90th Anniversary
NSK Ltd. was established in 1916 to take over the business of Nippon Seiko Limited Partnership Company which had been founded in 1914. It commenced business in Osaki-machi, Ebara-gun, Tokyo (now Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo) as Japan’s first manufacturer of bearings. Throughout its history, NSK has contributed to the reduction of energy loss and the advancement of industries throughout the world. On November 8, 2006, NSK marked the 90th anniversary of its establishment.
This is a brief history of NSK’s production and technology development activities over the past nine decades, together with a few highlights.
| 90 Years of Production History | |
| Establishment and Development —1916–1920s | |
| 1916 Establishment of NSK Japan's first bearing manufacturer is established in what is now Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo |
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| 1917–1919 Expansion of product range NSK develops series of standard ball bearings and begins to manufacture cylindrical roller bearings and tapered roller bearings |
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| 1925 Exclusive focus on bearing production NSK reviews its product range and establishes an organization exclusively focused on bearing production |
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| From Wartime Operation to Postwar Reconstruction —1930s–1950s | |
| 1934–1942 New plants built to expand production capability Tamagawa Plant* (Tokyo, 1934), Fujisawa Plant (Kanagawa, 1937), Steelmaking Plant* (Kanagawa, 1940), Specialized Machine Plant* (Tokyo, 1942) |
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| 1945–1953 Postwar resumption of operations, expansion of production Permission to resume operations (1945), designation as important plants (1947, 1948): Tamagawa*, Fujisawa, Osaki* Plants reopened (1950), Nishi Nippon Seiko (now Otsu Plant) established (Shiga, 1953) |
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| 1948–1959 Responding to postwar reconstruction development and demand for new products Reconstruction demand: bearings for rail cars, automotive bearings, large bearings for steelmaking equipment and bearings for textile machinery New products: spinning spindle inserts, carburized bearings, large and super-large bearings, small and miniature bearings |
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| High-growth Period in Japan and Start of Overseas Production —1960s–1970s | |
| 1960–1975 Product diversification, responding to motorization Kita Nippon Seiko (now Maebashi Plant) established (Gunma, 1960): ball screw-type steering, machine tool parts [ball screws, roller guides, spindles, etc.] NSK Torrington established (1963): needle bearings, NSK Warner K.K. established (1964): one-way clutches for AT, seatbelts* (1969) Ishibe Plant spun off (Shiga, 1969), Saitama Plant established (1975): tapered roller bearings |
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| 1970–1976 Start of overseas production Bearing Plant: Australia* <1970>, Brazil <1972>, South Korea <1971>, U.S.A. <1975>, U.K. <1976> |
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| Expansion of Domestic Production and Evolution of Overseas Operations —1980s–1990s | |
| 1983–1988 Expansion of domestic production Soja Plant spun off (Gunma, 1983): automotive components [steering, CVJ]*, Fukushima Plant established (1984): small and miniature bearings |
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| 1988–1997 Production for overseas automotive manufacturers Franklin Plant (U.S.A.), Peterlee Plant (U.K.): hub unit bearings, now NSK Steering Systems (U.S.A., U.K.): steering columns; U.S.A., Thailand: seatbelts* |
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| 1990–1998 Overseas expansion through M&A Acquisition of British company, UPI (1990) and Polish company, FLT Iskra (1998) |
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| From Selection and Concentration to Growth —Late 1990s–mid-2000s | |
| 1995–2006 Business restructuring—from selection and concentration to growth Tamagawa Plant closed (1999), seatbelt* and CVJ* operations sold, European production sites restructured; acquires full ownership of NSK Torrington (2003) and Amatsuji Steel Ball Manufacturing (2006); NSK Kyushu established (Fukuoka, 1995) |
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| 1995–2005 Accelerated expansion into Asia and China Bearing Plant: Indonesia <1995>, Malaysia <1995>, Thailand <2002>, China [Kunshan <1997>, Hongshan <1998>, Zhangjiagang <2004>, Suzhou <2004>, Changshu <2005>] Automotive Component Plant: [steering] Thailand <1996>, India <1997>, Dongguan <2003>, [AT components] Shanghai <2006> |
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| Next 10—Toward Our Centenary —2007–2016 | |
| Beyond 2007 Growth strategies and profitability enhancement targeting ¥1 trillion in Group net sales Expansion of production sites: second plant in Fujisawa (Kanagawa), second steering systems plant in the U.S.A., second building at automotive bearing plant in Thailand, automotive bearing plant in India |
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| * Subsequently closed or sold < > Start of operation | |
 First Steps on the Path to Growth Bearings are one of the staples of industry. The origins of the Japanese bearing industry, which produced 3,190 million bearings in 2006, can be traced back to the completion of the first prototype by Nippon Seiko Limited Partnership Company in 1915. Full-scale production of the bearings needed to drive the development of the Japanese machinery industry commenced with the establishment of NSK Ltd. The photograph above shows a drawing from the time of NSK’s earliest production, the starting point on the path that brought NSK to its present stage of development. |
90 Years of Technological History
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 For the World, with the World Wherever there are machines, there are bearings. Bearings based on common international standards are borderless products that can be used in machinery anywhere in the world. NSK began to export bearings in 1948, when Japan was still in the midst of postwar construction. Exporting would eventually lead to the establishment of sales companies and production operations outside Japan. NSK’s second overseas plant, in Suzano, Brazil, established in 1972, has contributed to Brazil’s industrial development as part of the local community for 35 years. Today NSK has 34 overseas plants in 12 countries. |
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 From 2 Millimeters to 6 Meters With an outside diameter of 2 mm and inside diameter of 0.6 mm, the ball bearing can be balanced on a grain of rice (see picture on right). As a comprehensive manufacturer, NSK supplies bearings in all sizes, with outside diameters ranging from 2 mm to 6 m. Bearings are used in a wide variety of situations to provide behind-the-scenes strength in extreme conditions. Examples include ultra-fast 400,000-rpm drill bearings used in dental handpieces, and bearings used in CT scanner X-ray vacuum tubes at temperatures as high as 500ºC. |
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 Courtesy of NASA Beyond the Earth and into Space NSK has a long history of involvement in aviation. As early as 1918 we were supplying airframe bearings. In 1931 we became the first Japanese manufacturer of bearings for aircraft engines, and in 1945 we produced the first jet engine bearings to be made in Japan. By 1985 NSK was able to participate in a five-nation project, which produced products for the V2500 engine with manufacturers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and Italy. Today bearings, ball screws and linear guides manufactured by NSK look down on Earth from satellites and the International Space Station. |
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 Contributing to the Environment For the Future NSK products help reduce energy loss. We regard environmental management as a key priority, and we have been working in this field since the establishment of our Environment Control Department in 1975. Our environmental efforts include the development of environment-friendly products, measures to combat global warming, zero-emission programs, distribution-related measures, and green procurement activities. We also provide environmental education to raise the environmental awareness of all employees. The NSK Group recognizes its responsibility to protect the environment. |
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