Founding Period (1914)

Agricultural equipment manufacturing company is born in Takasaki

Founder Tomijiro Yagi was born on May 17, 1897, in Kamikobana-machi, Takasaki City (formerly Rokugo Village, Gunma District) and established Yagi Farm Tools at 23 Ohashi-machi in March 1914. The location was right next to what is now JR Kita-Takasaki Station. In May 1884, service began between Ueno Station and Takasaki Station, and in October of the same year, the service extended to Yokokawa Station. Just 2.4 km from Takasaki Station, Iizuka Station (renamed Kita-Takasaki Station in 1919) was opened in October of the following year. This was because, in addition to passengers, cargo was expected to be collected and distributed here where Mikuni Kaido intersects. In fact, there was a large warehouse to the north of the station. Tomijiro Yagi established the company so close to the station because it was expected to be convenient for shipping materials and products.

Reconstruction Period (1946)

Launching out of ashes, hit products are born

Tomijiro Yagi changed the company name to YAGI INDUSTRIES and began reconstruction efforts in 1946 shortly after the war ended. The company began manufacturing agricultural equipment and the manufacture and sale of Yagi smoked charcoal equipment. In 1949, the plant was relocated to 71 Ohashi-machi near Kita-Takasaki, and in the following year, a casting plant was opened at 62 Namie-machi. In 1956, the head office was also relocated here.

Reform Period (1960)

Moving from Namie-machi to Shimokotori-machi

In 1960, a second plant was constructed at 1060 Shimokotori-machi, and in March 1961 the company was reorganized into a stockholder-owned company with a capital of 5 million yen, changing the company's name to YAGI INDUSTRIES CO., LTD., and Akira Yagi became company president. Business dealings with NSK started around this time, bringing the company's business into a period of dramatic change. In 1963, the head office was relocated from Namie-machi to Shimokotori-machi.

Growth Period (1961)

Entry into forging business paves way for growth

1961 was a year to remember, holding special significance in YAGI INDUSTRIES' history. It was in this year that business with NSK began, laying the foundation for reaching the milestone of 100 years in business. Around this time, Akira Yagi visited the United States and, seeing first-hand that every household had a car, he discovered a means of survival in fields related to the automotive industry. Business dealings with NSK began with processing of bearings. Bearings are an important automotive part, with each vehicle at the time containing 30 to 50 bearings. If the use of cars spread to the general public, there was the potential for explosive growth of the business.

Rapid Progress Period (1968)

Relocation to Kuragano and rapid progress

Fortuitously, the company was able to acquire an enormous 42,200 ㎡ site in the Kuragano Daido Minami Industrial Park (3121 Kuragano-machi, Takasaki City) and relocate its plant and head office there in 1968. At the time, Shimokotori Plant had already run out of room for additional equipment, so there was limited potential for further expanding the business. The decision to relocate to Kuragano where the company was able to acquire a large site turned out to be epoch-making for YAGI INDUSTRIES. If the biggest starting point for the growth that the company has enjoyed to this day was the launch of business dealings with NSK, then the endeavor into the forging business was the second step, and the third key turning point was relocating to Kuragano.

Expansion Period (1975)

Prolonged recession and achievement of improvement in quality

The late 1950s to early 1960s were a time when the forging industry was actively introducing the advanced technology of the United States and advanced European countries, but by the late 1960s, a mass production system was established to support motorization, and Japan passed West Germany to become No. 2 in the world. After this mass production era, by the late 1970s, Japan was producing top-level results in terms of technology as well. In 1975, the Small and Medium Enterprise Modernization Council issued the “Report on the State of Technological Development in the Forged Products Manufacturing Industry,” which called for improvements in pollution prevention, resource saving, energy saving, labor saving, etc., ushering in an age where efforts to create harmony between production and the environment were emphasized. Beginning in 1985 there was global competition in terms of quality, quantity, and price. This was a time when efforts to combine technologies and reduce costs through the use of computers advanced rapidly. At this time, efforts were launched on net shape forging, which forms complex parts into their final shape without scraping or adding heat like with precision forging and gear tooth forging. Starting from this period, the acceleration of globalization began to boost, encouraging the progress of these technologies.