HOME > COMPANY PROFILE YOSHIDA METAL INDUSTRY CO.,LTD (YOSHIKIN)'s basic company objective is the pursuit of new technologies and the exploration of new possibilities. Our strong sense of this goal is the reason we employ the best people and develop their talents and enthusiasm. YOSHIKIN operates according to the enthusiasm and thinking embodied in the new directive "forge one's own way!" We attach great importance to the flexibility existing in strength, and have made it our goal to pursue the true welfare in the daily living of our customers. YOSHIKIN's sound management, which is supported by our staff, and our technologies are considered valued assets. The enthusiastic drive of each and every staff member to improve quality forms the keystone of our reliable products. The long-term application of extensive knowledge, experience and technological development to create ingenious solutions has crystallize into YOSHIKIN's high-quality reliable products. YOSHIKIN has greatly expanded its investment in equipment since 1960 and now operates the perfect system to achieve both production and quality control. This strict quality inspection, adopting technology- and knowledge-intensive programs, has helped us to realize YOSHIKIN's superior product lineup. We are also working to protect our environment, and our head factory has focused efforts on facilities for the treatment of industrial waste and wastewater. All of YOSHIKIN's products are of the highest quality and are sold all over the world. It is our firm conviction that the supply of better products to greater number of people will help create a better world. YOSHIDA METAL INDUSTRY CO.,LTD. Address : 2078-3, Nishiota, Yoshida, Tsubame-city, Niigata Prefecture 959-0221 Japan TEL. +81-256-92-4191 FAX. +81-256-92-4037 Established : December 27, 1954 Capital : 40 million yen Business : 1. Manufacture and sales of the GLOBAL and GLOBAL-PRO knife lines. 2. Manufacture and sales of knife related products. Management : President Kiyoshi Ujita Executive Vice President Chuji Kamekura Director Isamu Kimura Director Hironobu Aoyagi Director Mitsuhiro Wada Auditor Osamu Hasegawa No. of employees : 102 Accounting period : December of each year Correspondent banks : Yoshida Branch of The Daishi Bank, Ltd. Yoshida Branch of The Hokuetsu Bank, Ltd. Headquarters of Kyoei Credit Cooperative, Ltd Niigata Branch of The Mitsubishi-Tokyo-UFJ Bank, Ltd. Roppongi Branch of The Mitsubishi-Tokyo-UFJ Bank, Ltd. Accounting period : December of each year Dec. 27, 1954 : YOSHIDA METAL INDUSTRY CO.,LTD is established. Dec. 1954 : Plant begins operation at 5432 Oaza Yoshida, Yoshida-machi, Nishikanbara-gun, Niigata Prefecture. (Capital: 2 million yen) Oct. 1956 : Relocation and construction of new plant at 203 Oaza Yoshida, Yoshida-machi. Jun. 1959 : Yuzo Watanabe is hired as representative director. Oct. 1960 : Construction of special stainless steel product plant. Commencement of production of the Bunmei Gincho brand, named by Japan Art Exhibition Judge (Nitten) Kyoryu Tanabe. Mar. 1961 : Niigata Prefecture recognizes the plant as a "good product plant." Apr. 1961 : Japan Food Sanitation Association designates the Bunmei Gincho as the first among its recommended products. (Recommendation No. 77. Commencement of supply to Japanese National Railways, Economic Unions (Nagano, Niigata), and the Japan Food Sanitation Association. Jun. 1964 : The Imperial Household Agency purchases the Bunmei Gincho at the Japan Athletic Meet in Niigata. Oct. 1965 : Commencement of new plant construction at 50-4, Oaza Matsuoka Shinden, Yoshida-machi. (Plant site = 11,500 square meters. Building area = 1,980 square meters.) Dec. 1965 : Capital increased to 4 million yen. Mar. 1966 : Completion of new plant equipped with special heat-treating and automatic machining and grinding facilities (custom-made machinery). Merging the high-grade tableware and Bunmei Gincho departments makes YOSHIDA METAL INDUSTRY CO.,LTD the only integrated manufacturer of forged stainless steel knives in Japan. (Investment in new plant = 150 million yen.) Dec. 1966 : Tokyo Sales Office opened to promote sales of Bunmei Gincho in Tokyo. Oct. 1967 : Representative director Yuzo Watanabe appointed chairman of the Yoshida-machi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Apr. 1968 : The Japan Sushi Shop Sanitary Association recommends the Bunmei Gincho. Nov. 1986 : Construction of new plant at 1447-3, Oaza Shimonakano, Yoshida-machi and commencement of operations. (Plant site: 3,307 square meters. Total building area: 1,723 square meters. Investment in new plant = 200 million yen.) Mar. 1986 : Capital increased to 20 million yen Oct. 1990 : The Ministry of International Trade and Industry selects the GLOBAL knife as a "Good Design" product. Jan. 1991 : GLOBAL knife introduced in the International Design Yearbook. Sep. 1992 : Kookguilde confers a cooking utensil award for 1992 upon the GLOBAL knife in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Jul. 1995 : GLOBAL knife selected as the No. 1 product in commodity tests conducted by British magazine WHICH. Nov. 1998 : Capital increased to 40 million yen Jul. 1999 : Sales office opened on the 3rd floor of the AXIS Building at 5-17-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo. Jan. 2001 : GLOBAL knife was covered in The New York Times. Apr. 2001 : Showroom opened on the 2nd floor and expanded Tokyo sales office on the 2nd and 3rd floor of the AXIS Building. Mar. 2002 : GLOBAL knife televised on the Hi-Vision special program of NHK. Oct. 2002 : GLOBAL knife received the prestigious "Long Life Design" award by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Mar. 2004 : Participated in capacity as main Supporting Sponsor in the WACS World Congress, Dublin, Ireland. Jan. 2005 : Participated as one of the Supporting Sponsor at the Bocuse d'Or 10th World Cuisine Contest, Lyon, France. Mar. 2005 : Yuzo Watanabe is hired as Chairman. Hideyo Watanabe is hired as President. Jan. 2007 : Participated as one of the Supporting Sponsor at the Bocuse d'Or 11th World Cuisine Contest, Lyon, France. Oct. 2008 : Kiyoshi Ujita is hired as President. Dec. 2008 : Relocation and construction of new plant at 2078-3 Nishiota, Yoshida, Tsubame-city, Niigata. As of Mar. 2009