NGK North America Inc history

1929 1,000 kV-class high voltage insulator testing facilities were completed.

1931 Started manufacturing and marketing of sulfuric acid corrosion-resistant apparatus for the chemical industry.

1936 NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd. was established as a spin-off of NGK's Spark Plug Division.

1958 Began manufacturing and marketing of beryllium-copper products.

1963 Construction of High Voltage Laboratory was completed.

1967 Distributed a water sludge dewatering system to the city of Amagasaki in Hyogo Prefecture, and a sewage sludge dewatering system to the city of Sakai in Osaka Prefecture.

Until 1969 Since Establishment

1972 Developed bushings for 1,000 kV-class test transformers

1976 Began manufacturing and marketing of HONEYCERAM, honeycomb catalyst substrates for controlling automobile emissions.

1979 Construction of ultrahigh voltage contamination test facilities for insulators and bushing shells were completed in the High Voltage Laboratory.

1985 NGK CERAMICS EUROPE S.A. was established, starting production of HONEYCERAM in Belgium.NGK EUROPE GmbH was established in Germany.

In 1988 NGK CERAMICS USA, INC. was established in Mooresville, North Carolina.

1989 Production of diesel particulate filters begins.

1991 Distributed a cyclone-type sewage sludge melting system to the Nanbu Sludge Plant of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.NGK Filtech, Ltd. was established for design and production of comprehensive filtering membrane equipment and systems.

1994 An environmental inspection system was introduced.NGK-LOCKE POLYMER INSULATORS, INC. was established in the United StatesA.

1997 A medium-term management plan "EXCEL-01" was formed.SIAM NGK TECHNOCERA CO., LTD. was established as a production base of kiln furniture in Thailand.

1999 Celebrated the 80th anniversary of NGK's foundation.Accumulated production of HONEYCERAM reached 400 million units.Engineering Business Group acquired ISO 14001 certification.NGK International House (a residence for international students) was completed.

In 2003 NGK AUTOMOTIVE CERAMICS USA INC. was established as a spin-off company from NGK-LOCKE, INC., and continues to provide and grow support services for the automotive industry in North America.

2005 Participated in the 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan with the NGK Water Lab exhibit.Reduced the number of directors and introduced a corporate officer system.Developed ceramic microactuators for hard disk drives (HDDs).

2011 Launched "NGK Innovation Laboratory" in Nagoya Institute of Technology for strategic task force R&D joint project.Began operation at Ishikawa Plant and NGK CERAMICS MEXICO, S. DE R. L. DE C. V.. Accumulated production of HONEYCERAM reached 1 billion units.