The YKK Group is a Japanese group of manufacturing companies. As the world's largest zipper/zip
manufacturer, YKK Group is most famous for making zippers; however, it also manufactures
other fastening products, architectural products and industrial machinery.
The initials YKK stand for, meaning "Yoshida Manufacturing Shareholding Company". YKK produces
fasteners and architectural products at 109 YKK companies in 71 countries around the world.
History Pre World War II
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. After World War II
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 now is the country's top supplier of zippers and other fastening
devices such as snaps and buttons. Diversification
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 Swaziland which
has grown to supply the entire sub-saharan region including Madagascar and Mauritius.
More product lines became available with the Quicklon 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. New millennium
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. 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 more than
109 affiliated companies in 71 countries, with 39,000 employees.
Price fixing On September 19, 2007 YKK was fined 150.3
million euros by the European Commission for running worldwide price-fixing cartels and
sharing markets with zip-makers Prym and Coats. Coats of Britain and Prym of Germany were
fined 122.4 million and 40.5 million euros respectively for their participation in cartel
behaviour. YKK lost their appeal to the General Court on June 27, 2012. It then launched an
appeal to the European Court of Justice on September 5, 2012. which was partly successful.
Products Fastening products
Fastening products are the first and still the most important product of YKK. Within
YKK, the company distinguishes between the Slide Fastener Division, the Textile and Plastic
Products Division, and the Snap Fastener and Button Division.
Zippers Standard Metal
YZiP: Metal zipper, extra durable for jeans EverBright: Metal zipper, polished for visual
appeal and corrosion resistant Excella: Metal zipper, polished and plated
for visual appeal, also in different colors. [Available in silver, gold and antique finish.]
Standard Coil Conceal: Plastic coil zipper with concealed
elements Vislon: Standard - rugged plastic zipper
Hook and loop products, more commonly known under the Velcro brand name of a competitor.
Plastic parts, including various types of clips and buckles
Snaps and buttons, including snap fasteners and jeans buttons
On August 26, 2013, YKK Corporation, filed a patent infringement complaint in the Middle
District of Georgia against Velcro USA Inc.of Manchester, New Hampshire relating to a fastener
strip used in, foam molded products like a cushion body used for an automobile seat.
Architectural products Architectural Aluminium products include fenestration
systems for glass exteriors; entrances for commercial and institutional structures; Aluminium
sunshades and residential windows. It is based in Austell, Georgia, USA.
YKK AP America Inc. manufactures entrances, storefronts, curtain wall, window wall, sunshades,
windows and sliding doors for office buildings, residential high-rises, schools, stadiums,
shopping centers and institutional structures. Machinery and Engineering
The Machinery and Engineering Group focuses on the development and production of machines,
equipment, and dyes, serving YKK Group with the Exclusive Machinery Division, Industrial
Machinery Division, and Dye Division. Facilities
YKK has manufacturing facilities in 71 countries. YKK has a large manufacturing center located
in Macon, Georgia, USA. References
YKK Fastening Indonesia Group ^ a b "Financial Highlights". YKK Corporation.
Retrieved 18 April 2013. ^ a b c "YKK Corporate Profile". Retrieved
18 April 2013. ^ http:www.ykk.comcorporate/g_outline.html
^ Schomberg, William. "EU fines zip-makers over 328 mln Euros for cartel". Reuters.
^ http:eur-lex.europa.euLexUriServ.do?uri=OJ%3AC%3A2012%3A243%3A0013%3A0013%3Aen%3APDF ^ White, Aoife. "Coats and YKK Lose EU Court
Challenges Over Antitrust Fines". Businessweek. Retrieved 2013-11-13.
^ http:eur-lex.europa.euLexUriServ.do?uri=OJ%3AC%3A2012%3A343%3A0010%3A0010%3Aen%3APDF ^ Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC. "YKK
Corporation Files Patent Infringement Action Against Competitor Velcro USA". The National
Law Review. ^ "YKK AP Wins Design Award: YKK AP Wins International
Design Excellence Award With Aid Of Agency Video". Freebairn & Company. August 21, 2009.
External links
(English) YKK Corporation homepage YKK Corporation of America homepage
YKK Fastening homepage YKK Fastening USA homepage