Acquired Joy Global Inc., a leading U.S. manufacturer of mining equipment and changed the trade name to Komatsu Mining Corp.
Feb. 2015
Embarked on SMARTCONSTRUCTION®: ICT solutions to construction job sites.
Oct. 2014
Merged with Komatsu Diesel Co., Ltd.
Oct. 2013
Komatsu Shantui Construction Machinery wins the Deming Prize.
June 2013
Launched medium-sized intelligent Machine Control bulldozers equipped with the world's first automatic blade control system.
Aug. 2012
Mika Sugimoto wins a silver medal in London Olympics.
May 2011
Gigaphoton Inc. has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Komatsu.
May 2011
"Komatsu-no-Mori" Created in Komatsu City, Home to Komatsu Ltd.
Apr. 2011
Komatsu NTC Ltd. and Komatsu Machinery Corporation merged. Merged with Komatsu Engineering Corp.
Apr. 2011
Merged with Komatsu Utility Co., Ltd.
2000s
Apr. 2009
Reorganized Japanese sales and service structure for construction equipment and established Komatsu Construction Equipment Sales and Service Japan Ltd.
Aug. 2008
Ayumi Tanimoto won a gold medal in the Beijing Olympic Games (her second straight victory.)
June 2008
Introduced the world's first hybrid hydraulic excavator.
Mar. 2008
Made NIPPEI TOYAMA (renamed Komatsu NTC Ltd. in October 2008) Corporation a wholly owned subsidiary.
Jan. 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.
Apr. 2007
Integrated Komatsu Forklift Co., Ltd. and Komatsu Zenoah into new Komatsu Utility Co., Ltd.
Jan. 2007
Completed the construction of three new plants, i.e. Ibaraki Plant, Kanazawa Plant (both in Japan) and Chennai Plant (in India).
Oct. 2006
Sold out 51% of Komatsu Electronic Metal's stock to SUMCO CORPORATION.
Aug. 2006
Established The KOMATSU Way.
Aug. 2004
Ayumi Tanimoto, a member of the Komatsu Women's Judo Club, won a gold medal in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.
Jan. 2004
Established Komatsu Forest AB acquiring Partek Forest AB, a manufacturer and distributer of forestry equipment in Sweden.
July 2001
Began equipping Komtrax on machines as a standard feature.
Jan. 2001
Established Komatsu (China) Ltd., a holding company in China.
Nov. 2000
Acquired Hensley Industries, Inc., an American construction and mining equipment component maker.
1990s
Sept. 1999
Launched the world's largest mechanical-drive WA1200 wheel loader.
May 1999
Established Komatsu Cummins Chile Ltda., a holding company of construction and mining equipment sales distributors in Chile, as a joint venture with Cummins Engine.
Jan. 1999
Established Komatsu Middle East FZE. in U.A.E. as a supervisory company for the construction equipment business in the Middle East region.
Feb. 1998
Established L&T-Komatsu Limited. in India.
Jan. 1998
Established Industrial Power Alliance Ltd. in Japan as a joint venture with Cummins Engine of the United States for engine development.
1998
Developed Komtrax (Komatsu Machine Tracking System).
Oct. 1997
Established Komatsu Castex Ltd. in Japan by spinning off the steel casting division.
Feb. 1997
Established Komatsu Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd. in South Africa.
May 1996
Established Komatsu(Shanghai) Ltd. in China.
Jan. 1996
Made equity participation in Modular Mining Systems, Inc. of the United States.
Jan. 1996
Established Demag Komatsu GmbH (currently, Komatsu Germany GmbH) in Germany.
Nov. 1995
Established Bangkok Komatsu Co., Ltd. in Thailand.
Sept. 1995
Established FKI Fai Komatsu Industries S.p.A. (renamed Komatsu Utility Europe S.p.A. in June 2000) in Italy.
Aug. 1995
Established Komatsu Shantui Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. in China.
May 1995
Established Komatsu Changlin Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. in China. (renamed Komatsu(Changzhou) Construction Machinery Corporation in November 2000. Became a wholly owned subsidiary in January 2022.)
Apr. 1995
Started sales of Excimer laser, as the main light source for next generation steppers.
June 1994
Established Komatsu Industries Corporation and Komatsu Machinery Corporation.
Oct. 1993
Established Komatsu Cummins Engine Co., Ltd. and Cummins Komatsu Engine Company, in Japan and the United States, respectively.
Nov. 1991
Made equity participation in Fai S.p.A. in Italy.
Oct. 1991
Established NS Komatsu Pty. Ltd., in Australia. (renamed Komatsu Australia Pty. Ltd. in June 2001)
Apr. 1991
Established the Komatsu Women's Judo Team.
1980s
Dec. 1989
Established Komatsu Europe International N.V. in Belgium to coordinate and expand Komatsu's operations in Europe.
Sept. 1989
Launched sales of fine plasma cutting machines.
July 1989
Made equity participation in Hanomag AG of Germany.
Sept. 1988
Established Komatsu Dresser Company in the United States.
Aug. 1986
Established Komatsu Industries Europe GmbH. in Germany.
Dec. 1985
Established Komatsu UK Ltd. in the United Kingdom.
Aug. 1985
Established Komatsu America Industries LLC in the United States.
Feb. 1985
Established Komatsu America Manufacturing Corp. in the United States.
Mar. 1984
Introduced laser machines to the market.
Dec. 1982
Established PT Komatsu Indonesia (production began in 1983) in Indonesia.
Nov. 1981
Received the Japan Quality Control Prize.
July 1980
Developed a super-large combination press line.
1970s
Feb. 1979
Established Komatsu Australia Pty., Ltd. in Australia.
Oct. 1977
Marketed the small-diameter pipe jacking system.
Apr. 1975
Komatsu do Brasil Ltda. produced the D50A bulldozer, marking Komatsu's first offshore production of construction equipment.
Sept. 1974
Established Dina Komatsu Nacional S.A. de C.V. in Mexico.
Apr. 1973
Completed construction of the Himi Plant for steel-castings.
Dec. 1972
Launched the business of small presses.
Jan. 1971
Established Komatsu Singapore Pte. Ltd. in Singapore.
Feb. 1970
Established Komatsu America Corp. in the United States.
1960s
Dec. 1968
Komatsu-made KD60 snow vehicles reached the South Pole.
Dec. 1968
Completed construction of an integrated production facility for diesel engines at the Oyama Plant.
May 1968
Began production of hydraulic excavators.
Jan. 1967
Established N.V. Komatsu Europe S.A., Komatsu's first overseas subsidiary in Belgium.
Mar. 1966
Completed construction of the present Tokyo Head Office (Komatsu Building).
1965
Began production of wheel loaders.
Dec. 1964
Reached agreement for a joint venture with International Harvester of the United States (terminated in January 1982).
Nov. 1964
Received the Deming Prize for quality control.
1964
Opened Komatsu's first overseas liaison office in India.
June 1963
Entered technology license tie-up with Bucyrus-Erie of the United States concerning hydraulic excavators (terminated in March 1981).
Dec. 1962
Opened the Oyama Plant.
Nov. 1961
Signed a technology tie-up agreement for the diesel engines with Cummins Engine Co., Inc. of the United States.
Sept. 1961
Introduced the company-wide quality control (QC) program.
Founding
Sept. 1958
Signed a technical assistance agreement with India's Ministry of Defense to locally manufacture tractors.
Oct. 1956
Exhibited construction equipment at Japan's Industrial Goods Fair in Beijing and Shanghai. Signed the first export contract of construction equipment for China.
Sept. 1956
Began production of shovel loaders.
Aug. 1955
Exported 400-ton multipurpose hydraulic presses to Argentina (Komatsu's first export of presses).
Jan. 1955
Exported motor graders to Argentina (Komatsu's first export of construction equipment).
Nov. 1953
Began production of dump trucks and special purpose vehicles.
Jan. 1953
Began production of forklift trucks.
Dec. 1952
Established the Kawasaki and Himi plants following the acquisitions of Ikegai Automobile Manufacturing Company and Chuetsu Electro Chemical Co., Ltd., respectively.
Oct. 1952
Began production of motor graders.
Oct. 1952
Opened the Osaka Plant.
Aug. 1951
Relocated head office from Ishikawa(Komatsu City) to Tokyo.
Feb. 1948
Began diesel engine production.
Dec. 1947
Introduced the D50 bulldozer.
Jan. 1943
Produced the Komatsu Model 1 Ground Leveling Machine (the prototype of Japan's bulldozers).
Nov. 1941
Began production of large hydraulic presses.
May 1938
Established the Awazu Plant.
Oct. 1935
Began production of high-grade castings and special steel materials after years of research.
July 1934
Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Opening price: JPY85.50)
Oct. 1931
Produced Japan's first crawler-type farm tractor.
1924
Komatsu built its first press, a 450-ton sheet-forming press.
May 1921
Komatsu Iron Works separated from Takeuchi Mining Co. to become Komatsu Ltd.
Jan. 1917
Takeuchi Mining Industry (founded in 1894) established Komatsu Iron Works to manufacture machine tools and mining equipment for in-house use.
