1916 — 1944
Supporting Japan’s modernization
Founded as a bearing manufacturer to establish the rolling bearing industry in Japan
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
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
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)
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]
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)
2011
EuropeNSK Steering Systems Europe (Polska) Sp. z o.o. expands EPS production facilities
ChinaHefei NSK Co., Ltd. established (production starts 2012)
[automotive bearings, industrial machinery bearings]
2011
First in the worldHigh-speed, large-capacity ball screw for building vibration control dampers
First in the worldTransmission-equipped wheel hub motor
2013
MexicoNSK Bearings Manufacturing Mexico S.A. de C.V. established (production starts 2014)
[automotive bearings]
2015
JapanNSK Vision 2026 established
2015
High-speed, high-power spindle for built-in motor (world’s fastest: 25,000 min-1)
2016
MexicoNSK-Warner Mexico S.A. de C.V. established (production starts 2017)
[AT parts (clutch assemblies)]
JapanNSK Corporate Philosophy Day established
2017 —
Creating New Motion for the Next 100 Years
NSK is creating new value toward achieving a sustainable society
2017
First in the worldWireless charging in-wheel motor
2018
IndiaNew plant established
JapanHaruna Plant expanded (Building No. 3 established)
2018
Vibrator control actuator for railcars
High efficiency motor bearings - 60% reduction in energy loss
2019
JapanNSK Global Training Center established
2019
Next generation steering system control software
Direct drive wheel unit for autonomous robots/cobots
2020
Tribology heritage: Recognition of "Ball screw for electric injection molding machine endurance test equipment"
2020
Non-contact torque sensor for drive shafts in motor vehicles
2021
Acquisition of Brüel & Kjær Vibro condition monitoring business
2021
Ultra high speed ball bearing for electric vehicle (EV) motors
2021
First in the world"bioplastic cage" for rolling bearings
2021
2022
Acquisition of bearing reconditioning business
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