A Legacy of Innovation: The Okamoto Story

Kakusaburou Okamoto founded Okamoto Specialized Machine Tool Manufacturing Co., Ltd. as a privately owned business.

Developed Japan’s first gear grinding machine, the ASG-2 model.

The company changed its name and organization to Okamoto Machine Tool Works, Ltd.
and established its head office at 3-4 Ginza, Kyobashi-ku, Tokyo.

The Yokohama Factory began operations with the relocation of some of the equipment from the Yaguchi Factory, which was the main factory at the time, and the construction of new facilities.

Relocation of Tokyo Head Office to Kohoku Ward, Yokohama City.

The entire headquarters and Yokohama factory were requisitioned by the US military.

Market trading of our company’s shares was naturally suspended as a result of the above requisition.

Merged with Hosoda Machinery Co., Ltd.

Started manufacturing surface grinding machines.
Developed Japan’s first surface grinding machine, the PSG-6 model.

Developed the IGM series of internal grinding machines.

Developed Japan’s first peripheral blade slicing machine PSG3Ge type.

The requisition of Head Office and Yokohama Factory was fully lifted.

Establishment of development and production system for surface grinding machines and various other machine tools.

Listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange Second Section.

Developed the OGM series of cylindrical grinding machines.

Established OKAMOTO CORPORATION as a sales company in Chicago, USA. (currently a consolidated subsidiary)

Spun off the gear division of the Hiroshima Plant and established Okamoto Gear Co., Ltd.

Established OKAMOTO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD, the first local subsidiary to manufacture machine tools in Singapore (currently a consolidated subsidiary).

Started manufacturing machine tools in Singapore, the first in the country.

Developed the PRG series of rotary surface grinders.

Hiroshima Factory spun off to form Okamoto Machinery Co., Ltd., which is responsible for　manufacturing small models.

Furthermore, Service division spun off to form Okamoto Giken Service Co., Ltd.

Established Sanyo Okamoto Co., Ltd. to handle sales in the Hiroshima area.

Annaka Factory construction was completed and begun operations.

Our affiliate Okamoto Giken Service Co., Ltd. changed its name to Giken Co., Ltd.

Yokohama Factory relocated and closed; Atsugi Factory opened in Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

New Atsugi Factory construction was completed and begun operations.

Our subsidiaries Okamoto Machinery Co., Ltd., Okamoto Gear Co., Ltd., and Sanyo Okamoto Co., Ltd. merged to form a new company, Okamoto Machinery Co., Ltd. (currently a consolidated subsidiary).

Developed the best-selling PFG500 series of general-purpose grinding machines.

Established OKAMOTO (THAI) CO., LTD. in Thailand (currently a consolidated subsidiary)

Developed the best-selling PSG-DX series of general-purpose surface grinding machines.

The second phase of construction at the Annaka Factory was completed.

Acquired Nissho Co., Ltd. and made it a subsidiary.

Business alliance with US machine tool manufacturer.

Established OKAMOTO MACHINE TOOL EUROPE GmbH, a local subsidiary in Germany (currently a consolidated subsidiary)

Acquired Shibayama Machinery Co., Ltd. and made it a subsidiary.

Okamoto (Singapore) Pte, Ltd. obtains ISO 9002 certification.
(a first in the machine tool industry in Asia)

Established a branch office in Singapore as a sales and service base.

Merger with Shibayama Machinery Co., Ltd.
Establishment of Semiconductor Business Division.

Received the Technology Award from the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME) for the development of a fully automatic vertical high-precision surface grinding machine.

Received the Technology Award from the Japan Society for Abrasive Technology (JSAT) for the development of a fully automatic high-precision, high-efficiency CMP device.

Sales of the best-selling PSG-DX series of general-purpose surface grinding machines exceeded 5,000 units.

Relocation of head office to Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture (Atsugi Factory)

Establishment of a representative office in Shanghai, China.

Relocated main office to Annaka City, Gunma Prefecture (Annaka Factory)

Relocated head office to Kohoku Ward, Yokohama City.

Completion of clean room for testing and inspection of semiconductor-related equipment at Annaka Plant.

Completion of temperature-controlled processing and assembly booth at Annaka Plant.

Completion of new assembly plant at Okamoto (Thai) Co., Ltd.

Spindle room completed at Annaka Plant.
New casting plant completed at Okamoto (Thai) Co., Ltd.
(Combined production capacity of old and new plants became 1,800 tons per month)

Completion of the sheet metal and painting factory at Okamoto (Thai) Co., Ltd.

As equipment for the Annaka Factory,
the world’s largest ultra-precision double column type surface grinding machine UDG10035NC with a hydrostatic guideway system has been completed.

Integrated Singapore branch into Okamoto (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

 
iQ software developed to convert surface grinding know-how into software. Development of machines equipped with iQ software.

Development of PSG-CHLi series double column type CNC precision surface grinding machines to meet the demand for high precision and high efficiency in large workpieces such as progressive dies.

In order to meet the demand for micro-forming of small parts,
we have developed the UPZ210LiⅡ ultra-precision forming grinding machine driven by a linear motor.

Relocation of head office to Annaka City, Gunma Prefecture (Annaka Factory)

A new Machinery Division is established at Okamoto Engineering (Changzhou) Co., Ltd., a Chinese subsidiary of Okamoto Engineering Co., Ltd., and the Shanghai Representative Office is transferred to that division (currently a consolidated subsidiary).

Our subsidiaries Giken Co., Ltd. and Nissho Co., Ltd. merged to form a new company, Giken Co., Ltd. (currently a consolidated subsidiary).

Development of UGM360NC CNC Precision Universal Cylindrical Grinding Machine, which was announced at JIMTOF2014, the 28th Japan International Machine Tool Fair.

Held the OPEN HOUSE 2015 exhibition to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the company’s founding.

Announced “Grinding Innovation” as the theme for the 80th anniversary.

Developed the HPG500NC series of high-precision forming grinding machines.

Developed the SELF fully automatic surface grinding system.

Developed PSG-SA1 series precision surface grinding machines.

Developed the IGM15NⅢ-2B precision internal grinding machine.

Developed the UDG-Li series of double column type CNC precision surface grinding machines.

Launched the Quick Touch on-machine measurement system.

The ASG-2 type spur gear grinding machine, a collection of the Museum of Industrial Technology, Nippon Institute of Technology, was listed in “Mechanical Engineering Heritage” No.106 accredited by the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME).

Established OKAMOTO INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED as a sales company in India.

Transition to the Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market

Three newly developed models exhibited at JIMTOF 2022
・CNC precision surface grinding machine PSG126CA-iQ
・Vertical rotary surface grinding machine VRG-DX series
・Grinding center UGM64GC

Acquired all shares of Daiwa Koki Co., Ltd. in Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture, making it a wholly owned subsidiary (currently a consolidated subsidiary).

Acquired the surface grinding machine manufacturing and sales business from Nikko Co., Ltd. in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture, and established NICCO Co., Ltd., a new wholly owned subsidiary of our company.

Established the Kyushu Technical Support Center to expand our semiconductor service base.

Received the SUMCO Supplier Award.

Concluded a capital and business alliance agreement with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and implemented a third-party allocation of new shares to Mitsui & Co., Ltd.

Fully automatic grinding equipment for through-Si via wafer was recognized as a successful development by the Japan Science and Technology Agency.