History
With Gratitude, Our 60th Anniversary of Incorporation
It is with gratitude that this July we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Minebea Co., Ltd.'s incorporation. I thank everyone for the great blessing of support which has made this achievement possible.
In July 1951, our company was founded in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward as Japan's first manufacturer specializing in miniature ball bearings. The company was formed after the war by engineers from the former Manchuria Aircraft Company upon their return to Japan from Manchuria, and their dreams and passion were focused on the growth of the aircraft industry. In the chaotic Postwar period, they struggled like everyone else at the time to build the foundations of their business.
Today, 60 years later, the company has grown to include 32 production facilities in 18 countries around the world with over 55,000 employees. We provide the world with products that are essential to everyday life, from ball bearings to machined components, rotary components, electronic devices and components, and more.
With a commitment to craftsman that reflects the same dreams and passion of our company's founders, we will continue striving to be a company that serves the needs of all our clients.
We thank you for your continued support.
July, 2011
Yoshihisa Kainuma
Representative Director,
President and Chief Executive Officer
1950's
1954 Mr. Seiichiro Takahashi and all his staff in Itabashi
1959 New plant in Kawaguchi
Machinery in Kawaguchi Plant
| 1951 | Jul | Nippon Miniature Bearing Co., Ltd., Japan's first specialized manufacturer of miniature ball bearings, is incorporated in Azusawa, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Oct | The Company relocates its headquarters to Nihonbashi-Kabuto-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, and its factory to Kamiaoki-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama. |
| 1959 | Jun | A new plant is established at Aoki-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama, to serve as the company's integrated headquarters and factory. |
1960's
1960 Mr. Takami Takahashi going to USA (Haneda airport)
Karuizawa Plant around 1965
Continuous expansion at Karuizawa Plant
| 1960 | May | A marketing partnership is concluded with Miniature Precision Bearings Corporation (MPB) of the United States. |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Aug | The Company registers its stock on the over-the-counter market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. |
| Oct | On the establishment of the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the Company lists its stock on this section. | |
| 1962 | Nov | A representative office is set up in the United States to cultivate the U.S. market. |
| 1963 | Mar | A factory is established in Karuizawa. Some operations are relocated to the Karuizawa Manufacturing Unit from the Kawaguchi factory. |
| 1964 | Jan | The Company and MPB of the United States agree to an amicable dissolution of their marketing partnership. |
| 1965 | Jul | The Kawaguchi factory is closed and its equipment is transferred to Karuizawa. The Company's headquarters is shifted from Kawaguchi, Saitama, to Miyota-machi, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano. |
| 1967 | Mar | A representative office is set up in London to promote business in Europe. |
| 1968 | Sep | Subsidiary Nippon Miniature Bearing Corporation (the present NMB Technologies Corporation) is established in Los Angeles, California. |
1970's
1970 Stock listing shift to the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
1971 Acquisition of a plant in USA, commence overseas production
1972 First trainees from Singapore
| 1970 | Oct | The Company shifts its stock listing from the Second Section to the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Apr | Sales subsidiary NMB (U.K.) Ltd. is established in the United Kingdom. |
| May | The Company's stock is listed on the first sections of the Osaka and Nagoya stock exchanges. | |
| Sep | The Company acquires the U.S. Reed Instrument Corp. (the present New Hampshire Ball Bearings, Inc., Chatsworth Plant) from SKF of Sweden and commences local production in the United States. | |
| 1972 | Feb | Manufacturing subsidiary NMB Singapore Ltd. is established in Singapore. |
| 1974 | Sep | The Company acquires Shinko Communication Industry Co., Ltd., a major strain gage manufacturer that is listed on the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. |
| 1975 | Jan | The Company acquires U.S. company IMC Magnetics Corp., a listed manufacturer of small precision motors. |
| Jul | The Company acquires a leading fastener producer, Tokyo Screw Co., Ltd., and an electromagnetic clutch manufacturer, Shin Chuo Kogyo Co., Ltd., both of which are listed on the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. | |
| 1977 | Sep | The Company acquires automotive wheel manufacturer, Osaka Motor Wheel Co., Ltd., which is listed on the Second Section of the Osaka Securities Exchange. The Company acquires Hansen Manufacturing Co., Inc. (the present Hansen Corporation), which is at the time the motor manufacturing division of Mallory Corp., a U.S. multinational. |
| Oct | Sales subsidiary Nippon Miniature Bearing GmbH (the present NMB-Minebea-GmbH) is established in Germany. | |
| 1978 | Aug | The Company acquires Hokuto Onkyo Co., Ltd., Japan's second largest manufacturer of audio speakers, and a transformer maker, Hata Radio Co., Ltd. |
| 1979 | Aug | The Company acquires Teikoku Die Casting Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of die-cast products that is listed on the Second Section of the Osaka Securities Exchange. |
1980's
1984 Opening ceremony at Ayutthaya plant, Thailand
Boeing 727 full in operation during 1980s
1984 Acquisition of NHBB, USA
| 1980 | Jan | Manufacturing subsidiary Taiwan Minebea Electronics Co., Ltd., is established in Taiwan, China. |
|---|---|---|
| Mar | The Company acquires the Singapore factory of Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd., and establishes Pelmec Industries (Pte.) Ltd. to manufacture small-sized ball bearings. | |
| Aug | Manufacturing subsidiary NMB Thai Ltd. is established in Thailand. | |
| 1981 | Jan | The marketing division of the Company is spun off as subsidiary NMB (Japan) Corporation, which is charged with integrating marketing operations for all manufacturing companies in the Minebea Group. |
| Oct | The Company absorbs four of its manufacturing affiliates - Tokyo Screw Co., Ltd., Shinko Communication Industry Co., Ltd., Shin Chuo Kogyo Co., Ltd., and Osaka Motor Wheel Co., Ltd. - and changes its name to Minebea Co., Ltd. | |
| Dec | Actus Corporation, a distributor of imported furniture, is established as a Japanese subsidiary. | |
| 1982 | Jun | The Company combines Hokuto Onkyo Co., Ltd., and Hata Radio Co., Ltd., into Minebea Denshi Co., Ltd. |
| Sep | Sales subsidiary NMB Italia S.r.L. is established in Italy. | |
| 1983 | Mar | The Company acquires a cooling fan manufacturer, Kondo Electric Works Ltd.(the present NMB Electro Precision, Inc.) |
| Oct | The Company acquires and absorbs Audio Research Co., Ltd., a high-fidelity audio speaker manufacturer and wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation. | |
| 1984 | May | Large-scale integrated (LSI) circuit manufacturing subsidiary, NMB Semiconductor Co., Ltd., is established in Tateyama, Chiba. |
| 1984 | Aug | Two manufacturing subsidiaries, Minebea Thai Ltd. and Pelmec Thai Ltd., are established in Thailand. |
| Oct | The Company absorbs Teikoku Die Casting Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of die-cast products listed on the Second Section of the Osaka Securities Exchange. | |
| Nov | Subsidiaries Minebea Denshi Co., Ltd., and Audio Research Co., Ltd., are merged and reestablished as NMB Audio Research Co., Ltd. | |
| Mar | The Company acquires New Hampshire Ball Bearings, Inc., a ball bearing manufacturer listed in the United States.. | |
| 1985 | Jun | The Company establishes a subsidiary, NMB Precision Tool & Die (Pte.) Ltd., in Singapore to manufacture precision dies, jigs and tools. |
| 1986 | May | The R&D Center and subsidiary Minebea Electronics Co., Ltd., are established in Asaba-cho, Iwata-gun, Shizuoka. |
| 1987 | May | Manufacturing joint venture Thai Ferrite Co., Ltd., (the present Power Electronics of Minebea Co., Ltd.) is established in Thailand. |
| 1988 | Feb | The Company acquires Rose Bearings Ltd.(the present NMB-Minebea UK Ltd.), a U.K. manufacturer of rod-end and spherical bearings. |
| Mar | Sales subsidiary NMB Technologies, Inc., (the present NMB Technologies Corporation), is established in the United States to coordinate sales and marketing of Minebea's electronic devices. Manufacturing joint venture Minebea Electronics (Thailand) Co., Ltd., is established. |
|
| Dec | Manufacturing subsidiaries NMB Hi-Tech Bearings Ltd. and NMB Precision Balls Ltd. are established in Thailand. | |
| 1989 | Jan | Marketing subsidiary NMB France S.a.r.l. (the present NMB Minebea S.a.r.l.) is established. |
| Jun | The Company acquires Hwan Chong Enterprise Co., Ltd., of Taiwan, China, a manufacturer of audio speaker boxes. NMB (Japan) Corp., the Company's marketing subsidiary in Japan and Keiaisha Co., Ltd., a major shareholder of Minebea Co., Ltd., are merged and reestablished as Keiaisha NMB Co., Ltd. |
1990's
1990 Establishment of PMDM, an R&D site of HDD spindle motor in Germany
1995 Establishment of an R&D center (present MSL) in Thailand
1996 Establishment of Shanghai Plant
| 1990 | Aug | The Company acquires Power Systems, Inc., a U.S. manufacturer of switching power supplies. |
|---|---|---|
| Oct | Papst-Minebea-Disc-Motor GmbH, a joint venture with Papst-Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, is established in Germany to develop and manufacture spindle motors for HDDs. | |
| Nov | Rose Bearings Ltd.(the present NMB-Minebea UK Ltd.), in the United Kingdom, commences production of ball bearings at its Skegness Plant. | |
| 1992 | Feb | The Company absorbs Sorensen Ltd. and reestablishes it as Minebea Electronics (UK) Ltd., a manufacturer of switching power supplies in Scotland.. |
| 1993 | Mar | Controlling interest in manufacturing subsidiary NMB Semiconductor Co., Ltd., is sold to Nippon Steel Corp. |
| Apr | Taiwan Minebea Electronics Co., Ltd., is absorbed by Hwan Chong Enterprise Co., Ltd. | |
| Aug | Papst-Motoren GmbH & Co. KG of Germany cancels its joint venture agreement. The Company acquires all outstanding shares in Papst-Minebea-Disc-Motor GmbH, previously jointly owned with Papst-Motoren, and changes the company's name to Precision Motors Deutsche Minebea GmbH. | |
| Oct | Sales and R&D subsidiary Minebea Trading Pte. Ltd. (the present Minebea Technologies Pte. Ltd.) is established in Singapore. | |
| 1994 | Mar | The Company concludes a business tie-up with German bearing maker FAG Kugelfischer Georg Schaefer AG. |
| Apr | Manufacturing subsidiary Minebea Electronics & Hi-Tech Components (Shanghai) Ltd. is established in China. | |
| Aug | Sales subsidiary NMB Korea Co., Ltd., is established. | |
| Dec | Consumer finance operations are sold to Gate Finance Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Electric Capital Corporation. | |
| 1995 | Mar | A surface treatment processing manufacturer, MF Industries Co., Ltd.,(the Present Minebea Thai Ltd.) is brought under the Minebea umbrella. |
| Oct | An R&D Center in Thailand is established. | |
| 1996 | Aug | An R&D Center in Singapore is established. |
| Oct | U.K. subsidiary NMB (U.K.) Ltd. establishes a new plant in Inchinnan, Scotland. | |
| 1999 | Mar | The Company commences evaluation and testing of ball bearings and other components for use in automobles at NMB Corporation, Technical Center in the United States. |
| Jul | U.S.subsidiaries NMB Corporation and NMB Technologies, Inc., merge to form NMB Technologies Corporation. | |
| Sep | Goodwill in Minebea Credit Co., Ltd. is sold to LSF Nippon Investment Company, LLC. |
2000's
2004 Establishment of Minebea-Matsushita Motor Corporation (present Minebea Motor Manufacturing Corporation)
2008 Establishment of an R&D center in Germany
2009 Acquisition of myonic Holding, Germany
| 2001 | Jan | The NMB Division of Keiaisha NMB Co., Ltd., is transferred to Minebea Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Jun | The Company concludes a product consignment production agreement with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., in the area of fluid dynamic bearing motors for HDDs. |
| Aug | Huan Hsin Holdings Ltd., of Singapore, and Shen Ding Pte. Ltd. - a joint venture between Minebea and Huan Hsin - establishes PC keyboard manufacturing subsidiary Shanghai Shun Ding Technologies Ltd. in Shanghai, China. | |
| Sep | The Company concludes a strategic product development and production alliance with Matsushita Electric Industrial in the area of DC box fan motors. | |
| 2003 | Aug | The Company and the Motor Company Division of Matsushita Electric Industrial agree to integrate their information equipment motor businesses in a new joint venture to be established in 2004. Mass production of PC keyboards commences at Shanghai Shun Ding Technologies Ltd. |
| 2004 | Apr | Minebea establishes joint venture Minebea-Matsushita Motor Corporation(the present Minebea Motor Manufacturing Corporation) with the Motor Company of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. |
| Jul | U.K subsidiary NMB-Minebea UK Ltd. establishes a wholly-owned subsidiary, NMB Minebea Slovakia s.r.o., in the Slovak Republic to transfer printing of PC keyboards. | |
| 2006 | Mar | Minebea dissolves joint venture agreement with HUAN HSIN HOLDINGS LTD. of Singapore and purchases all shares in joint venture SHENG DING PTE. LTD. |
| 2008 | Apr | Amalgamated 7 companies (NMB Thai Ltd. , Pelmec Thai Ltd. , Minebea Thai Ltd. , NMB Hi-Tech Bearings Ltd. , NMB Precision Balls Ltd. , Minebea Electronics (Thailand) Co., Ltd. , Power Electronics of Minebea Co., Ltd.) in Thailand under the new company name "NMB-Minebea Thai Ltd." |
| Jul | Minebea opens the Advanced Electronic R&D Center Europe (Advanced Electronic Research and Development Centre Europe) in Odelzhausen, Germany. | |
| 2009 | Jan | Minebea acquires the stepping motor division of FDK Corporation and establishes the Micro Actuator Business Unit. |
| Mar | Minebea acquires miniature and small-sized ball bearings manufacture myonic Holding GmbH of Germany and its subsidiaries. |
2010's
2010 Acquisition of DPM, a manufacturer of precision molding
2011 Commenced the production of lighting devices in Suzhou Plant
2011 Groundbreaking ceremony of a new plant in Cambodia
| 2010 | Apr | Minebea Motor Manufacturing Corp. acquires the information motor division in the Motor Company of Panasonic Corporation and established the Brushless Motor Division. |
|---|---|---|
| Aug | Minebea acquires Daiichi Seimitsu Sangyo Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of precision molds for plastic injection molding, form NMC 2002 L.P., a private equity fund managed by Nippon Mirai Capital Co., Ltd. | |
| Minebea establishes a manufacturing company Minebea Electronic Devices (Suzhou) Ltd. in Suzhou(China), and commenced the production of lighting devices for LCDs in April 2011. | ||
| Oct | Minebea establishes a manufacturing company Minebea (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. in Cambodia, and commenced the production of small sized motors at a rental plant in Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone in April 2011. |
