A Commemorative History

Many people have been involved in the eighty years of NTN's history. Here we give you a glimpse into our past.

1918	NTN's Founders

NTN's founders began research and manufacture of ball bearings at Nishizono Ironworks (Uchibori, Kuwana-cho, Kuwana-gun Mie Pref.)

Jiro Nishizono, founder	At Nishizono Ironworks (1923)	Noboru Niwa, founder and first President

1923	The NTN Brand Name is introduced

In front of Tomoe Trading Co. (1935)

Nishizono Ironworks and Tomoe Trading Co. (Nishi-ku, Osaka) inaugurated joint manufacture and sale of bearings under the brand name NTN.

The letters in our company name originated from the initials of our founding members: N for Noboru Niwa, the man who first invested capital; T for Tomoe Trading Co., the company run by Mr. Niwa that was responsible for sales; and N for Jiro Nishizono, a skilled engineer. In 1922 a Swedish vessel carrying a cargo of bearings sank in Kobe harbor. The bearings were auctioned off by the insurance company and the successful bidder was Mr. Niwa. This turned out to be a bonanza, and with the profits Mr. Niwa purchased three foreign-made grinding machines. He installed them in the Nishizono Ironworks, asking Mr. Nishizono, a wizard at technology, to study bearing manufacturing technology. Their zeal and perseverance paid off and the first NTN bearings appeared in the market.

1939	Kuwana Plant Constructed

1954	The Deming Prize Medal

NTN was awarded the Deming Prize for statistical quality control for the first time in the Japanese machinery industry.

1960	Established Iwata Works
	(formerly Toyo Bearing Iwata Co., Ltd.)

The Iwata Works when it was first built.

NTN's constant determination toward high ideals and technical innovation resulted in the establishment of the Iwata Works in 1960, which enabled NTN to commence mass production of ball bearings.

1961	Establishment of NTN Walzlager (Europa) G.m.b.H.
	in West Germany

Mr. Haupler

Mr. Haupler, who joined NTN in 1967, did pioneering work as manager of the Stuttgart branch. At that time the market in Germany was dominated by two other firms and it was extremely difficult to sell Japanese products. Mr. Haupler, however, succeeded in convincing various key customers of the excellent quality of NTN products and today NTN is one of the key suppliers to such companies as Bosch and Daimler Benz. Due to his successful work, Mr. Haupler was promoted to Sales Director and finally Vice President of NTN Germany in 1990. After 27 years of outstanding service he went into a well-earned retirement in 1994.

From Mr. Haupler
I would like to offer my warmest congratulations on the occasion of NTN's 80th jubilee. It was a great pleasure for me to have the chance to accompany this organization on its way in Germany for almost one third of these eighty years from 1967 to 1994. Due to the outstanding quality of their products and owing to a great willingness to excel, NTN quickly became renowned throughout Germany. Today NTN is held in great esteem as a reliable partner by the entire German industry. Let me take this opportunity to wish the company the best of luck and future success, both in Germany and throughout the world.

1961	NTN Obtains Needle Bearing Technology from INA

Considering that the initial payment exceeded 17% of NTN's capital, the decision to obtain needle-bearing technology through technical cooperation with INA required great courage. However, NTN came to subsequently lead the industry in the Japanese domestic needle bearing market.

1963	Establishment of NTN Bearing Corp. of America

Mr. Wallenberger

Mr. Wallenberger, a graduate engineer with an MBA from New York University, joined NBCA as Executive Vice President in 1975 and in 1977 he was assigned as the first American President. Under his great leadership, NBCA's sales grew dramatically from less than $30 million to $167.7 million by 1985. He also established the current distributor sales, FM and Caterpillar business foundation. Sadly, Mr. Wallenberger passed away on February 14, 1985 at the age of 58.

1963	Constant Velocity Joints

NTN headquarters in Kyomachibori, formerly the Osaka branch of Meiji Bank.	The headquarters building today which was completed in January 1964.

Seeking to diversify into non-bearing fields, NTN looked for opportunities for technical cooperation throughout the West and in 1963 secured a technological license agreement with Hardy Spicer Ltd. U.K., for Birfield-type constant velocity joints. CVJ's are now one of our leading products, but at the time, marketing was difficult. "I can never forget the tenacity with which we strove to recover lost territory in the automotive industry," recalls Mr. Otsu, 5th NTN President. "Even when we had to grasp at straws, we refused to quit until we found a solution, and when it came, it was like an inspiration from God."

1964	Established NTN France S.A.

Established NTN Bearings (UK) Ltd.

1969	The Crown Price Visits

The Crown Prince visiting the Iwata Works (1969).

1971	Established American NTN Bearing Mfg. Corp

1973	Established NTN Bearing Mfg. (Canada) Ltd.

NTN Bearing Corporation of Canada in 1971	Manufacturing Facility when it was first established (1973)

Constructed constant velocity joint factory in Toyo Bearing Iwata Co.

1975	Established NTN Elgin Corp. (U.S.A.)
	(Merged into American NTN Bearing Mfg. Corp. in 1985).

New Takarazuka Plant completed.

1982	Constructed Constant Velocity Joint Factory
	in Toyo Bearing Okayama Co., Ltd.

1983	Merged with Toyo Bearing Iwata Co., Ltd.
	and Toyo Bearing Okayama Co., Ltd.

1984	Established Toyo Bearing Nagano Co., Ltd.

1985	Established NTN-Bower Corp
	a joint venture with Federal Mogul Corporation (U.S.A.).

1986	Constructed Japan's First Plant
	dedicated to aerospace bearings (in Kuwana Plant).

1987	NTN-Bower Corp. Became a 100% Owned Affiliate

1988	Established Unidrive Pty. Ltd.,
	a joint venture manufacturer of constant velocity joints in Australia.

1989	Merged with Toyo Bearing Nagano Co., Ltd.

Established NTN Driveshaft Inc.
Renamed NTN Corp

1990	NTN USA Corp. founded
	as headquarters in the U.S.A.

1994	ISO9002 certification acquired.

Established a distribution center in Singapore

1996	Ball Bearing Division of American Firm
	Federal-Mogul Corporation (U.S.A.) acquired

NTN-BCA Corp. established.

1997	Nagano Plant and 4 Engineering Departments
	acquired ISO9001/Qs-9000 certification

for their quality systems, making NTN the first bearing manufacturer to receive QS-9000 certification in Japan. Achieved 200 million target for domestic production of constant velocity joints.

Established NTN do Brazil Ltda.

1998	Established NTN Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd

Iwata area NTN enterprises obtained ISO14001 certification.
Established NTN Transmission Europe for CVJ production through a joint corporation with Renault of France.

1999	All plants and R&D Centers in Japan
	obtained ISO14001 certification by a multi-site qualification procedure.

2000	NTN Group completed full certification
	for the ISO9000 series.