KITO 90th

1932

The Beginning

Miyoshi Kito established the Kito Manufacturing Company in 1932 in Tokyo’s Omori district, a small machine shop equipped with just a few lathes and milling machines. Kito was a young man, still in his 20s, and had only six employees. Within a few years the staff had grown to ten and the company gradually expanded its scale and product line.

A Race to Remember Home

A pair of Kito electric chain hoists in simultaneous operation transport a peiron (“white dragon”) boat 13 meters long and 1.58 meters wide. The traditional boat race of Nagasaki, with origins in China, was brought to Aioi, Hyogo Prefecture in 1922 by people from Nagasaki working there in the Harima shipyard. They got together and rowed, bonded by a yearning for home.

1939

Chain Welder

Kito imported automated chain-welding and chain-bending machines from Germany. Neither boosted Kito productivity right away, however, because of a lack of steel material suitable for them in Japan, and the plant’s power supply was unstable. It was a long struggle to adapt the machines to fit Kito’s needs.

2003

Good Design Gold Award

Our LX series of lever hoists developed as a sister line to the L5. Lever hoists are often associated with construction sites and bridge building, but the LX hoists are compact, light, easy to operate and affordable. Supported by individual customers as well as corporations, they soon became bestsellers.

2012

A 634-Meter Tower

Tokyo Sky Tree was completed as a new landmark for Tokyo. During the construction work many Kito products played pivotal roles, on-ground assembly of steel-reinforced materials as well as lifting steel parts and components.

1981

New Possibilities for Crane Application

Kito succeeded in developing its Auto Crane, which can capture, transport, position and remove a load with full automation. Since its market debut it has enjoyed a very good reputation for safety and savings on labor and energy, and more than four decades later it is still evolving. The photo is from a pre-shipment inspection in that first year.

1963

The Kito Times

Founder Miyoshi Kito, in his preface to the inaugural issue of the company journal, wrote, “The increased number of employees tended to make the conversations resemble one-way traffic. This company journal provides us with a two-way street. Perhaps no other person is more pleased than I am.” Good communication among employees has been and will always be a high priority at Kito.

2014

Post-Quake Color for the Children

Colorful tulips in full bloom were delivered to the kindergarten in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, where we visited to help rebuild following the Great East Japan Earthquake. The bulbs we planted with the children there grew and bloomed six months later.

1999

Aircraft-Engine Maintenance Crane

We delivered a crane system for aircraft-engine maintenance to International Airport in Taiwan, fulfilling our first international order for the system. This made the Kito brand better known and helped accelerate sales in Taiwan and across Asia.

2021

Robot-Crane collaboration

Automation and labor-saving initiatives at our Yamanashi Main Plant apply state-of-the-art technology to the production process. Kito's original auto-crane system is a case in point. The auto crane moves parts from the robot to the next process, where the robot can’t reach. Closely maintained for fail-safe operation, the system allows 24-hour nonstop operation.

2007

Listing on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange

After reinforcing its financial foundation and preparing carefully for a major leap forward, on August 9, 2007 Kito listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, resolving to become a truly global leader in the hoist and crane industry.

2023

For Our Shareholders, with Gratitude

We created a custom-made dorayaki stuffed pancake branded with “6409,” Kito's TSE code, and established it as our standard gift to shareholders and guests, who often told us that it’s delicious. We have just ended our 16-year public listing, and we thank you again for your strong support.

2012

New Uniform Caps

We introduced work caps for everyone featuring lines to indicate responsibilities by number and color of the line. A single white line means the person in the cap is new. A pair of yellow lines means he or she is a floor manager. Employees wear their caps at all times inside the plant. Have a safe work day, everyone!

1992

Completion of Tokyo Office Building

Our eight-story Tokyo Office Building was completed in December 1992 in a quiet residential neighborhood near the new business center in Shinjuku. We are confident that the new building motivates the people working in it.

1965

Monolift Multistory Automated Warehouse

Developed in 1965, our Monolift multistory automated warehouse system expanded markedly in terms of capacity and function within just a few years, attracting volume orders. One came from a leading Japanese automaker, who ordered eleven turntables and four Monolifts for its plant in Kanagawa Prefecture.

1945

Tear-Salted Eels

Faced with food shortages soon after the second world war, founder Miyoshi Kito reclaimed part of the river to create farmland, using cutting-edge bulldozers and pumps, which were still rare at the time. When the project was nearing completion, a school of eels appeared in the drying marsh, to an excitement of the employees anticipating a big dinner. But a high tide shortly after tooked away the new dike. The eels the crew ate tasted awful, perhaps salted with the tears they shed over the setback.

1939

A Plant Specializing in Chain Hoists

Kito began producing chain hoists in 1934, projecting substantial orders due to rapidly increasing opportunities to transport heavy things. It built the Nakanoshima plant with cutting-edge production equipment in the city of Kawasaki, in Kanagawa Prefecture, where it began in-house production of chain as well to complete all-Kito chain hoists.

1979

Full Relocation to Yamanashi

Because its two plants in Kanagawa Prefecture were too small for the company’s increasing scale of production and projected future growth, Kito decided to move all its production facilities to Showa-cho in Yamanashi Prefecture. The move took five years to complete.

1983

Employee Dilemma

The relocation of all production facilities was a big decision for Kito and its 800 employees as well. About 90% of them chose to move to Yamanashi with the company, which did as much as it could to help them adjust to new lives there.

1990

First Overseas Subsidiary

Kito acquired Harrington Hoists Inc. in Pennsylvania, establishing its first overseas subsidiary. Founded in 1867, the firm was the first in the US to manufacture electric chain hoists.

1995

Operations Begin in China

Kito established Jiangyin Kito as a joint venture with a leading local crane maker. It mainly produces wire-rope hoists and enjoys a solid leading position in China’s hoist and crane industry.

2006

Competing in Europe

The company set up Kito Europe as its first sales base in the region. On the strengths of an expanded product lineup and the trusting relationships it had built with local customers, the firm has been working to raise the profile of the Kito brand in this extremely competitive market.

1958

First Electric Chain Hoist

On his first trip to study the US market Miyoshi Kito was excited to see the wide use of electric chain hoists. Anticipating that the same would happen in Japan, soon after his return he led Kito Corp. in the successful development of light, strong chain and the firm’s first electric chain hoist, which won overwhelming support in the Japanese market.

2019

Hoist Production in Thailand

Beginning as a new production base, Kito Hoist Thai concentrated its startup efforts on building a strong production system despite the pandemic conditions at that time. Today it ships Kito products worldwide.

1954

Mid-century modern hoist

The chain hoist can lift heavy loads with little force using a pulley mechanism. As a product of the 1950s, Kito’s looked modern in both color and shape.

1995

Proud of Kito Products

“Four months had passed since the Great Hanshin Earthquake in January 1995. The train finally opened service, although not entirely. I put a load of medicines and sanitary products on my back and left Osaka to visit distributors in Kobe. In the city people were working everywhere, removing the damaged structures and debris, and I saw many Kito products being used in the recovery work.” Yukio Tomita

2003

Chain Hoist for Wind Generator

Denmark is known as a world leader in environmental awareness. To the country Kito has been delivering many electric chain hoists for maintenance of wind-generation facilities since 2000. The top general electronics product maker in the US noted our track record and asked us to develop custom hoists to meet their special specs for wind energy.

2016

Supporting Customer Safety

In April 2016 a major earthquake hit Kumamoto Prefecture, and the landmark Kumamoto Castle still shows damage from the quake seven years later. After the disaster struck, we had our service personnel stay in Kumamoto full-time to assure customer safety and peace of mind in operating their cranes.

2016

Late Night, Tokyo Waterfront

At 1am in a heavy rain the last Yurikamome train moved out of sight and our construction work began to set up a pedestrian deck. Kito lever hoists firmly held the massive 65-meter deck weighing 160 tonnes.

2011

Disabled Employees Aboard Started Master Plan for employing people with disabilities

Kito values building workplaces where people of all kinds can easily work. Following this principle, we began our master plan for hiring people with disabilities in 2011. While they made up only 2.39% of the total Kito workforce in the beginning, they have increased to 7.08% as of June 2023, proving the significant effect of the plan.

1964

The World’s Strongest Chain

Kito succeeded in developing the Kito Chain Sling 100, its premier chain and the strongest in the world at (1,000N/mm2). Newspapers carried rave reviews, including, “Kito Realizes a Dreamlike Story: Quality up 25%, Prices Down 25%.”

1937

Manufacturing is Human Growth

Boys who just finished grade school are in training. Within two years or so they learn not just standard machine operations, but also the quirks of each machine, and become professional craftsmen.

2011

Hoist with Style!

EQ electric chain hoists are in use globally, having hit the market twelve years ago already. The two-tone gunmetal case shows a clear style. The production shift to Thailand is in progress, illustrating that global products begin with global production.

2015

CX Lifts Giant Shrimp

A gigantic object appeared out of blue in the lobby of the Shinjuku NS Building, home of Kito’s Tokyo offices. It was held high by a CX hoist, which had just hit the market. Imagine how excited the employees were!

2016

30-tonne Electric Double-Girder Circulatory Crane

The success of the product depended on how well the crane could run on a circular rail 19 meters in diameter. Kito was creative with the saddle structure so that all wheels would stay on the rail surface at all times, and employed a special hoist with a structure built on the girder to extend the lifting range to maximum.

2011

Kito Enters Brazil, Realizing a 30-year Dream

Kito established Kito do Brasil to enhance sales in Brazil and Latin America. Kito sent a delegation to São Paulo in 1973 hoping to operate in Brazil, but shortly after the oil crises pushed the plan back to square one.

1970

Integrating Products, Sales and Service

Kito established Kito Service Engineering to provide detailed services to customers. This was during the period of high economic growth for Japan, when markets were expanding quickly and the use of Kito products was spreading across the country.

1988

Stepping Up Kaizen Matters

Kito’s kaizen suggestion program began in earnest. Employees offered suggestions of better ways to serve customers, to express consideration and kindness toward coworkers, ways to make their work easier, and for many other purposes. This never-ending kaizen effort strengthens Kito manufacturing.

2020

Challenge Gravity

The debut of the Kito electric chain balancer allows one person to hold the load with both hands and freely move it, reducing operator workload with easy operation, simplifying any task.

2022

Thank You, Medalists, for an Emotional Boost!

Three skiers who represented Japan and won medals at the Beijing Paralympics in March 2022 visited the Kito Tokyo offices. We celebrated the occasion together with a special cake.

2017

What’s the Most Powerful Creature on Earth?

Kito became one of the sponsors of Oshigoto Nenkan, a career almanac for middle-school and younger students. We have since been answering reader questions about a variety of careers. It’s an interesting read for adults as well.

2023

Into Chapter 2

On October 16 Kito announced its new mission, vision, values and corporate logo, opening Chapter 2 of its history, now as Kito Crosby.

Kito at 90
Just Getting Started

KITO at 90

Kito at 90Just Getting Started

KITO at 90

The Beginning

First Chain Hoists

Chain, the Life of the Hoist

Honing Manufacturing Skills

Kito Yellow

Responsibility for User Safety

Studying the US Market

A Landmark All-Kito Masterpiece

Helping Support Japanese Cultural Assets

General-Purpose Products, Custom Products

A Human Hand Lifts a Load of Tonnes

Passing Down a Cultural Legacy

Welding Champion

The Falcon Retires

TV Prop

The First Kito Mighty

Lever Hoists Behind Japan’s High Economic Growth

Entering the Crane Business

Becoming a Workplace for All

A Race to Remember Home

Chain Welder

Good Design Gold Award

A 634-Meter Tower

New Possibilities for Crane Application

The Kito Times

Post-Quake Color for the Children

Aircraft-Engine Maintenance Crane

Robot-Crane collaboration

Listing on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange

For Our Shareholders, with Gratitude

New Uniform Caps

Completion of Tokyo Office Building

Monolift Multistory Automated Warehouse

Tear-Salted Eels

A Plant Specializing in Chain Hoists

Full Relocation to Yamanashi

Employee Dilemma

First Overseas Subsidiary

Operations Begin in China

Competing in Europe

First Electric Chain Hoist

Hoist Production in Thailand

Mid-century modern hoist

Proud of Kito Products

Chain Hoist for Wind Generator

Supporting Customer Safety

Late Night, Tokyo Waterfront

Disabled Employees Aboard Started Master Plan for employing people with disabilities

The World’s Strongest Chain

Manufacturing is Human Growth

Hoist with Style!

CX Lifts Giant Shrimp

30-tonne Electric Double-Girder Circulatory Crane

Kito Enters Brazil, Realizing a 30-year Dream

Integrating Products, Sales and Service

Stepping Up Kaizen Matters

Challenge Gravity

Thank You, Medalists, for an Emotional Boost!

What’s the Most Powerful Creature on Earth?

Into Chapter 2

Kito at 90
Just Getting Started