YKK Group

Founded	Nihonbashi, Tokyo, Japan, 1936
Headquarters	Japan
Profit	JPY 3,828 million (2010)[1]
Total assets	JPY 689,593 Million (2010)[1]
Website	www.ykk.com

Close up of a YKK zipper on blue jeans

The YKK Group (YKKグループ, Waikeikei Gurūpu^?) is a Japanese group of manufacturing companies. As the world's largest zipper/zip manufacturer, YKK Group is most famous for making zippers; however, it also manufactures other fastening products, architectural products and industrial machinery.

The initials YKK stand for Yoshida Kōgyō Kabushiki Kaisha (吉田工業株式会社^?), Yoshida Manufacturing Corporation. More than 90% of all zips in the world are made in over 206 YKK facilities in 68 countries around the world, with the largest factory in Georgia, USA which produces more than 7 million zips per day. ^[2]

YKK claims to be the first zipper/zip company to promote environmental protection measures. YKK developed a line of "environmentally friendly zippers", following the company's philosophy "The Cycle of Goodness," which means that one prospers when one renders benefit to others.

History [link]

Pre World War II [link]

What would later become YKK operated initially as San-es Shokai and was founded by Tadao Yoshida in Higashi Nihonbashi, Tokyo within January 1934. The company specialized in production and marketing of fastening products. In February 1938 San-es Shokai renamed to Yoshida Kogyosho. WW2 was underway by 1939 and the next major corporate event would not take place until February 1942.

https://www.ykk.com/english/corporate/g_outline.html

After World War II [link]

In January 1946 the company registered the YKK trademark. A major technological change came in 1950, when the company purchased a chain machine from the U.S. that allowed the automation of the zip making process. Previously, YKK zips were made by hand, and hence had an inferior quality compared to automated zips from abroad.

In March 1951, YKK relocated its headquarters to Chūō, Tokyo. In May 1955, a new plant was opened in Kurobe, Toyama. In August 1958, the headquarters was again relocated to Taitō, Tokyo. In this year, the company also introduced its new Conceal brand that does not show the teeth of the zips. Another major step came in November 1959, with the opening of its first overseas location, producing YKK zippers in New Zealand. YKK's first US office opened in New York City in 1960 and now is the country's top supplier of zippers and other fastening devices such as snaps and buttons.

Diversification [link]

In November 1961, the product line was diversified to include aluminium products for buildings. In June 1963, the company relocated its headquarters again to Chiyoda, Tokyo, the current location of the company. In 1966, a new product YZip was introduced, an extra strong and durable zipper for jeans. The development of a machine that automatically included the YZip zipper into the stitching process of jeans further increased sales, especially in the USA. In 1968 YKK opened its first branch in Canada. Its Canadian headquarters are currently in Montreal, Quebec. There was further expansion in the 1970s, with the opening of three new plants in Utazu, Kagawa in April 1972, in Sanbongi, Miyagi in June 1974, and in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto in February 1975. YKK also opened a fastener making factory in Swaziland which has grown to supply the entire sub-saharan region including Madagascar and Mauritius.

More product lines became available with the Quicklon (sometimes called Cosmolon) fasteners in December 1981. International and product expansion continued durig the 1980s, with a real estate business in Singapore in December 1984, an agricultural business in Brazil in January 1985, and a plant in Indonesia in September 1986 producing zippers and aluminium parts for buildings. The company was finally renamed YKK in August 1994.

The new Millennium [link]

In July 2000, the company established YKK Newmax Co., Ltd, specializing in the production of snaps and buttons. In December 2002, a machine company was established in Suzhou, China. A company specializing in sales, YKK Fastening Products Sales Inc. was established in February 2003. YKK AP Inc. was founded in October 2003, specializing in architectural products.

Overall, the organization operates more than 123 affiliated companies in more than 70 countries, representing some 270 plants and offices with some 37,000 employees.

Price fixing [link]

On September 19, 2007 YKK was fined 150.3 million euros by the European Commission for running worldwide price-fixing cartels and sharing markets with zip-makers Prym and Coats. Coats of Britain and Prym of Germany were fined 122.4 million and 40.5 million euros respectively for their participation in cartel behaviour.^[3] YKK has lodged an appeal.

Products [link]

Fastening products [link]

Fastening products are the first and still the most important product of YKK. Within YKK, the company distinguishes between the Slide Fastener Division, the Textile and Plastic Products Division, and the Snap Fastener and Button Division.

• Zippers
  • Standard Metal
  • YZiP®: Metal zipper, extra durable for jeans
  • EverBright®: Metal zipper, polished for visual appeal and corrosion resistant
  • EXCELLA®: Metal zipper, polished and plated for visual appeal, also in different colors. [Available in silver, gold and antique finish.]
  • Standard Coil
  • CONCEAL®: Plastic coil zipper with concealed elements (no visible teeth)
  • VISLON®: Standard - rugged plastic zipper
• Hook and loop products, more commonly known under the Velcro brand name of a competitor.
• Plastic parts, including various types of clips and buckles
• Snaps and buttons, including snap fasteners and jeans buttons

Architectural products [link]

Architectural Aluminium products include fenestration systems for glass exteriors; entrances for commercial and institutional structures; Aluminium sunshades and residential windows. It is based based in Austell, Georgia, USA.

YKK AP America Inc. manufactures entrances, storefronts, curtain wall, window wall, sunshades, windows and sliding doors for office buildings, residential high-rises, schools, stadiums, shopping centers and institutional structures. ^[4]

Machinery and Engineering [link]

The Machinery and Engineering Group focuses on the development and production of machines, equipment, and dies, serving YKK Group with the Exclusive Machinery Division, Industrial Machinery Division, and Die Division.

Miscellaneous [link]

YKK aims for vertical integration, and also produces the dyed cloth and the brass for its zippers.

YKK was mentioned in U.S. Rap/R&B Group OutKast's song, "So Fresh, So Clean".

YKK was also mentioned in U.S. Rapper GZA's song "Lyrical Swords" by Ras Kass.

YKK is humorously referred to as being an acronym for "Y­ōkoso KoKo", which in Japanese means "welcome here".

Facilities [link]

YKK has manufacturing facilities in 68 countries. YKK also has the world’s largest zipper manufacturing center located in Macon, Georgia, USA, where they have 1200 employees.^[5]

References [link]

1. ^ ^{a b} "FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Consolidated : YKK GROUP". YKK GROUP. https://www.ykk.com/english/corporate/financial/highlights/consolidated.html. Retrieved 2010-12-08. 
2. ^ https://japanese.lingualift.com/blog/why-zips-have-ykk-on-them/
3. ^ Schomberg, William, "EU fines zip-makers over 328 mln euros for cartel", Reuters, Wed Sep 19, 2007
4. ^ Freebairn & Company, "YKK AP Wins Design Award: YKK AP® Wins International Design Excellence Award With Aid Of Agency Video", Friday, August 21, 2009
5. ^ YKK USA website

External links [link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: YKK Group

Companies portal

• (English) YKK Corporation homepage
• YKK America homepage
• YKK Fastening homepage
  • YKK Fastening USA homepage
  • YKK Snap Fasteners America Inc. homepage