Kishiro Co., Ltd.

Kishiro Co., Ltd. (株式会社きしろ) is a Japanese heavy-machining manufacturer headquartered in Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture. Founded in 1915 as a marine engine maker, the company today specializes in the large-scale cutting and machining of heavy cast and forged steel products, welded structures and industrial plant equipment. Its core competence is the precision machining of very large components — from marine engine parts to power-generation turbine casings and aircraft engine components — combining NC technology with the finishing skills of experienced craftsmen. The company's most distinctive claim is in marine engine components: it states a world share of 45% in the manufacture of marine crankshafts (Wikipedia cites 40%), supplying shafts, connecting rods, piston rods and cylinder frames to shipbuilders worldwide. Beyond marine, Kishiro has expanded into the energy sector (exhaust casings, high/medium/low-pressure casings, casks, shells, rotors for hydro, thermal and nuclear power), the aircraft sector (jet engine parts, airframe and wing parts, landing gear, supported by JIS Q 9100 certification and the dedicated Harima Seiki plant), industrial machinery (kiln tyres, crusher parts, tyre vulcanizing machine parts), steelmaking equipment (couplings, spindles, back-up rolls) and infrastructure (shield tunnelling machines, cable bands, tower saddles). Kishiro operates several plants in Hyogo Prefecture: the Harima Plant (Harima-cho), the Tsuchiyama Plant (Kakogawa), the Takasago Plant (inside Kobe Steel's Takasago Works) and the Harima Seiki Plant. The group also includes Meiseki Kasei Kogyo (plastics injection moulding), Kishiro Shoji (sales) and Kishiro Technology. The company is privately held, with capital of 94,000,000 yen and approximately 300 employees. It has been recognized by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as a "Regional Future Leading Company" (地域未来牽引企業). Kishiro also operates solar power generation (a 10,000 kW total output solar plant) and holds naming rights to the Hyogo Prefectural Kishiro Stadium in Akashi Park.

Kishiro was founded in 1915 (Taisho 4) in Akashi City by Shigeyuki Kishiro, formerly of Osaka Diesel, as a private venture to manufacture marine engines under the name 'Kishiro Engine' (きしろ発動機). In 1926 it was reorganized into a joint-stock company. During World War II, in 1944, it was merged into Kanegafuchi Spinning Co. under pressure from the Imperial Japanese Navy. After the war, in 1945, Kinji Matsumoto, who had been the head of the manufacturing division, led a re-establishment as Kishiro Engine Co., Ltd. In 1947 the company bought back the Akashi Machinery Works from Kanegafuchi and resumed engine production. In 1953 Kishiro shifted its business to the cutting and machining of cast and forged steel products, and in 1955 it launched a plastics division for injection moulding. Engine manufacturing was discontinued in 1959. In 1960 the plastics division was spun off as Meiseki Kasei Kogyo Co., Ltd. The Tsuchiyama Plant was completed in 1968, followed by the Wada Plant in 1969. In 1972 Yoshio Matsumoto became president. In 1973 the Harima Plant was completed and the sales division was spun off as Kishiro Shoji Co., Ltd. In 1989 the Ono Plant of Meiseki Kasei Kogyo was completed, the Kishiro Canning Plant was completed, and the gardening division Nice Green was established. In 1991 the company changed its name to Kishiro Co., Ltd. (株式会社きしろ). The headquarters moved to its current location in 2004. In 2009 Yoshio Matsumoto became chairman and Yoshitaka Matsumoto became president; ISO 9001 certification was obtained. The Takasago Plant was completed in 2010. In 2013 production lines from the Inami Plant were consolidated into the Ono Plant, and a 1.7 MW solar power facility was opened at the Inami Plant. In 2014 the company obtained JIS Q 9100 (aerospace quality management) certification. The Harima Seiki Plant, dedicated to aircraft component machining, was completed in 2015. In 2017 Kishiro was selected by METI as a 'Regional Future Leading Company'. The company continues to invest in advanced machine tools, including a horizontal boring machine with a 60-ton rotary table introduced at the Harima Plant in 2026.

• 2026

  Introduced latest horizontal boring machine at Harima Plant

• 2017

  Selected as 'Regional Future Leading Company' by METI

• 2015

  Harima Seiki Plant completed

• 2014

  Obtained JIS Q 9100 certification

• 2013

  Consolidated Inami Plant lines into Ono Plant; opened 1.7 MW solar facility

• 2010

  Takasago Plant completed

• 2009

  Yoshio Matsumoto became chairman, Yoshitaka Matsumoto became president; ISO 9001 certified

• 2004

  Headquarters moved to current location

• 1991

  Company name changed to Kishiro Co., Ltd.

• 1989

  Ono Plant completed; Kishiro Canning Plant completed; Nice Green established

• 1973

  Harima Plant completed; Kishiro Shoji established

• 1972

  Yoshio Matsumoto became president

• 1969

  Wada Plant completed

• 1968

  Tsuchiyama Plant completed

• 1960

  Spun off plastics division as Meiseki Kasei Kogyo Co., Ltd.

• 1959

  Withdrew from engine manufacturing

• 1955

  Launched plastics division for injection moulding

• 1953

  Shifted to cutting and machining of cast and forged steel

• 1947

  Bought back Akashi Machinery Works and resumed engine production

• 1945

  Re-established as Kishiro Engine Co., Ltd.

• 1944

  Merged into Kanegafuchi Spinning under Navy direction

• 1926

  Reorganized as a joint-stock company

• 1915

  Founded in Akashi as a private marine engine manufacturer by Shigeyuki Kishiro

High-precision, ultra-large-scale machining specialist combining NC technology with master craftsmanship; a trusted supplier to Japan's heavy industry and global shipbuilding.

• Marine crankshafts

  World share 45% per company, 40% per Wikipedia

• Propulsion shafts, intermediate shafts, connecting rods, piston rods, cylinder frames

• Jet engine parts, airframe and wing parts, landing gear

• Exhaust casings, high/medium/low-pressure casings, casks, shells, rotors

• Kiln tyres, crusher parts, tyre vulcanizing machine parts, LCD parts

• Couplings, spindle shafts, back-up rolls, press-down screws

• Shield tunnelling machines, cable bands, tower saddles, winding drums, self-propelled carriages

1. 1KISHIRO GROUP official websitekishiro-g.co.jp
2. 2KISHIRO GROUP | ABOUTkishiro-g.co.jp
3. 3製品紹介 | KISHIRO GROUPkishiro-g.co.jp
4. 4きしろ - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org
5. 5Kishiro - Wikidatawikidata.org