Milestones
Reflections from Meidensha’s founder
Meidensha Corporation started with one young man’s ambitious vision.
This video presents some of the goals and ideas that continue to shape the Company today, 120 years after our founding.
1897-1930s
| 1897 | Company formed |
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| 1913 | Meiden Osaki Works established. |
| 1917 | Incorporated. |
| 1935 | Meiden Nagoya Works established. |
| 1937 | Meiden Shinagawa Works established. |
| 1939 | Meiden Nishio Factory established. |
1940s-1950s
| 1955 | Concluded a technical license agreement with AEG in Frankfurt am Main, Germany on its transformers and on-load tap changers. |
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| 1958 | Head Office opened in Chiyoda City, Tokyo. |
1960s
| 1961 | Meiden Numazu Works established. Transformer factory started operation. |
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| Concluded technical license agreement with ASEA in Stockholm, Sweden on its turbine generators. | |
| 1967 | New Electronic Equipment Factory established in Numazu City |
| 1968 | Concluded technical license agreement with G.E., U.S.A., on its vacuum interrupters. |
| 1969 | Concluded technical license agreement with SEVCON in England on its forklift truck electrical appliances. |
| Concluded technical license agreement with AEG in Frankfurt am Main, Germany on its thyristor rectifiers, control equipment, and processing lines. |
1970s
| 1972 | "Powertronics" ad released. |
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| 1973 | Concluded a technical license agreement with G.E., U.S.A. on its induction heating and welding static power converters. |
| 1976 | Gotanda Office opened. |
| 1977 | Meiden Ohta Works established. |
| 1979 | Begun the production of power transformers in Singapore. |
1980s
| 1980 | "Powertronics &Mechatronics" ad released. |
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| 1983 | "Powertronics &Mechatronics &Electronics" ad released. |
| 1987 | Memorial technology exhibition held to celebrate the Company's 90th anniversary. |
| Changed its English name to MEIDENSHA CORPORATION. |
1990s
| 1993 | Meiden R & D Center established. |
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| 1995 | Relocated the Head Office to Chuo City, Tokyo. |
| 1997 | Marked the 100th anniversary. |
2000s
| 2000 | Released a New Medium-Term Management Plan "New Construction 21 (NC 21)" |
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| Announced a partnership agreement among Hitachi, Ltd., Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd. and Meiden for a joint business of medium-voltage electric motor and small and medium capacity generator | |
| Japan Motor & Generator Co., Ltd. established as a joint venture by the three companies for the medium-voltage electric motor and small and medium class generator products. | |
| 2001 | Announced a partnership agreement among Hitachi, Ltd., Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd. and Meiden for a joint business of the power transmission and distribution ("T & D" products. |
| Japan AE Power Systems Corp. established as a joint venture by the three companies for T & D products. | |
| Established wind power generation company M Winds Co., Ltd. | |
| 2002 | Split the Company's T & D busines unit and transferred its employees, assets, facilities, and part of the goodwill to Japan AE Power Systems. |
| 2003 | Merged a once separated public company, Meiden Engineering Corporation, to Meidensha Corporation. |
| 2004 | MSA Co., Ltd. established as a joint venture between ABB Group and Meiden in the surge arrestor business. |
| 2005 | Begun the construction of ThinkPark Tower as a joint project with World Trade Center Building Inc., Tokyo |
| 2006 | Implemented the spin-off of the business unit involving R & D and production of motors and merged into Kofu Meidensha Electric Mfg. Co., Ltd. |
| Meiden Hangzhou Drive Systems Co., Ltd. established in Hangzhou, China. Begun the production of motors. | |
| 2007 | Marked its 110th anniversary. |
| Relocated the Head Office to Osaki, Shinagawa City upon completion of the ThinkPark Tower Building. | |
| 2008 | Appointed Keiji Kataoka as Chairman and Representative Director and Junzo Inamura as President and Representative Director. |
| 2009 | Signed an agreement on business and capital alliance with Ono Sokki Co., Ltd., in Yokohama for the automotive testing systems business. |
2010s
| 2012 | A joint venture company, Japan AE Power Systems Corporation, dissolved and the T & D business operation previously or then related to Meiden succeeded. |
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| 2013 | Appointed Junzo Inamura as Chairman and Representative Director and Yuji Hamasaki as President and Representative Director. |
| Implemented the spin-off of the maintenance and after-sales service business unit and established four firms: Meiden Engineering Corporation, Meiden Engineering East Japan Corporation, Meiden Engineering Central Japan Corporation, and Meiden Engineering West Japan Corporation. | |
| 2014 | Capital investment to Prime Electric Ltd. in India and established Prime Meiden Ltd. as a joint venture. |
| 2015 | Maintenance and after-sales service business reorganized into Meiden O&M Corporation and Meiden Engineering Corporation. |
| Tridelta (now Tridelta Meidensha GmbH) acquired from Tridelta GmbH | |
| 2017 | Our 120th anniversary |
| 2018 | Appointed Yuji Hamasaki as Chairman and Representative Director and Takeshi Miida as President and Representative Director. |
| 2019.5 | Established Meiden Hangzhou Drive Systems Co., Ltd. |
| 2019.6 | Acquired EAML Engineering Co., Ltd. as consolidated subsidiary |
2020s
| 2020 | Established Meiden Nanoprocess Innovations, Inc. |
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| Invested in Vietstar Industry Corporation (now VSM) | |
| Established Meiden America Switchgear, Inc. | |
| Established EV plant in Nagoya | |
| 2023 | Appointed Takeshi Miida as Representative Director & Chairman & Senior Officer and Akio Inoue as Representative Director & President & Executive Officer. |
The page below describes the history of Meidensha Corporation’s activities, products and technology development work from the Meiji era to the present day. It is illustrated with rare historical photographs.
- *The history page was created in 2017 to mark Meidensha’s 120th anniversary.