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Komatsu
Founded 1917
Headquarters Tokyo, Japan
Products Construction machinery, mining machinery, engines

(from wikipedia entry, revision required, with redefined links and machine list adding)

Komatsu PC138us

A Komatsu PC138us on display at SED 2008

Komatsu is a Japanese company that manufactures construction, mining, and military equipment, industry machinery such as press machines, lasers, and thermoelectric modules.

Komatsu is the world's second largest manufacturer of Construction and Mining Equipment after Caterpillar. However, in certain geographic areas (Japan, China, Middle East), Komatsu has a larger market share than Caterpillar.[citation (source) needed]

Its headquarters is at 2-3-6, Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

Its name was taken after the current city of Komatsu, Ishikawa at the company's foundation there in 1917. Its main plants are located in the city.

Komatsu makes the largest bulldozer in production in the world, the D575, the Italian company Umberto ACCO built a one-off machine of 1,300 hp (970 kW), weighing in at 183 ton, for a contract in Libya, which never took place.

History[]

Komatsu Iron Works was started by Takeuchi Mining Industry as a subsidiary to make industrial tools for the parent company. Komatsu eventually became large enough to sell to the public, and was spun off on 1921-05-13 as Komatsu Ltd.

Komatsu produced its first agricultural tractor prototype in 1931. Through the 1930s, Komatsu also produced military tractors for the Japanese military, as well as bulldozers, tanks and howitzers. After World War II, Komatsu added non-military bulldozers and forklifts to its line of equipment. Its growth as a company was aided by the strong demand for its bulldozer during Japan's post-war reconstruction in the 1950s. By 1957 they had advanced enough technologically that all of there models were also using Komatsu's own engines.

Komatsu began exporting its products in the 1960s, looking to counteract the postwar image of Japanese products as being cheap and poorly made, and entered the U.S. market in July 1967, taking on Caterpillar, the world's largest bulldozer maker, in its home market, under the leadership of President Yashinari Kawai. Komatsu did so under the rallying cry "Maru-C", translating into English as "encircle Caterpillar" (in the context of Go (board game) encircling an opponent results in capture of their territory).

Expansion overseas was a major focus in the 1970s, with Komatsu America Corporation being established in February 1970 in the United States. A year later, in January 1971, Komatsu Singapore Pte. Ltd. was established in Singapore. September 1974 saw the founding of Dina Komatsu Nacional S.A. de C.V., a joint venture with truck maker DINA S.A. in Mexico. April 1975 was the founding Komatsu do Brasil Ltda. in Brazil. This company produced the Komatsu D50A bulldozer, marking Komatsu's first offshore production of construction equipment. Komatsu Australia Pty., Ltd. in Australia was established in Feb. 1979.[1]

In the 1980s, Komatsu and International Harvester of the USA had a joint venture to produce compact tractors called KIMCO.

In 1982, PT Komatsu Indonesia was founded and began production began in 1983 in Indonesia. Two divisions in the USA were established for manufacturing in 1985, Komatsu America Manufacturing Corp. and Komatsu America Industries LLC. Komatsu Industries Europe GmbH was set up in 1986 in Germany.[1]

Komatsu and Dresser Industries established Komatsu Dresser to make mining tractors, construction equipment and related equipment in 1988[2] This 50-50 ownership lasted from September 1988 to August 1994, when Komatsu bought out Dresser's share.[2] Komatsu's mining products were consolidated under the name Komatsu Mining Systems in 1997. To prevent brand-name confusion during these corporate changes, the name "Haulpak" was used for the product line Komatsu began with Dresser. The name "Haulpak" dates back to 1957 when LeTourneau-Westinghouse introduced a range of rear dump trucks known as "Haulpaks". LeTourneau-Westinghouse equipment later became known simply as WABCO equipment in 1967. The name Haulpak was an industry term that eventually became applied to any type of rear dump truck. A detailed history of the development of the Haulpak can be found in Wabco Australia.[3]

In 1989, Komatsu bought a share of Hanomag AG and since 2002 Komatsu Hanomag GmbH has been a 100% subsidiary of the global company.

During the 1990s Komatsu had a joint venture in Europe with Moxy were Komatsu designed ADTs were built under license for the European market by Moxy. (in 2008 Moxy was taken over by Doosan of Korea).

Fai S.p.A. of Italy was invested in during 1991. As Komatsu's equity increased, the company was renamed in 1985 to FKI Fai Komatsu Industries S.p.A., which was then renamed in 2000 to Komatsu Utility Europe S.p.A. when Komatsu assumed 100% ownership.[1]

Komatsu owns the former Demag range of Mining Machines, which have been upgrades but are basically the same, with the PC3000 being the old Demag H185, of which over 200 have been built under both brands/model nos.

In 1993, two joint ventures were formed with Cummins; Komatsu Cummins Engine Corporation (KCEC) to manufacture Cummins engines in Japan, and the Cummins Komatsu Engine Corporation (CKEC) to manufacture Komatsu engines in the USA. Another joint venture was set up in 1997 to manufacture industrial engines in Japan.[1]

Additional overseas expansion, primarily in Asia, was accomplished in the 1990s. Komatsu Saigon Co., Ltd. in Vietnam in 1995; Komatsu Changlin Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. (renamed Komatsu(Changzhou) Construction Machinery Corporation in November 2000) in Changzhou, China in 1995; Komatsu Shantui Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. in 1995; Bangkok Komatsu Co., Ltd. in Thailand; Komatsu (Shanghai) Ltd. in 1996 in Shanghai, China; Industrial Power Alliance Ltd. in Japan, a joint venture with Cummins, in 1998; L&T-Komatsu Limited in India in 1998 (shares sold in 2013); and Komatsu Brasil International Ltda. in [{Brazil]] in 1998.[1]

The 2000s saw Komatsu working with The Linde Group of Germany for sales and manufacturing of lift trucks. In 2001, Komatsu established GALEO as a new brand of new-generation construction equipment for worldwide distribution. 2002, Komatsu Italy S.p.A' was established. In 2004, Komatsu Forest AB was established to purchase Sweden's Partek Forest AB, formerly Valtra and Valmet, a manufacturer of forest machinery. Also in 2004, founded Komatsu Zenoah (Shandong) Machine Co.,Ltd in China, (renamed Komatsu Utility Machine Co., Ltd. in 2007), to manufacture mini excavators and hydraulic equipment, as well as founding Komatsu Power Generation Systems (Shanghai) Ltd. to manufacture power generators. Komatsu Forklift Manufacturing (China) Co., Ltd was also founded in 2004 in China to produce forklifts.[1]

Komatsu moved into Russia in 2008 with Komatsu Manufacturing Rus, LLC being founded, and production began in 2010.[1]

New Releases[]

  • A new 375 ton Dump truck was released in 2008.
  • A hybrid machine the Komatsu PC200-8 Hybrid was released in Japan in June 2008. This machines a s smaller engine and Diesel-electric drive system boosted by a battery pack.

Komatsu (UK)[]

Main article: Komatsu (UK) Ltd

Komatsu (UK) Ltd was set up in the UK in 1985, and with a factory started manufacturing at Birtley in Co.Durham, England in 1987. The Factory Started by assembling kits imported from abroad, but was always to actually build machines from scratch, and today is a major exporter to Europe of machines in the 13 ton to 75 ton class. They built 3900 machines in 2004 and production has since increased to meet demand at home and in export markets.[citation (source) needed]

The factory is a full production line fabricating pre-cut plate & sheet steel to make the major elements from scratch, like booms and main frames. The factory is a former Caterpillar plant, that was used to benefit from the North East's Engineering and fabrication skills base from the ship building & heavy industries following there decline in the 1970s. Caterpillar still have a plant near by at Peterlee that builds ADTs.

Engines come from the Cummins Engine factory at Darlington down the road, on a JIT (Just In Time) basis.

Marubeni Komatsu[]

Main article: Marubeni Komatsu

Marubeni Komatsu is the official importer & distributor for Komatsu machines in the UK and is a subsidary of the Japanese Marubeni groups European division (Marubeni Europe).

Model Range[]

Komatsu PC130 - P6150180
Komatsu PC210 - P6150181
Komatsu PW130es with hammer - P6150184

PW130es of SE Davis & Son fitted with a hydraulic hammer for breaking oversize material for the crusher

Komatsu WA380 loading shovel - SE Davis & Son - P6150209

Komatsu WA380 loading shovel

UK Produced[]

5 Wheeled machines from 13t to 22t
  • Rubber Ducks
  • Komatsu PW130
  • Komatsu PW220
13 crawler machines from 13t to 75t
  • Komatsu PC130-7
  • Komatsu PC140-7
  • Komatsu PC160-7
  • Komatsu PC450-7
  • Komatsu PC750-7

Imported Lines[]

Crawler excavators
  • Komatsu PC180-7
  • Komatsu PC210-7
  • Komatsu PC240-7
  • Komatsu PC300-7
Wheeled loaders
  • Komatsu WA380
  • Hanomag — now a Komatsu subsidiary and build some of the European market models
Dumper trucks
KOMATSU HD 930E 2

930E at Grasberg mine Freeport Indonesia. Papua, Indonesia

Model No. Power kW / HP Weight (kg) Blade size Notes
D37EX/PX-22 66 / 89 8 300 - 8 650 3 250 × 830 (Power Angle Tilt) / 1,95 (PX)
D51EX/PX-22 97 / 130 12 710 - 13 100 3 045 × 1 110 / 2,7 (Power Angle Tilt)
D61EX/PX-15 125 / 168 16 670 - 18 260 3 175 × 1 300 (Semi-U blade single tilt) / 4,3 (EX)
D65EX/PX-15 153 / 205 20 280 - 21 020 3 415 x 1 225 / 3,89 (EX)
D85EX/PX-15 197 / 264 27 650 - 28 100 290 3 635 x 1 580 (Semi U-tilt) / 5,2 (EX)
D155AX-6 264 / 354 39 500 / 412 4 060 × 1 850 / 9,4 (Sigmadozer)
D275AX-5 335 / 449 49 850 / 450 4 300 x 1 960 / 13,7
D375A-5 391 / 525 69 560 / 570 5 140 x 2 265 / 22,0
D475A-5 664 / 890 108 390 6 205 × 2 610 / 34,4 Full-U: 6 205 × 2 610 / 34,4

Earlier models[]

Bulldozer
  • Komatsu D50A - ? Direct Drive - 90 hp
  • Komatsu D60A - ? Direct Drive - 140 hp
  • Komatsu D65A - ? Torqueflow - 140 hp
  • Komatsu D65E - ? Torqueflow - 155 hp
  • Komatsu D85A - 1970s-80s
  • Komatsu D475 - 1986-89 90 ton with 30.8 litres Engine SA8V170 ( A Cummins QSK 30) - 104 built.
Swamp dozers
  • Komatsu D50P - ? Direct Drive - 90 hp
  • Komatsu D60P - ? Direct Drive - 140 hp

,

Mining Machinery[]

Komatsu America Models [4][]

Compact Excavators PC09 PC18 PC27 PC35 PC45 PC55
Small Excavators PC78 PC88 PC130 PC138 PC160
Medium Excavators PC200 PC228 PC220 PC270 PC300 PC308 PC400
Large Excavators PC600 PC800 PC1250 PC2000 PC3000 PC4000 PC5500 PC8000
Bulldozers D21 D31 D37 D39 D51 D61 D65 D85 D155 D275 D375 D475 D575
Haul Trucks 730E 830E 860E 930E 960E
Articulated Dump Trucks HM300 HM350 HM400
Mechanical Dump Trucks HD325 HD405 HD465 HD605 HD785 HD1500
Wheel Loaders WA50 WA65 WA70 WA80 WA100 WA150 WA200 WA250 WA320 WA380
WA430 WA450 WA480 WA500 WA600 WA700 WA800 WA900 WA1200
Backhoe Loaders WB142 WB146 WB156
Skid Steer Loaders SK815 SK820 SK1020 SK1026
Track Loaders CK30 CK35
Crushers BR380 BR550 BR580
Graders GD555 GD655 GD675
Crawler Carriers CD60 CD110

See also[]


References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 [1]
  2. 2.0 2.1 Will, Oscar H. (2007) Payline: International Harvester's Construction Equipment Division MBI, St. Paul, Minnesota, page 144, ISBN 978-0-7603-2458-5
  3. "Wabco Australia", ISBN 0-9585608-1-1, (Global General Publishing Pty Ltd)
  4. Komatsu America Web Site

Further reading[]

  • ISBN 0646396978 - A History of Komatsu Construction and Mining Equipment Volume One

External links[]

Factory 1b Companies portal

Template:Komatsu group

Smallwikipedialogo This page uses some content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Komatsu Limited. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons by Attribution License and/or GNU Free Documentation License. Please check page history for when the original article was copied to Wikia


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