History

  1. 1941

  2. 1941

    Nippon Bearing Production Co., Ltd. is founded.

  3. 1942

    The company is renamed Nippon Yushi Industry Co., Ltd. and begins manufacturing and selling oil seals.

  4. 1950

  5. 1951

    Nippon Yushi Industry Co., Ltd. merges with Tokyo Oil Seal Industry Co., Ltd. (established in 1939) and is renamed Nippon Oil Seal Industry Co., Ltd.

  6. 1954

    The Head Office and Plant are relocated to Ota-ku, Tokyo, and Haneda Plant is established.

  7. 1960

  8. 1960

    A capital participation agreement is concluded with Freudenberg (Germany).

    Fujisawa Plant is established in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

  9. 1961

    The company is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

    The Head Office is relocated to Chuo-ku, Tokyo.

  10. 1965

    A Technical Center (currently Shonan R&D Center) is established at Fujisawa Plant.

  11. 1966

    The Head Office is relocated to Minato-ku, Tokyo.

  12. 1967

    Shizuoka Plant is established in Makinohara City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

  13. 1968

    NOK-USA, Inc. (currently NOK Inc.) is founded in the United States as the first overseas sales base.

    Fukushima Plant is established in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture.

  14. 1970

  15. 1970

    Kumamoto Plant is established in Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture.

  16. 1973

    Singapore Oilseal Co. (Pte.) Ltd. is founded in Singapore as the first overseas production base.

  17. 1974

    Tokai Plant is established in Kikugawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

  18. 1978

    Haneda Plant is integrated into Fukushima Plant.

  19. 1980

  20. 1985

    The company name is changed from Nippon Oil Seal Industry Co., Ltd. to
    NOK Corporation.

  21. 1987

    Nihonmatsu Plant is established in Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture.

  22. 1988

    Thai NOK Co., Ltd. is founded in Thailand.

  23. 1989

    Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership is established in the United States as a joint venture with Freudenberg.

  24. 1990

  25. 1992

    Changchun NOK-Freudenberg Oilseal Co., Ltd. is founded in China.

  26. 1995

    Wuxi NOK-Freudenberg Oilseal Co., Ltd. is founded in China.

  27. 1996

    PT NOK Indonesia is founded in Indonesia.

    NOK Asia Company Pte. Ltd. is founded in Singapore.

  28. 2000

  29. 2000

    Sigma Freudenberg NOK Pvt. Ltd. (currently Freudenberg NOK Pvt. Ltd.) is founded in
    India as a joint venture with Freudenberg.

  30. 2001

    NOK Precision Component Thailand, Ltd. is founded in Thailand.

  31. 2002

    NOK (Wuxi) Vibration Control China Co., Ltd. is established in China.

  32. 2004

    Vietnam NOK Co., Ltd. is founded in Vietnam.

    Tottori Plant is established in Nanbu-cho, Tottori Prefecture.

  33. 2005

    Shonan Development Center (currently Shonan R&D Center) is established in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

  34. 2010

  35. 2010

    Kitaibaraki Plant is established in Kitaibaraki City, Ibaraki Prefecture.

  36. 2012

    Pyung Hwa NOK Drive Train CO., Ltd. (currently Pyung Hwa Oil Seal Industry Co., Ltd.) is founded in South Korea.

  37. 2020

  38. 2023

    All shares of ESTOH Co., Ltd. are acquired.

  39. 2026

    Domestic manufacturing subsidiaries (18 companies) are reorganized to establish five companies: NOK TohokuCorporation, NOK Kita-Kanto Corporation, NOK Shizuoka Corporation, NOK Tottori Corporation, and NOK Kyushu Corporation.

    NOK Group Corporation is established through a joint share transfer with Eagle Industry Co., Ltd.