THK Celebrates 25 Years in the U.S.A.

THK Celebrates 25 Years in the U.S.A. THK America Inc. (a subsidiary of THK Co. Ltd., Japan; TSE: 6481) is celebrating its 25th year operating in the United States. From three employees in March 1981, THK's U.S. presence has grown to include a 500-employee sales and service operation in Schaumburg, Illinois, outside Chicago and several other regional sales and service offices. In 1997, THK America made the jump to manufacturing, building a 90,000 square foot manufacturing plant, THK Manufacturing of America, in Hebron, Ohio. The 90,000 square foot plant quickly ran out of capacity and a massive 280,000 square foot addition, for a total of 395,000 square feet, was needed to meet North American market demand. The plant produces linear guides, actuators, and link balls. Approximately 80% of THK's North American demand is produced in Hebron. Mr. Junichi Kuwabara, President, THK America, in a prepared statement expressed, "deep appreciation to all of THK¡¯s valued customers and business associates who have made this achievement and growth possible." Established in 1971 as Toho Seiko Co. Ltd., THK is the world's largest producer of linear bearings and linear motion guides, claiming 60% of the global market it helped create. Linear motion bearings have a wide array of market applications, such as machine tool, semiconductor, medical, packaging, automotive and robotics. THK had worldwide sales in the recently-ended first quarter 2007, ended June 30, 2006, of ¥ 44.7 billion (USD $380 million).