK Needle Bearing Co., Ltd. established (production starts 2005)
[needle roller bearings]

2005

ChinaNSK-Warner (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. established (production starts 2006)
[AT parts]

JapanNSK Manufacturing Education and Training Center established in Shiga Prefecture

2006

IndiaIndia NSK Bearing India Co., Ltd. established (name changed to NSK-ABC Bearings Ltd. in 2007)
[automotive bearings]

PolandName of NSK Iskra changed to NSK Bearings Polska S.A.
[automotive bearings]

2006

Ultra-small pivot units (world’s shortest) for ultra-thin HDDs (2.5 mm)

First in JapanAxle sensor bearings in passenger railroad cars

2007

JapanNSK Institute of Technology (NIT) established in Kanagawa Prefecture

2007

Human assistant robots utilizing sensing technology

First in the worldT-IDG toroidal CVT units for aircraft

2008

ChinaNSK-Yagi Precision Forging (Zhangjiagang) Co., Ltd. established
[forged parts for bearings]

ChinaNSK-Wanda Electric Power Assisted Steering Systems Co., Ltd. (now NSK Steering Systems Hangzhou Co., Ltd.) established (production starts 2010)
[EPS]

IndiaEPS plant completed at Rane NSK Steering Systems
[EPS]

2008

Ultra-fine manipulation system for medical and biotechnology fields

2009

ChinaShenyang NSK Precision Co., Ltd. established (production starts 2010)
[ball screws]

Shenyang NSK Precision/Shenyang NSK Co., Ltd.

2009

High-performance flywheel bearings for satellite altitude control
[greenhouse gases observing satellite “IBUKI” (GOSAT)]

2010

ChinaShenyang NSK Co., Ltd. established (production starts 2012)
[industrial machinery large size bearings]

2010

Hub unit bearings for emerging economies

First in the worldLow-friction ball screws for cooperative regenerative braking systems

First in the worldLubricant grease derived from 100% food-grade ingredients (certified category H3 by NSF International, a US product testing, inspection and certification organization)