KYB is celebrating the 90th anniversary of KYB Corporation and the 20th anniversary of both KYB Middle East and Africa and KYB Asia Pacific. The company’s origins trace back to the Kayaba Research Centre, founded by inventor Shiro Kayaba in 1919.
Following the loss of his research centre in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, Kayaba worked for the Imperial Japanese Navy, where he developed a groundbreaking hydraulic system for aircraft carrier take-off and landing equipment. This innovation, which could be operated from the ship’s control room, marked the beginning of his lifework in hydraulics.
In 1930, Kayaba’s superior hydraulic design gained international attention, leading to a flood of orders. This success enabled him to establish Kayaba Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in 1935, the company we now know as KYB. The company began manufacturing automotive shock absorbers in 1946, an evolution of the hydraulic buffers it had created for aircraft.
Today, KYB is a global leader, manufacturing over one million shock absorbers per week and developing advanced technologies such as Intelligent Damping Control and the SustainaLub environmentally friendly hydraulic fluid.
The company’s recent history includes the success of KYB Middle East and Africa, which grew from four customers in 2005 to over 120 today. Similarly, KYB Asia Pacific, also celebrating its 20th anniversary, has grown significantly and was the first aftermarket region to launch KYB steering parts. KYB Europe, established 36 years ago, is now the company’s largest aftermarket region.
You can find out more about KYB and their product range by clicking here.