Our History

Koki Holdings Co. Ltd. is a leading power/air tool manufacturer based in Japan. Our company name changed in June 2018 from Hitachi Koki Co. Ltd. to Koki Holdings Co. Ltd. Our primary power tool brand HITACHI was also renamed HiKOKI in October that same year.
We own multiple global brands including HiKOKI, Metabo, MetaboHPT, CARAT, and Sankyo Diamond. We are constantly committed to offering our customers high performance products that meet their needs through industry-leading technology and development capabilities bolstered by our history of more than a century of innovation in power tools.

1918: The dawn of our power tool business

1918
Nichihira Shokai began the domestic production of electric drills.
1922
Toa Denki K.K. produced telephone sets and power tools.
1928
Toa Denki became affiliated with Tobata Imono K.K..
1934
Toa Denki was renamed Tobata Imono Toa Denki Seisakusho.
Toa Denki merged with Kokusan Kogyo, a company manufacturing iron and steel part.
1935
Tobata Imono was renamed Kokusan Kogyo. Tobata Imono Toa Seisakusho was renamed Kokusan Kogyo Toa Denki Seisakusho.
1937
Hitachi Ltd. acquired Kokusan Kogyo. Kokusan Kogyo Toa Seisakusho became Hitachi's Totsuka plant, initiating Hitachi's venture into power tools.
1945
Hitachi transferred its power tool business from the Totsuka plant to Hitachi Heiki Co., Ltd., the first predecessor of Koki Holdings.

1948 Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd. was founded (the first predecessor of Koki Holdings.)

1948
Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd. was founded as a manufacturer of coal mining machinery and equipment as well as electric power tools, with a capital of ¥30 million.
1949
Hitachi Koki was first listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and Osaka Securities.

1950s

1954
The company commenced the production of chemistry equipment.
1957
The first disk grinder model was launched.
1958
The company received the Minister of International Trade and Industry Award for its achievements in industrial standardization.

1960s

1960
The company began to manufacture pneumatic tools.
1962
The company commenced the production of gas engine equipment.
1963
The company began to manufacture printers.
A service training center for power tools was established. Moreover, service training for dealers was commenced.
1969
The manufacturing of woodworking machinery for construction began.

1970s

1970
Hitachi Koki Haramachi Co., Ltd. was founded.
The Sawa Plant was established in Ibaraki, Japan.
1971
Hitachi, Ltd. transferred its domestic business of selling power tools to Hitachi Koki.
1972
Hitachi Power Tool Service Centers (also known as KDC) were established nationwide.
The company's Katsuta Plant set the industry's domestic record of 6670,000 accident-free hours in Japan.
1973
Hitachi, Ltd. transferred its export business of selling power tools to Hitachi Koki.
1978
The company's first overseas sales subsidiary, Hitachi Power Tools Europe GmbH, was founded in West Germany.
1979
The company's first overseas manufacturing subsidiary, Hitachi Koki (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., was founded.
The company introduced a cordless power tool, the DRC-6 cordless driver drill.

1980s

1980
Hitachi Power Tools U.S.A. Ltd. (later absorbed by Hitachi Koki U.S.A., Ltd.) was founded.
1981
The Tokyo power tool training center was established.
Hitachi Power Tools (UK) Ltd. and Hitachi Power Tools Netherlands B.V. were founded.
1983
Hitachi Power Tools Belgium N.V./S.A. was founded.
1984
The company launched the industry's first cordless impact wrench, WH10D.
1985
The joint venture Fujian Hitachi Power Tools Co., Ltd., currently known as Fujian Hikoki Co., Ltd., was founded.
Hitachi Koki launched a large-scale continuous flow ultracentrifuge.
1986
The company launched the industry's first slide miter saws, C8F/C8FB.
1989
Hitachi Koki (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. was founded.

1990s

1990
Hitachi Power Tools Iberica, S.A. and Hitachi Power Tools France S.A.S were founded in Spain and France, respectively.
1992
An ultracentrifuge with the world's fastest speed of 100,000 rpm was launched.
Hitachi Power Tools Österreich GmbH was founded in Austria.
Hitachi Koki Asia Co., Ltd. was founded.
1994
The joint venture Guangdong Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd. was founded in China.
Hitachi Koki received the prestigious Electrical Science and Engineering Award (formerly called the OHM Technology Award) for the development of the quick-charge control technology.
1995
Hitachi Koki U.S.A., Ltd. was founded.
An ultracentrifuge with the world's fastest speed of 150,000 rpm was launched.
1996
Hitachi Power Tools Australia Pty. Ltd. and Hitachi Koki India Private Ltd. were founded.
1997
Hitachi Power Tools Polska Sp.z.o.o. was founded in Poland.
Hitachi Koki Canada Corp. was founded.
1999
Hitachi Power Tools Hungary Kft. was founded.

2000s

2000
Hitachi Koki Sales Co., Ltd was founded.
Hitachi Koki launched a high pressure coil nailer, NV90H.
2001
The company received the Electrical Science and Engineering Promotion Award (formerly called the OHM Technology Award) for its power control and charge control technology for more compact and resource-saving power tools.
Hitachi Koki launched a cordless impact driver, WH12DM.
2002
The printer business was transferred to Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi Fercad Power Tools Italia S.p.A. was founded.
2003
The company won an iF Design Award from the iF International Forum Design GmbH for a hammer.
2004
Hitachi Koki Taiwan Co., Ltd. was founded.
Hitachi Power Tools Czech s.r.o. was founded.
2005
The company acquired shares from Markt & Co. AS (currently known as Hikoki Power Tools Norway AS) and Sankyo Diamond Industrial Co., Ltd, thereby making them subsidiaries.
Hitachi Koki (China) Co., Ltd., currently known as Hikoki Power Tools (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., was founded.
The company received an International Design Excellence Award (IDEA) from the Industrial Designers Society of America for a cordless driver drill.
Hitachi Koki began to sell lithium-ion battery-powered products.
2006
The company won an IF Design Award from the iF International Forum Design GmbH for hammers, awarded for four consecutive years.
2007
The company acquired shares from Carat Netherlands B.V., making it a subsidiary.
TANAKA ENGINEERING CO., LTD. was founded.
Hitachi Power Tools Romania S.R.L. was founded.
Hitachi Power Tools (Thailand) Co., Ltd. was founded.
2008
Guangzhou Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd. was founded.
Hitachi Koki launched a high pressure air compressor, EC1445H.
2009
Hitachi, Ltd. became the parent company of Hitachi Koki.
Hitachi Power Tools RUS L.L.C. was founded in Russia.
The company won two iF Design Awards from the iF International Forum Design GmbH for a gas-engine chain saw and a cordless impact driver.

2010s

2010
Hitachi Koki do Brasil Ltda. was founded.
2011
Hitachi Koki launched an AC brushless product, the WH12VE impact driver.
2012
Hitachi Power Tools (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. was founded.
Hitachi Koki received the Electrical Science and Engineering Promotion Award (formerly called the OHM Technology Award) for the development of environmentally conscious energy-saving motor technology.
2013
Hitachi Koki won an iF Design Award from the iF International Forum Design GmbH for a gas-engine chain saw.
The company received the Electrical Science and Engineering Promotion Award (formerly called the OHM Technology Award)—for the second consecutive year—for its contribution to the spread of lithium–ion battery-powered power tools through the development of multiplex protection circuit technology.
2014
The company won six iF Design Awards from the iF International Forum Design GmbH for seven kinds of Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE) products.
2015
The company won four iF Design Awards from the iF International Forum Design GmbH for a demolition hammer, disk grinders, and other cordless products, awarded for three consecutive years, eight times in total.
Hitachi Koki set up the Nomination Committee.
2016
The company won three iF Design Awards from the iF International Forum Design GmbH for rotary hammers, impact wrenches, and a cordless radio, awarded for four consecutive years, nine times in total.
The company acquired Metabo, a German power tool manufacturer, making it a subsidiary.
2017
The company won an iF Design Award from the iF International Forum Design GmbH for a cordless rotary hammer series, awarded for five consecutive years, ten times in total.
The company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of HK Holdings Co., Ltd. (established by KKR & Co. L.P.).
Hitachi Koki was delisted after separating from the Hitachi group.
2018
Hitachi Koki Co. Ltd. was renamed Koki Holdings Co., Ltd.
The company's main power tool brand was renamed from HITACHI to HiKOKI.
HiKOKI introduced 36V MULTI VOLT products.
2019
The company ceased the production of gas-engine products.

2020s

2020
The company's life science (Centrifuge & Processing Equipment) business was acquired by Eppendorf AG.
2021
Koki Holdings Japan Co., Ltd. was founded as a sales company.