Ashimori’s History Challenge and Evolution in New Fields

Building on the rope-making technologies of our original business, we aim for globally recognized excellence through wide-ranging contributions to society that include the manufacture of textiles for industry and the safety and renewal fields.

  • 1878
  • 1950
  • 1960
  • 1980
  • 2000
  • 2023

1878

Foundation: Rope-making Begins

At a time when spinning factories were sprouting up in Osaka, company founder Ashimori Buhei the 10th believed that cotton yarn was a key to industrial advancement and a product sure to be in ever greater demand. He was the first in Japan to succeed in using a machine to make cotton rope used as a means to transmit power from one engine to multiple machines.

  • 1878

    Company founder Ashimori Buhei the 10th begins trading in cotton and linen.

  • 1885

    Establishes a rope factory in Tamae-cho, Osaka to manufacture cotton power transmission ropes.

  • 1887

    Begins manufacturing spindle bands for spinning.

  • 1894

    Names the company Ashimori Rope Works.

  • 1908

    Completes the Juso Factory.

  • 1919

    Begins manufacturing spindle tapes for spinning.

  • 1928

    Holds a 50th anniversary ceremony.

  • 1935

    Reorganizes as a joint-stock company named Ashimori Rope Works.

  • 1944

    Changes the company name to Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.

1950

Starts Fire Hose Business

A rapid decline in demand for cotton power transmissions ropes forced Ashimori to diversify its business. The company leveraged its fundamental technologies in plain-weave looms and fiber and embarked on developing fire hoses. It was the first in Japan to successfully manufacture cotton and nylon fire hoses that were leak proof thanks to latex rubber lining.

  • 1950

    Company listed on the Osaka Securities Exchange.

  • 1952

    Succeeds in the development of the latex rubber-lined JET HOSE fire hose and begins its manufacture.

  • 1953

    Begins manufacturing synthetic fiber ropes.

  • 1954

    Begins manufacturing inside belts for clothing.

  • 1959

    Obtains NK Standard approval for Cremona rope and nylon rope.

1960

Enters Field of Automotive Safety Systems

With car seatbelts becoming mandatory in the U.S., increased demand was anticipated in Japan as well. Using its years of know-how in weaving, Ashimori began developing and manufacturing car seatbelts. Driver-side seatbelts soon became mandatory on all new cars in Japan.

  • 1960

    Relocates the head office to Higashi-ku, Osaka and builds a new factory in Senrioka, Settsu.
    Begins manufacturing synthetic fiber canvas.

  • 1961

    Company listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
    Obtains UL (U.S.) approval for JET HOSE fire hoses.

  • 1962

    Begins manufacturing Auto Friend automotive seatbelts.

    Establishes Jet Trading Co., Ltd.

  • 1963

    Relocates the Tokyo Office to Chuo-ku, Tokyo.

  • 1966

    Concludes technological agreement with Angus Fire Armour Ltd. in the U.K. for a new type of hose.

  • 1967

    Obtains JIS (Japan) approval, a first for an automotive seatbelt manufacturer.

  • 1968

    Obtains FMVSS (U.S.) approval for automotive seatbelts.

  • 1969

    Establishes Ashimori Textile Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (liquidated in 2019).
    Establishes the hose reversal continuous manufacturing method.

  • 1970

    Concludes technological agreement with Granges Essem AB in Sweden for automotive seatbelts.

  • 1972

    Obtains JIS (Japan) approval for synthetic fiber ropes.

  • 1976

    Begins manufacturing Abaline, a sort of fishing net.
    Obtains EC approval for automotive seatbelts.
    Begins manufacturing tapered tapes.

  • 1977

    Obtains ADR (Australia) approval for automotive seatbelts.

  • 1979

    Begins manufacturing Tightener cargo-lashing systems.

1980

Starts Pipeline Rehabilitation Business

Ashimori applied the secondary processing techniques for fiber passed down through generations and the polymer chemistry technologies built up in making fire hoses as the company embarked on new technology development. To deal with the problem of aging buried pipelines, Ashimori developed PALTEM, a new pipeline rehabilitation technology (hose lining method) that was the first of its kind in Japan.

  • 1980

    Completes development of PALTEM (Pipeline Automatic Lining System).

  • 1981

    Establishes Ashimori Engineering Co., Ltd.

  • 1982

    Exports Abaline production facilities to AS Fiskevegn in Norway.

  • 1983

    Establishes the Japan Hose Lining Association.
    Begins manufacturing Light Series engineering plastic-lined hoses.
    Exports seatbelt production line to Min Foung Industry Co., Ltd. in Taiwan.

  • 1985

    Establishes the Fukui Plant in Obama.
    Introduces a CI (corporate identity) strategy.
    Holds a ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of incorporation (107th anniversary of company founding).

  • 1986

    Establishes Ashimori Real Estate Co., Ltd. (liquidated in 2015).
    Establishes a new Tokyo plant in Kawaguchi (currently the Tokyo Office of Ashimori Engineering Co., Ltd.).
    Exports JET HOSE fire hose production facilities to the Tianjin First Woven Belt Factory in China.
    Concludes business agreement with Allied Signal Inc. in the U.S. for automotive seatbelts.

  • 1987

    Makes the first PALTEM installation outside Japan: for British Gas in London.
    Concludes technical support agreement with Narong Industry Co., Ltd. in Thailand for automotive seatbelts.

  • 1988

    Relocates the Tokyo Office to Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo.
    Relocates the head office to a new building in Nishi-ku, Osaka.

  • 1989

    Establishes Ashimori Europe Ltd. in London, U.K.

    Begins manufacturing airbags.

  • 1990

    Reorganizes the company into a business division structure.
    Establishes the Hofu Plant in Hofu, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
    Completes development of the PALTEM-SZ sheet piping method.
    Completes development of the twill Light Alpha Series fire hose.

  • 1991

    Begins manufacturing Air Roll cargo-transportation system.

    Obtains ASTM certification for the PALTEM-HL method.

  • 1992

    Completes development of the PALTEM-Apollo pipe repair method.
    Signs a PALTEM licensing agreement with Insituform Mid-America, Inc. in the U.S.

  • 1993

    Concludes technical support agreement with Abhishek Auto Industries Ltd. in India for automotive seatbelts.
    Completes a seatbelt retractor automatic assembly line.

  • 1994

    Exports fire hose production facilities to Shanghai Huasen Fire Hose Ind. Co. in China.
    Receives the Asahi Shimbun Invention Prize in the National Invention Awards for the PALTEM-HL method.
    Releases ACRS baby/infant car seats.

  • 1995

    Begins manufacturing City Guy Fabric, a tubular fabric with various diameters.
    Establishes the PALTEM SZ Association.

  • 1996

    Relocates the Tokyo Office to Chuo-ku, Tokyo.
    Signs a PALTEM licensing agreement in South Korea and Taiwan.
    Ashimori Engineering Co., Ltd. celebrates its 15th anniversary.
    Acquires ISO 9002 certification (Automotive Safety Systems Business Division).

  • 1997

    Completes development of the PALTEM Flepp method for low-pressure pipes.

  • 1998

    Establishes KPN Ashimori Co., Ltd. in Thailand.

    Holds a 120th anniversary ceremony.

  • 1999

    Signs a joint venture agreement with Delphi Automotive Systems.
    Acquires ISO 9001 and QS 9000 certification (Automotive Safety Systems Business Division).

2000

Expands Overseas, Establishes Drivers of Growth

In the automotive safety systems business, Ashimori built its first factory outside Japan, in Thailand. The company went on to accelerate its global push by establishing strategic overseas bases for greater procurement capability, improved cost competitiveness, and wider sales routes. In Japan, Ashimori expanded its production system by establishing factories in numerous locations.
In the high performance products business, Ashimori strengthened business and expanded operations through moves including acquisitions of companies dealing in logistics machinery and pipeline rehabilitation work.

  • 2000

    Establishes Ashimori America Limited Liability Company.

  • 2001

    Acquires ISO 9001 certification. (Disaster Prevention Division, PALTEM Division, and Industrial Materials Division).
    Establishes the PALTEM Flow-Ring Association.

  • 2002

    Acquires ISO 14001 certification (Osaka Plant).
    Renews ISO 9001 certification. (Renews to ISO 9001:2000 following revision of ISO 9001:1994.)

  • 2003

    Establishes the Shanghai Office in China.
    KPN Ashimori Co., Ltd. renamed Ashimori (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

  • 2004

    Ashimori (Thailand) Co., Ltd. factory relocates to a new building to increase production capacity.

  • 2005

    Establishes Ashimori Technology (Wuxi) Co., Ltd. in China.
    The sewerage subcommittee of the Japan Hose Lining Association is merged with the PALTEM SZ Association to form the PALTEM Systems Association.
    Acquires ISO/TS 16949 certification (Automotive Safety Systems Business Division).
    Renews ISO 14001 certification. (Renews to ISO 14001:2004 following revision of ISO 14001:1996.)

  • 2006

    The PALTEM Flow-Ring Association is merged into the PALTEM Systems Association.

  • 2007

    Terminates the joint venture agreement with Delphi Automotive Systems.
    Liquidates Ashimori America Limited Liability Company.

  • 2008

    Establishes Ashimori Industry Yamaguchi Co., Ltd.
    Establishes the Hamamatsu Plant in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture.
    Former JIS labeling permit expires due to a revision in the Industrial Standardization Act.

  • 2009

    Establishes Ashimori India Private Limited.
    Renews ISO 9001 certification. (Renews to ISO 9001:2008 following revision of ISO 9001:2000.)

  • 2010

    Shuts down the Hofu Plant.
    Establishes second plant of Ashimori Industry Yamaguchi Co., Ltd.
    Renews ISO/TS 16949 certification. (Renews to ISO/TS 16949:2009 following revision of ISO/TS 16949:2002.)

  • 2011

    Establishes Ashimori Korea Co., Ltd. in South Korea.

  • 2012

    Establishes Ashimori Industria de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.

  • 2013

    Establishes Wuxi International Trade Co., Ltd. in China.
    The water supply subcommittee of the Japan Hose Lining Association is merged into the PALTEM Systems Association.

  • 2014

    Relocates the Tokyo Office to Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.

  • 2015

    Establishes the Sapporo Office in Sapporo, Hokkaido.

  • 2016

    Acquires Allsafe Japan Ltd.
    Establishes the Tohoku, Chubu, and Kyushu Offices. Renames the Sapporo Office the Hokkaido Office.

  • 2017

    Establishes the Europe Office in Germany.
    Relocates and integrates head office functions to the Osaka Plant. The Osaka Plant is renamed Head Office and Osaka Plant. Establishes the Osaka Office.
    Acquires Shibata Industry Co., Ltd.
    Renews ISO 14001 certification. (Renews to ISO 14001:2015 following revision of ISO 14001:2004.)
    Renews ISO 9001 certification. (Renews to ISO 9001:2015 following revision of ISO 9001:2008.)

  • 2018

    Renews IATF 16949 certification. (Renews to IATF 16949:2016 following revision of ISO/TS 16949:2009.)

  • 2019

    Establishes Ashimori Europe GmbH by making the Europe Office in Germany a local subsidiary.

  • 2022

    Moves to the Prime Market on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

2023

New Ashimori Vision 2028
Globally Recognized Excellence

  • 2023

    Moves to the Standard Market on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Ashimori Industry at a Glance