History

A Brief History of Kawasaki’s Hydraulic Business

1916 – Work began on Hele-shaw type radial piston pumps at the marine machinery works (now Kobe Works), formerly Kawasaki Dockyard.

1936 – Began producing and selling screw pumps.

1962 – Began producing and selling bent axis type piston pumps and motors.

1963 – Began producing and selling low speed, high torque, radial piston motors.

1964 – Began producing and selling hydraulic control valves.

1968 – The Hydraulic Machinery Division was created and moved to Nishi Kobe Works.  Developed swash plate type piston pumps and motors.

1979 – Developed the L series bent axis type piston pumps and motors. Developed the NV series swash plate type piston pumps and motors.

1982 – Developed the MX/MB piston type medium-speed motors.

1983 – Began producing and selling the LVP series bent-axis type piston pumps and motors for open circuits.

1984 – Began sales of the DNB series two-speed motors with integral reduction gear for travel function of construction machinery.

1987 – Renamed the division to Kawasaki Precision Machinery. Developed the M2X series mid-speed axial piston motors. Developed the K3V series swash plate type axial piston pumps.

1992 – Developed the K3VG series swash plate type axial piston pump for general industrial machinery.

1994 – Established Kawasaki Precision Machinery (U.S.A.), Inc., in Grand Rapids, MI, as a sales base in the United States.

Established Kawasaki Precision Machinery (UK) Ltd. and commenced production of Staffa Motors in the UK.

2000 – Developed the K3VL series swash plate type axial piston pump with SAE mountings, shafts, and ports.

2006 – KPM established a production facility in China.

2009 – Kawasaki Precision Machinery (U.S.A.), Inc. attains ISO 9001 certification.

2011 – Kawasaki Precision Machinery (U.S.A.) relocates to new expanded facility supporting it’s customer base in North and Latin America.

2016 – Began producing and selling the K3VLS series axial piston pump, the K8V series closed-loop variable displacement type axial piston pump, and the M7V swash plate type axial piston motor.

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    3838 Broadmoor Avenue S.E. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512
    U.S. Phone: (616) 975-3100
    Fax: (616) 975-3103
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