Top 10 Japanese Machine Tool Brands: How Many Do You Know?

Japan, following the United States and Germany, is the third country in the world to establish a strong machine tool industry, manufacturing industry, and industrialized economy.

In 1889, the establishment of the Ikebe Iron Works marked the beginning of the production of the first machine tools. Based on the machine tool industry, Japan vigorously developed steel, automobile, shipbuilding, electronics, and nuclear power industries, among others. Due to its abundant talent, proper management, high quality, and innovative spirit, Japan overcame various critical technical foundations and component matching challenges, propelling its machine tool technology to world-class status. The following introduces some of the top-ranking Japanese machine tool companies.

1. Yamazaki Mazak

Japan’s Yamazaki Mazak Corporation (MAZAK) is a globally renowned machine tool manufacturer. Founded in 1919, the company mainly producesCNC lathes, multi-tasking machines, vertical machining centers, horizontal machining centers, CNC laser systems, FMS flexible manufacturing systems, CAD/CAM systems, CNC devices, and production support software.

2. Amada

Founded in 1946 by Isamu Amada (the founder), Amada Seisakusho initially focused on sheet metal machinery and cutting products. In 1955, they developed and manufactured a bandsaw blade called “contour” and began selling it in 1956. In 1965, they acquired the American brand Torc-Pac and the French brand Promecam, selling them under the Amada name. This led to Amada’s rapid development period, becoming a world-class brand in the sheet metal business, with high recognition in developed countries such as Japan, the United States, and Europe.

Main products include: CNC punch presses, press brakes, shearing machines, laser cutting machines, and other sheet metal processing machinery, as well as corresponding dies, spare parts, and cutting products.

3. Okuma

A world-leading enterprise, Japan’s largest machine tool manufacturer, and the world’s largest gantry machining center producer with a century of machine tool manufacturing experience. Okuma Corporation of Japan is one of the largest CNC machine tool manufacturers in Japan and the world, with over 100 years of history. They produce various CNC lathes, turning centers, vertical, horizontal, and gantry-type (five-face) machining centers, CNC grinding machines, etc., with an annual production exceeding 7,000 units (2006 fiscal year sales were 170 billion yen, about 1.5 billion US dollars). About 50% is exported, and their products are renowned worldwide for their rigidity, high cutting efficiency, high precision, long lifespan, and ease of operation, earning high praise from users around the world.

4. Mori Seiki

Mori Seiki Co., Ltd. (MoriSeiki), founded in 1948, is one of Japan’s largest machine tool manufacturers. The company mainlyproduces CNC lathes, machining centers, and CNC grinding machines, with its CNC lathes and machining centers holding the largest market share in Japan.The company’s main business is MC machine tools and CNC lathes, and it is listed on the first section of the Tokyo and Osaka Stock Exchanges. In fiscal year 2011, Mori Seiki’s consolidated revenue was approximately 2 billion US dollars.

5. Jtekt

Jtekt owns brands such as JTEKT, KOYO, and TOYODA. It is a company that provides technical support for “things that move,” from automobiles to bullet trains and aircraft, robots, etc., closely related to our daily lives.

Through the merger of KoyoSeiko and Toyota Machine Works, the new company JTEKT gained the world’s largest market share in the steering system industry, andcombined with the bearing industry, machine tool industry, and transmission industry to become the main 4 major industries. By freely combining these industries, it has become a manufacturer capable of comprehensively providing world-class systems.Its active range covers all “movable” objects.

6. Makino

Tsunezo Makino founded the company in 1937, specializing in the production of Type 1vertical milling machines. Makino developed Japan’s first CNC milling machine in 1958 and successfully developed Japan’s first machining center in 1966.

Makino mainly designs and produces CNC machine tools with three or more axes, CNC systems, servo devices, parts and related products research and development, and related application software development and production; sells self-produced products and provides technical and maintenance services for related products.

7. Komatsu NTC

Komatsu NTC Co., Ltd. was established in July 1945 and is a subsidiary of Komatsu Ltd. It is a comprehensive machine tool manufacturing company that mainly provides a large number of high-quality precision metal processing equipment to global automobile manufacturers.

The heart of a car, composed of numerous parts, refers to the power unit such as the engine and transmission, and the drive system. NTC’s machine tool group, centered on transfer machines (automatic transfer composite machine tools) and various grinding machines that bear the core of these mass production systems,is widely used in domestic and international markets under the name of “world pinnacle level.”

8. AidaAida

Aida is a high-tech enterprise integrating research, development, production, and sales of high-speed punch presses, precision punch presses,servo punch presses, and stamping automation. With a 93-year history, Aida is a well-known listed company in Japan, mainly engaged in the manufacturing and sales of punch press machinery, industrial robots, and various automatic transfer devices. Aida’s cutting-edge punch presses, peripheral automation equipment, and plastic forming technology are at the international leading level.

9. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, founded in 1884, is Japan’s largest heavy industry manufacturer with the capability to produce over 700 types of products, boasting a long history and excellent product quality.

10. Sodick

Japan’s Sodick Corporation, centered on the mold industry, integrates manufacturing companies, sales companies, and research and development companies. Over the past 30 years, the Sodick Group has continuously expanded its production capacity, forming four main plants located in Fukui and Kaga in Japan, Bangkok in Thailand, and Suzhou in China.

Based on its manufacturing philosophy, the Sodick Group supports various manufacturing processes, including:CAD/CAM product design for mold processing, electrical discharge machining for mold parts, high-speed milling centers, electron beam precision machining for fine-finished surfaces (especially the EBM electron beam PIKA surface processing device), as well as injection molding processing and linear processing technology. With its world-leading scientific and technological capabilities, Sodick can provide optimal production solutions for its customers.

There are many more Japanese machine tool companies,such as Star Micronics, Komatsu Press, Citizen, FANUC, Nachi-Fujikoshi, Toshiba, OKK, Brother, Tsugami, Takisawa, Enshu, Okamoto, and Miyano, which are all quite famous enterprises.