History

In 1895, Nippon Oil established an ironworks in Niigata to repair and manufacture drilling equipment and refining facilities in order to support the rapidly expanding domestic oil industry.

At the time, the advancement of oil field development made mechanization indispensable, and there was a need to establish a system for in-house equipment maintenance and supply. Ironworks were positioned as the key to this, and efforts were made to train engineers and improve equipment.

Chief Events

1895(28)

Nippon Oil establishes ironworks for the purpose of repairing and manufacturing drilling and refining equipment.

1899(32)

Expanding the manufacturing of oil field-related equipment such as pumps and boilers.

1907(40)

We began manufacturing machine tools and strengthened our machining technology.

In 1910, the machinery division of Nippon Oil became independent as "Niigata Iron Works Co., Ltd.," and began its journey to becoming a comprehensive machinery manufacturer in earnest.

Based on the technology cultivated in the design and manufacture of oil drilling machinery, the company has expanded its business domain to include marine engines, industrial machinery, and infrastructure-related equipment. By establishing design capabilities and a production system capable of handling large-scale equipment, it has established itself as a pioneering company in the machinery industry that supports the modernization of Japan.

Initially, the company focused on manufacturing its own equipment, but in response to a request from the Japanese government, it embarked on full-scale machine manufacturing. In 1911 (Taisho 1), it began developing and manufacturing machine tools as one of its product lines. This laid the foundation for its later machine tool business.

Chief Events

1910(43)

Transitioned to full-fledged corporate management as Niigata Iron Works Co., Ltd.

1911(Taisho 1st year)

Started manufacturing machine tools as our main product line.

1917(Taisho 6)

Started manufacturing universal milling machines

1929(4)

Relocation of machine tool production to Niigata

After World War II, our company focused on rebuilding our factories and restructuring our production system, while also working to expand into new business areas.

In response to the growing demand for reconstruction, we have upgraded our facilities and established a system to supply a diverse range of products, including ships, plants, and industrial machinery. We will continue to move forward as a machinery manufacturer that supports Japan's reconstruction and industrial development.

In the field of machine tools, we have partnered with Sandstrand Corporation of the United States to enhance production technologies such as milling machines and automatic lathes, and have also begun developing NC machine tools using our own technology.

Then, in 1961, we developed the "22SMEVN" NC milling machine, our first NC machine tool. This marked the beginning of our full-scale development of machine tools centered on NC technology.

Chief Events

1945(20)

End of the war. Factory restoration and resumption of production begin.

1954(29)

Technology partnership with Sandstrand Corporation, USA

1961(36)

Our first numerically controlled (NC) machine tool, the NC milling machine 22SMEVN, has been completed.

Following the Niigata earthquake, we decided to relocate from the Yamanoshita area to the Ogata area to further strengthen our business foundation. We moved the factories for the internal combustion engine, machine tool, and casting divisions, excluding the shipbuilding division, and completed a factory with state-of-the-art equipment for its time.

Meanwhile, Japan entered a period of rapid economic growth, and the machinery industry began to move at a rapid pace toward efficiency and labor saving. Our company also proceeded with the development of machining centers as machines that met the needs of the times. The development policy at the time was "a machine that can perform multi-face machining as much as possible in a single setup," and we exhibited our first full-fledged machining center, the "50DIU," at the 4th Tokyo International Trade Fair (now JIMTOF), marking the beginning of machining centers in Japan.

Chief Events

1964(39)

The Niigata earthquake struck. Production resumed in approximately one month.

1968(43)

The "50DIU," a full-fledged machining center with a spindle head that rotates both vertically and horizontally, has been completed.

1969(44)

The Niigata factory will be completely relocated to its current location.

Amidst the severe economic environment caused by the oil crisis, there was a strong demand for energy conservation and increased efficiency. Against this backdrop, in the machine tool sector, we developed a new series of machining centers that pursue systematization, high precision, and high rigidity, as well as the world's first unmanned nighttime operation, creating a system that can maintain competitiveness even during a long recession.

To further enhance its technological capabilities, the company partnered with Sandstrand Corporation of the United States and released the "OM-3," the world's highest-grade omni-mill with simultaneous 5-axis control. Subsequently, aiming for wider adoption, the company incorporated the technology of the "OM-1" and exhibited at the 6th Tokyo International Trade Fair (now JIMTOF). The exhibit received a great response at the venue and became a pioneer in DC servo high-speed machining centers in Japan.

Subsequently, as machining centers rapidly spread to small and medium-sized enterprises, we began selling the "HN50," a horizontal machining center that achieved high speed and performance at a low price. This machine, which was the first in Japan to adopt a "column movement type," is an innovative model that established the basic form of horizontal machining centers in Japan. The "HN" series has continued to evolve with the times and has been passed down to the present day, and is loved by many customers.

Chief Events

1972(47)

OM-3 is released.
We exhibited the OM-1 Omnimill at the Tokyo International Trade Fair (now JIMTOF).

1973(48)

The first oil crisis occurred.

1975(50)

Sales of the double-column, center-spindle horizontal machining center "HN50" have begun (Japan's first column-moving horizontal machining center).

1976(51)

World's first unmanned nighttime operation system for machining centers developed.

1988(63)

World's first 10 RPM spindle "UHS-10" developed.

As the Heisei era began, amidst a challenging business environment characterized by stagnant capital investment, the manufacturing sector became increasingly required to strengthen its international competitiveness, and further improvements in productivity were expected from machine tools.

To meet these needs, our company promoted the development of high-speed and high-efficiency machining centers. We advanced technological developments such as improving spindle performance and feed rates to adapt to the era of high-speed machining.

In 1994, we developed the horizontal machining center "SPN50." This machine significantly reduced non-cutting time and adopted Japan's first double-box structure, "BOX in BOX®," achieving both high rigidity and high productivity. This machine served as the prototype for our high-speed machining centers.

Chief Events

1994(Heisei 6)

Development of the high-speed horizontal machining center "SPN series"

2000(Heisei 12)

Development of the powerful NC milling machine "JK Series" for top and bottom surface machining.

In 2003, Niigata Machine Techno Co., Ltd. was established, inheriting the machine tool division of Niigata Iron Works, which had earned a high reputation both domestically and internationally.

Building upon our established expertise in large-scale machinery manufacturing and high-rigidity technology, we accelerated the development of new products. We reorganized our main product lines, including the "ULTY" and "JK" series, strengthening our development capabilities and rebuilding our market base.

In the mid-2000s, the company successively introduced new series of NC milling machines and horizontal machining centers, re-establishing its presence as a machine tool manufacturer.

Chief Events

2001(Heisei 13)

Developed High-rigid horizontal machining center "HN-D series".

2003(Heisei 15)

Niigata Machine Techno Co., Ltd. established.

2005(Heisei 17)

Developed "JK1500 High Feed Specification" and "ULTY01 Series"

2008(Heisei 20)

Niigata Machinery Service Co., Ltd. was absorbed and merged.

Since 2009, in response to the need to balance environmental responsibility with productivity improvements, we have strengthened our technological investments toward higher precision and higher speed. We have increased the speed of our large-scale machines and expanded our lineup of horizontal machining centers and high-output milling machines. We have also developed green packaging and begun supporting customers who are working to reduce their environmental impact.

We have achieved a balance between environmental friendliness and productivity, and built a foundation to support next-generation manufacturing.

Chief Events

2010(Heisei 22)

Development of the "HN-S" and "HN-E" series / Establishment of a local subsidiary in Shanghai

2014(Heisei 26)

Development of "HN-V" and "HN-5X"

Since 2015, market globalization has accelerated, leading to increased demand overseas and a need to respond to local production and supply.

In response, we established a production base in Ningbo, China, to strengthen our response to the Chinese market.

Furthermore, we developed the "N7" series with the aim of expanding into overseas markets, and have now fully launched our global expansion.

In addition, the need for automation has increased due to labor shortages and the need to improve productivity, so we have promoted automation using robots, achieving labor savings and increased efficiency.

Chief Events

2015(Heisei 27)

Developed "PN Series"

2017(Heisei 29)

Developed "N7"

2017(Heisei 29)

Established a local subsidiary in Ningbo, China.

Since 2018, against the backdrop of the accelerating adoption of IoT in businesses, we have been developing IoT software in response to this trend.
We have established technologies to "connect" machines and supported the creation of a foundation for realizing smart factories.

Then, in 2023, the company spun off its injection molding machine business and restructured itself into a specialized machine tool manufacturer.
We are focusing even more on deepening our expertise and creating added value in the field of machine tools.

Chief Events

2020(Reiwa 2)

Developed NC milling machine "JK700"

2021(Reiwa 3)

Developed 5-axis horizontal MC "HN80E-5X"

2024(Reiwa 6)

Developed "N Series (N500/N600/N700)"

Niigata Machine Techno is developing horizontal machining centers and 5-axis machines that enable high-speed and high-precision machining, while also expanding smart maintenance and automation technologies to support improved productivity.

For 130 years since its founding, Niigata Machine Techno has continuously refined its technology to meet the changing needs of its customers. Throughout this journey, we have cultivated unique ideas and technologies that do not rely on imitation. With a long history of achievements, we will continue to provide value as a machine tool manufacturer contributing to manufacturing.

Moving forward, we will continue technological innovation centered on high rigidity and high precision, aiming for further development of the "Niigata" brand, which will support the next generation of manufacturing.