Recent from talks
YKK
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
YKK
The YKK Group (YKKグループ, Waikeikei Gurūpu) is a Japanese group of manufacturing companies. It is the world's largest zipper manufacturer, also producing other fastening products, architectural products, plastic hardware and industrial machinery.
The initials YKK stand for Yoshida Kōgyō Kabushiki gaisha (吉田工業株式会社; lit. "Yoshida Manufacturing Corporation"), which was the name of the company from 1945 until 1994. YKK produces fasteners and architectural products at 112 YKK facilities in 70 countries worldwide.
What would later become YKK operated initially as San-es Shokai and was founded by Tadao Yoshida in Higashi Nihonbashi, Tokyo in January 1934. The company specialized in marketing of fastening products. In February 1938, San-es Shokai was renamed to Yoshida Kogyosho. WWII was underway by 1939, and the next major corporate event would not take place until February 1942 when the company reorganized as a limited corporation.
In January 1946, the company registered the YKK trademark. A major technological change came in 1950, when the company purchased a chain machine from the U.S. that allowed the automation of the zipper making process. Previously, YKK zippers were made by hand, and hence had an inferior quality compared to automated zippers from abroad.
In March 1951, YKK relocated its headquarters to Chūō, Tokyo. In May 1955, a new plant was opened in Kurobe, Toyama. In August 1958, the headquarters was again relocated to Taitō, Tokyo. In this year, the company also introduced its new Conceal brand that does not show the teeth of the zippers. Another major step came in November 1959, with the opening of its first overseas location, producing YKK zippers in New Zealand. YKK's first US office opened in New York City in 1960 and is now the country's top supplier of zippers and other fastening devices such as snaps and buttons. As the company grew, it brought every step of manufacturing in-house, including smelting brass and dyeing cloth.
In November 1961, the product line was diversified to include aluminium products for buildings. In June 1963, the company relocated its headquarters again to Chiyoda, Tokyo, the current location of the company. In 1966, a new product YZip was introduced, an extra strong and durable zipper for jeans. The development of a machine that automatically included the YZip zipper into the stitching process of jeans further increased sales, especially in the USA. In 1968, YKK opened its first branch in Canada. Its Canadian headquarters are currently in Montreal, Quebec. There was further expansion in the 1970s, with the opening of three new plants in Utazu, Kagawa in April 1972, in Sanbongi, Miyagi in June 1974, and in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto in February 1975. YKK also opened a fastener-making factory in Eswatini which has grown to supply the entire sub-Saharan region, including Madagascar and Mauritius.[citation needed]
More product lines became available with the Quicklon (sometimes called Cosmolon) fasteners in December 1981. International and product expansion continued during the 1980s, with a real estate business in Singapore in December 1984, an agricultural business in Brazil in January 1985, and a plant in Indonesia in September 1986 producing zippers and aluminium parts for buildings. The company was finally renamed YKK in August 1994.[citation needed]
In July 2000, the company established YKK Newmax Co., Ltd, specializing in the production of snaps and buttons. In December 2002, a machine company was established in Suzhou, China. In April 2003, a research and development facility was established in Hokkaido, Japan. A company specializing in sales, YKK Fastening Products Sales Inc. was established in February 2003. YKK AP Inc. was founded in October 2003, specializing in architectural products. Overall, the organization operates 111 affiliated companies in 71 countries, with 42,154 employees.
Hub AI
YKK AI simulator
(@YKK_simulator)
YKK
The YKK Group (YKKグループ, Waikeikei Gurūpu) is a Japanese group of manufacturing companies. It is the world's largest zipper manufacturer, also producing other fastening products, architectural products, plastic hardware and industrial machinery.
The initials YKK stand for Yoshida Kōgyō Kabushiki gaisha (吉田工業株式会社; lit. "Yoshida Manufacturing Corporation"), which was the name of the company from 1945 until 1994. YKK produces fasteners and architectural products at 112 YKK facilities in 70 countries worldwide.
What would later become YKK operated initially as San-es Shokai and was founded by Tadao Yoshida in Higashi Nihonbashi, Tokyo in January 1934. The company specialized in marketing of fastening products. In February 1938, San-es Shokai was renamed to Yoshida Kogyosho. WWII was underway by 1939, and the next major corporate event would not take place until February 1942 when the company reorganized as a limited corporation.
In January 1946, the company registered the YKK trademark. A major technological change came in 1950, when the company purchased a chain machine from the U.S. that allowed the automation of the zipper making process. Previously, YKK zippers were made by hand, and hence had an inferior quality compared to automated zippers from abroad.
In March 1951, YKK relocated its headquarters to Chūō, Tokyo. In May 1955, a new plant was opened in Kurobe, Toyama. In August 1958, the headquarters was again relocated to Taitō, Tokyo. In this year, the company also introduced its new Conceal brand that does not show the teeth of the zippers. Another major step came in November 1959, with the opening of its first overseas location, producing YKK zippers in New Zealand. YKK's first US office opened in New York City in 1960 and is now the country's top supplier of zippers and other fastening devices such as snaps and buttons. As the company grew, it brought every step of manufacturing in-house, including smelting brass and dyeing cloth.
In November 1961, the product line was diversified to include aluminium products for buildings. In June 1963, the company relocated its headquarters again to Chiyoda, Tokyo, the current location of the company. In 1966, a new product YZip was introduced, an extra strong and durable zipper for jeans. The development of a machine that automatically included the YZip zipper into the stitching process of jeans further increased sales, especially in the USA. In 1968, YKK opened its first branch in Canada. Its Canadian headquarters are currently in Montreal, Quebec. There was further expansion in the 1970s, with the opening of three new plants in Utazu, Kagawa in April 1972, in Sanbongi, Miyagi in June 1974, and in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto in February 1975. YKK also opened a fastener-making factory in Eswatini which has grown to supply the entire sub-Saharan region, including Madagascar and Mauritius.[citation needed]
More product lines became available with the Quicklon (sometimes called Cosmolon) fasteners in December 1981. International and product expansion continued during the 1980s, with a real estate business in Singapore in December 1984, an agricultural business in Brazil in January 1985, and a plant in Indonesia in September 1986 producing zippers and aluminium parts for buildings. The company was finally renamed YKK in August 1994.[citation needed]
In July 2000, the company established YKK Newmax Co., Ltd, specializing in the production of snaps and buttons. In December 2002, a machine company was established in Suzhou, China. In April 2003, a research and development facility was established in Hokkaido, Japan. A company specializing in sales, YKK Fastening Products Sales Inc. was established in February 2003. YKK AP Inc. was founded in October 2003, specializing in architectural products. Overall, the organization operates 111 affiliated companies in 71 countries, with 42,154 employees.
Recent media