Komatsu America Corp. history

1972 Launched the business of small presses.

1975 Komatsu do Brasil Ltda. produced the D50A bulldozer, marking Komatsu's first offshore production of construction equipment.

1975: The first production of construction equipment outside of Japan begins, at a plant in Brazil.

Flexible conveyor train (model 1FCT-3BH) in 1976 (Joy)

Custom tunneling solution, using multiple booms on multiple drilling rigs, which allows simultaneous rock breaking in a semi-circular pattern, in 1978 (Montabert)

Sales had been declining since 1982, but after Katada initiated the new business strategy, sales began to climb again.

1984 Introduced laser machines to the market.

The year 1987 marked expansion in other areas such as the establishment of two financial subsidiaries in Europe, the marketing of plastics injection molding machinery, and the development of a telephone with a data terminal.

In 1988 the company established a new subsidiary, Komatsu Trading International, to increase imports to Japan, in response to the Japanese government’s commitment to reduce its trade surplus by importing more foreign products.

In 1988 Komatsu made an agreement with the Robbins Company of Seattle, Washington, which purchased Komatsu’s technology on softground tunnel-boring machinery to be used in constructing the tunnel under the English Channel.

1988: Komatsu and Dresser Industries, Inc. form Komatsu Dresser Company, a United States-based construction equipment joint venture.

1989 Launched sales of fine plasma cutting machines.

First produced in 1991, it continues to be famous in the industry for its sheer size and might.

To increase its presence in this area, Komatsu made a strategic alliance with Applied Materials, Inc., a United States manufacturer of computer display panels, in 1993.

In 1994 the company began a joint venture with Japan Samtech Co.

1994: Komatsu purchases full control of Komatsu Dresser.

1995 Started sales of Excimer laser, as the main light source for next generation steppers.

In January 1996 Komatsu joined with Mannesmann Demag AG to form the German venture Demag Komatsu GmbH, which was charged with developing and producing super-large hydraulic excavators for the global mining industry.

Further involvement in this sector came through the March 1996 acquisition of controlling interest in Modular Mining Systems, Inc., maker of electronic mine management systems.

9020 walking dragline in Australia and 120A blasthole drill, which becomes the preferred blasthole production rig for iron mining, in 1996 (P&H)

The desire to capture a greater share of the increasing market for construction machinery in southeast Asia led Komatsu in mid-1996 to create Komatsu Asia & Pacific Pte.

First VFD shearer (model 7LS) in 1997 (Joy)

One factor was fallout from the Asian economic crisis that erupted in mid-1997 and that brought a halt to the rapid growth in southeast Asia.

However, the Asian financial crisis of 1997 affected the company’s profits for years to come, leading the company to make many restructuring changes.

1997: Expansion into mining equipment leads to the establishment of Komatsu Mining Systems, Inc. as the global mining equipment headquarters.

1998 Established Industrial Power Alliance Ltd. in Japan as a joint venture with Cummins Engine of the United States for engine development.

In a further pullback in its electronics business, Komatsu in November 1999 sold its stake in Applied Komatsu Technology, the flat panel display joint venture, to its partner, Applied Materials.

BRV 65 model in 1999 (Montabert)

Komatsu also reorganized its management structure during 1999 by slashing the number of board members from 26 to 8 and appointing a person from outside the company to the board.

1999 Launched the world's largest mechanical-drive WA1200 wheel loader.

1999 Established Komatsu Middle East FZE. in U.A.E. as a supervisory company for the construction equipment business in the Middle East region.

1999: Komatsu reports a net loss for the fiscal year--its first ever.

Established Komatsu Changlin Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. (renamed Komatsu(Changzhou) Construction Machinery Corporation in November 2000) in China.

Mid-seam high-voltage continuous miner (model 14CM27) and two other machines in 2000 (Joy)

Also in 2000, Anzaki hired Keith Sheldon, a retired General Motors Corporation, for the new position of global financial officer.

2000 Acquired Hensley Industries, Inc., an American construction and mining equipment component maker.

July 2001 Began equipping Komtrax on machines as a standard feature.

Responding to this dismal performance, Komatsu announced a major restructuring in October 2001.

Thinnest VFD shearer (model 7LS1A) in 2001 (Joy)

4100C Boss electric rope shovel, specifically for the growing oil sands industry in 2001 (P&H)

And during fiscal 2001 Komatsu announced that it planned to introduce a stock option scheme for 47 top employees.

2001 Established Komatsu (China) Ltd., a holding company in China.

Construction machinery orders in Japan declined precipitously in fiscal 2002 as the government greatly reduced its spending on public works projects.

Further restructuring efforts came in 2002.

Centurion Electrical Control system for electric rope shovels in 2004 (P&H)

OptiDrive for in-use shearers, continuous miners and flexible conveyor trains and machine-to-surface communications for room and pillar operations in 2004 (Joy)

SC range of light breakers for compact carriers in 2004 (Montabert)

Aiming to reduce annual fixed costs by ¥30 billion ($250 million) by 2004, the company said it would reduce its workforce by 2,200 workers, or about 10 percent.

2004 Established Komatsu Forest AB acquiring Partek Forest AB, a manufacturer and distributer of forestry equipment in Sweden.

2006 Sold out 51% of Komatsu Electronic Metal's stock to SUMCO CORPORATION.

In 2008, Joy Mining Machinery purchased Continental Conveyor, Hewitt-Robins and Goodman Conveyor.

2008 Ayumi Tanimoto won a gold medal in the Beijing Olympic Games (her second straight victory.)

2008 Launched the world's first Autonomous Haulage System (AHS).

2008 Began demining antipersonnel landmines and community redevelopment activities in cooperation with Japan Mine Action Service in Cambodia and Angola.

In 2009, Hewitt-Robins and Goodman Conveyor merge to form Goodman-Hewitt.

2009 Reorganized Japanese sales and service structure for construction equipment and established Komatsu Construction Equipment Sales and Service Japan Ltd.

2012 Mika Sugimoto wins a silver medal in London Olympics.