| 1926 |
Dr. Keikichi Ebihara of the Okochi
Research Laboratory of the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research invented
a manufacturing method for piston rings that insured uniform pressure on the
inner wall of the cylinders. Patents were obtained from various countries. |
| 1927 |
In order to commercialize the inventions
of the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, Rikagaku Kogyo was established
(predecessor of the Riken Corporation) with a capitalization of ¥3,000,000.
The company was the first to begin the mass production of piston rings in Japan. |
| 1932 |
The Kashiwazaki plant was constructed
in Niigata Prefecture. |
| 1934 |
The Kawashizaki plant was separated
from Rikagaku Kogyo and the Riken Piston Ring Co. was established with a capitalization
of ¥6,000,000. |
| 1938 |
The Riken Piston Ring Co. manufactured
various machinery, measuring instruments, special steel and tools, as well as
piston rings. The company merged with Riken Special Steels Co. and the name was
changed to Riken Heavy Industries Co. which had a capitalization of ¥30,000,000. |
| 1939 |
A plant was constructed in Kumagaya,
Saitama Prefecture to manufacture piston rings for automobiles and airplanes. |
| 1941 |
Riken Heavy Industries Co. merged
with Riken Rolling Industries Co., Riken Forging, Riken Machine Tools Co., Riken
Steel Co., Riken Foundry Co. and Rikagaku Kogyo, companies of the RIKEN Konzern,
and changed its name to RIKEN Industries Co. The company had 26 plants and was
capitalized at ¥70,000,000. |
| 1942 |
Piston rings were successfully
manufactured using an ERU type electric furnace. This was the first melting of
cast iron in an electric furnace in Japan. |
| 1945 |
All plants stopped operation at
the end of the Second World War. A manufacturing license was obtained from GHQ
to make automobile piston rings, cast iron products and agricultural equipment
to establish peacetime industrial operation. |
| 1948 |
The manufacture of TOP brand fittings
began. |
| 1949 |
The Riken Industries Co. was separated
into 11 companies. Two of these were relaunched as Riken Kashiwazaki Piston Ring
Industries Co. (capitalized at ¥20,000,000) and Riken Kumagaya Cast Iron
Co. (capitalized at ¥10,000,000). |
| 1950 |
Riken Kashiwazki Piston Ring Industries
Co. became Riken Piston Ring Industries Co. |
| 1951 |
Riken Kumagaya Cast Iron Co. became
Kumagaya Cast Iron Co. |
| 1953 |
Riken Piston Ring Industries Co.
and Kumagaya Cast Iron Co. merged. |
| 1956 |
Awarded the Okochi Commemorative
Production Award by the Okochi Commemorative Association for "Improvement of
Mass Production Methods for Piston Rings." The company applied for a manufacturing
patent for a high ductility aluminum steel alloy ( alloy). |
| 1957 |
Entered into a technical tie-up
with the Shaw Process Co. of the U.K. for the Shaw process, a precision casting
method.
Started the manufacture and sale of LA couplings. |
| 1958 |
The company began to manufacture
and sell electric resistance materials in alloys (heating wire, heat resistant
structural materials and electric resistance materials) under the PYROMAX brand
product name. |
| 1961 |
Entered into a technical tie-up
with Hastings Corp. of the U.S. for a steel oil ring assembly (under the RIK-VENT
product name). |
| 1964 |
The 3rd International Shaw Process
Conference was at the Riken Central Research Center. Patents were obtained in
various countries for RIK-HISIAL, a wear resistant aluminum alloy. |
| 1968 |
Established Taiwan Riken Ind. Co.,
a joint venture with Yuen Foong Group to manufacture and sell piston rings, cylinder
liners, and cylinder blocks in Taiwan. |
| 1970 |
Introduced technology for LUCAS
incineration equipment from the U.K. |
| 1973 |
Established Siam Riken Ind. Co.,
Ltd. a joint venture with Siam Motor Co., to manufacture and sell piston rings
in Thailand. |
| 1974 |
Established Riken of America, Inc.
to sell piston rings etc. in the United States. |
| 1975 |
Capitalization increased to ¥3.5
billion. Began the manufacture and sale of PYRORIK industrial furnaces. Established
P.T. Sri Riken Vigna Indonesia (The corporate name has been changed to P.T. Pakarti
Riken Indonesia.),a joint venture with Meiwa Corporation and local business conglomerates,
to manufactureand sell cast iron products. Began the manufacture and sale of
sintered alloy valve seat for lead-free gasoline. |
| 1976 |
Began the manufacture and sale
of MR JOINT stainless pipe fittings. |
| 1977 |
Commenced operation of an automatic
machining line for piston ring production operation |
| 1978 |
Completed the startup of a RIKEN
LUCAS fluid bed furnace with a drying stage. Exports reached a record 13.8% of
production. |
| 1979 |
The corporate name was changed
to Riken Corporation. Celebrated the 30th anniversary of its founding. |
| 1980 |
Awarded the Okochi Commemorative
Production Award by the Okochi Commemorative Association for "Development of
an automatic machining line for piston ring production operation" |
| 1981 |
Capitalization was increased to ¥4.2
billion. |
| 1983 |
Completed the construction of the
Tsurugi plant, a plant that would focus on steel ring production.
Established Euro-Riken GMBH to sell piston rings etc. in Europe. |
| 1986 |
Established Shriram Pistons & Rings
Ltd., a joint venture with Shriram Automotive Products Ltd., to manufacture and
sell piston rings in India. |
| 1988 |
Established Riken of Korea Inc.,
a joint venture with Korea Riken Industries Co. to manufacture and sell piston
rings in Korea. Established Riken of Korea Inc., a joint venture with Korea Riken
Industries Co. to manufacture and sell piston rings in Korea. |
| 1989 |
Established Allied Ring Corporation,
a US-based joint venture with Sealed Power Corporation, to manufacture and sell
piston rings in America. Taiwan Riken Ind. Co., Ltd. established Xiamen Riken
Ind. Co., Ltd. as the first affiliate of Riken Group in China. |
| 1990 |
Capitalization increased to ¥6.1
billion. |
| 1991 |
Constructed a R&D center in Kumagaya. |
| 1992 |
Began the manufacture and sale
of Riflon, seal rings for hydraulic equipment. |
| 1994 |
Received the TPM Award for Excellence
(Kumagaya and Kashiwazaki) Entered into a technical tie-up with Intermet Corporation
for the production of cast iron products.
Entered into a technical tie-up with Grede Foundries Inc., for the production
of cast iron products. |
| 1996 |
Capitalization increased to ¥7.9
billion. |
| 1997 |
Obtained ISO 9001 certification
(Piston Ring Department) Dana Corporation acquired Sealed Power Division and
assumed a position as Riken's joint venture partner in Allied Ring Corporation.
Capitalization increased to ¥8.5 billion.
Received Award for Excellence in Consistent TPM Commitment. |
| 1998 |
Began the sale of high frequency
pyramidal ferrite absorbers. |
| 1999 |
Celebrated the 50th anniversary
of its founding. Entered into a technical tie-up with Dana-Albarus for the production
of piston rings in Brazil for Volkswagen Brazil. |
| 2000 |
Signed a memorandum of understanding
related toa global piston ring alliance with Dana Corporation .
Began the manufacture and sale of SUS-FIT stainless pipe fittings. |
| 2001 |
Obtained ISO 14001 certifications
(Kashiwazaki and Kumagaya) |
| 2002 |
Established a call center for pipe-fitting
business. |
| 2003 |
Obtained ISO9001:2000 Certificates
Siam Riken Ind. Co., Ltd. opened new piston ring plant and began production.
Established Jakarta Representative Office.
Obtained Q1 Certification from Ford Motor Co.
Acquired shares in Shriram Pistons & Rings Ltd. and applied equity method. |
| 2004 |
Obtained ISO/TS 16949:2002 Certificates.
Established Riken Automobile Parts(Wuhan)Co., Ltd. as the second manufacturing
plant of piston rings in China. |
| 2006 |
Xiamen Riken constructed anew
plant as a supply facility of as-cast hollow camshafts for global market. |
| 2007 |
Signed a memorandum
of understanding related to a global cooperation and R&D collaboration with MAHLE
GmbH.
The Niigataken Chuetsu-oki Earthquake which occurred July 16th affected Plants
and affiliates in Kashiwazaki area to stop production. They resumed production
except a few production lines on July 23rd. |
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