1934
January
San-es Shokai founded by Tadao Yoshida in Higashi Nihonbashi, Tokyo; Click here to view a pictorial history of YKK (Japanese only).
1942
February
Yoshida Kogyosho reorganized as a limited company.
1955
May
Kurobe Plant commences operations in Kurobe City, Toyama Prefecture.
1957
July
Yoshida Trading Co. (current YKK AP Inc.) established.
1958
August
Headquarters relocated to Asakusa Kaminarimon, Taito-ku, Tokyo.
1959
January
Yoshida Kogyo K.K. establishes its first overseas affiliate in New Zealand.
1959
November
Operations related to aluminum building materials begun.
1961
January
Yoshida Kogyo K.K. begins production and marketing of aluminum building products.
1963
June
Headquarters relocated to current location (Kanda Izumi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo).
1967
December
YKK El Salvador plant was established.
1968
February
YKK Canada Inc. established in Montreal, Canada.
1968
April
Los Angeles office established as YKK Zipper (CA) Inc.
1970
April
YKK El Salvador S.A. de C.V. is established.
1970
May
Atlanta office established as YKK Zipper (GA) Inc.
1970
May
Dallas, TX branch opened.
1970
June
Seattle office established as YKK Zipper (WA) Inc.
1971
January
San Francisco branch of YKK Zipper (CA) Inc. opened.
1971
April
Greensboro, NC branch opened.
1972
May
National HQ completed in Lyndhurst, N.J.
1972
May
YKK Zipper (CA) Inc. HQ completed in Compton, CA.
1972
December
54 acres of land purchased for Ocmulgee Plant, Macon, GA.
1973
January
YKK Industries (U.S.A.) Inc. established.
1974
February
First production started in Textile and Metal Zipper Plant.
1974
May
Coil zipper production started.
1974
June
YKK Honduras founded as “Zippers de Honduras, S.A.”
1974
September
Zippers de Honduras, S.A. begins production.
1974
October
Ocmulgee Park Plant Opening Ceremony held.
1975
March
YKK Zipper (U.S.A.) Inc. and YKK Industries (U.S.A.) Inc. merge to become YKK (U.S.A.) Inc.
1976
April
YKK Industries (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. established as the first overseas affiliate of YKK’s architectural products business.
1977
January
Second expansion of Textile Plant started.
1977
February
South Division HQ completed in Marietta, GA.
1977
July
Construction of second phase of Metal Zipper Plant started.
1977
August
Los Angeles branch of West Division opened as a service unit garment center.
1978
February
Metal Zipper Plant opened.
1978
September
YKK Honduras S A. starts Textile, Metal & Plastic zipper production.
1978
November
Third expansion of Textile Plant started.
1979
August
Slider Plant opened.
1979
August
250 acres purchased in Macon, GA and named Chestney Park.
1981
January
R&D Department started.
1982
March
Second Slider Plant in Ocmulgee Park opened.
1982
April
Textile, Coil and Woven Zipper Plants in Chestney Park opened.
1982
June
El Paso, TX branch opened.
1982
August
West Division HQ opened in Cerritos, CA.
1983
December
New Cord and Sewing Thread Plant starts production in Chestney Park.
1984
May
YKK AP entered U.S. architectural market with imported YKK AP products.
1984
June
Field Tech Center opened in Marietta, GA.
1984
July
Expansion of Slider II Plant completed.
1984
September
Second Metal Zipper and VFF (molded element) Zipper Plant opened.
1984
October
First phase of MIE Plant in Chestney Park opened.
1984
December
Woven Zipper Plant, Chestney Park, opened.
1984
December
PPD Plant in Chestney Park opened.
1986
July
YKK Aluminum Products Division opened in Atlanta, GA.
1987
January
Plastic notions production began in Slider II.
1987
September
YKK Corporation incorporated in NY State.
1987
September
YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. became a wholly-owned subsidiary of YKK Corporation (now YKK Corporation of America).
1987
October
Universal Fasteners Inc. joins YKK family of companies.
1988
April
Architectural Products Division became part of YKK Corporation (now YKK Corporation of America).
1988
November
Brass Wire Plant in Chestney Park opened.
1988
November
Cosmolon® production began in VR II Plant.
1989
October
Plastic Fastener IV Plant Grand Opening held.
1990
March
YKK representative office in Puebla, Mexico opened.
1990
June
Slider II Plant expanded.
1991
April
Architectural Products Division incorporated as YKK AP America Inc.
1992
May
Cosmolon® Plant opened.
1992
April
YKK AP America Inc. Orlando, FL and Baltimore, MD branches open.
1992
September
Start-up ceremony for YKK AP America Inc. Plant, Dublin, GA.
1992
November
Lawrenceburg 2 Plant expanded.
1993
March
Opening ceremony held for YKK AP America Inc. Dublin Plant.
1993
April
YKK AP America Inc. establishes its Project Business Group in Atlanta.
1993
April
Monofilament Plant expanded.
1994
January
Zippers de Honduras, S.A. changes its name to YKK Honduras, S.A.
1994
January
Plastic Fasteners IV expanded.
1994
June
YKK Mexicana S.A. de C.V. incorporated.
1994
July
Macon plants heroically overcome catastrophic flood without missing a single deadline.
1994
August
YKK Corporation becomes YKK Corporation of America.
1994
August
Yoshida Kogyo K.K. renamed YKK Corporation.
1994
September
YKK Group Environmental Charter (Group Environmental Charter) established.
1994
December
West Division Grand Opening of new HQ/MFG facility in Anaheim, CA.
1995
April
Universal Fasteners Inc. Centennial observed.
1995
December
Completion/Opening of Field Tech Center expansion and new YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. National HQ
1995
April
YKK AP America Inc. opens its Greensboro, NC branch.
1995
September
Expansion of Field Tech Center begins in Marietta, GA.
1996
April
YKK AP America Inc. opens its Cincinnati branch.
1996
July
Tape Craft Corporation joined YKK America Group.
1997
January
YKK Canada Inc. joins YKK America Group.
1997
April
Groundbreaking Ceremony for new Tape Craft Corporation Plant, Oxford, AL.
1998
April
YKK AP America Inc. opens its Dallas, TX branch.
1998
May
Grand Opening for new Tape Craft Corporation Plant, Oxford, AL.
1998
July
Universal Fasteners de Mexico is established.
1999
January
Specialty Products Group becomes Textile and Plastics Group worldwide.
2000
January
Universal Fasteners Inc. becomes YKK Universal Fasteners Inc.
2000
July
YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. holds grand opening for its New York Showroom.
2000
July
YKK Newmax Co., Ltd. (YKK Snap Fasteners Japan Co., Ltd.) established as the main company of YKK’s snaps and buttons business.
2000
November
40th Anniversary of YKK America Group.
2001
April
YKK AP America Inc. holds ground breaking for new Fabrication Plant
2001
April
YKK AP America Inc. opens its Boston, MA branch.
2001
May
YKK Mexicana S.A. de C.V. holds Grand Opening of Irapuato Plant.
2001
September
YKK AP America Inc. holds Ground Breaking for 2nd Press.
2002
July
Grand Opening held for YKK AP America Inc.’s new Fabrication Plant and startup of new Extrusion Press.
2002
August
YKK Insurance Company of America Inc. established in Burlington, VT.
2002
August
YKK AP America Inc. Vinyl Windows Division began.
2002
December
First machinery and engineering business company (Suzhou YKK Machinery & Die Works Co., Ltd.) established in Suzhou, China.
2003
February
YKK Fastening Products Sales Inc. established as a sales company for YKK’s fastening business.
2003
April
YKK Business Support Inc. established as the shared services center for the YKK Group.
2003
May
Tape Craft Corporation announces plans to expand its Oxford plant.
2003
October
YKK’s Architectural Products Manufacturing Group integrated into YKK AP Inc.
2004
January
YKK AP America Inc. Dublin Plant begins transportation materials line.
2004
March
Tape Craft Corporation’s Oxford plant expansion is completed.
2004
July
YKK Snap Fasteners Manufactura Mexico established.
2004
December
Jen Colombia S.A. joins the YKK family of companies.
2005
January
YKK Universal Fasteners Inc. is renamed YKK Snap Fasteners America Inc.
2005
January
Universal Fasteners Inc. de Mexico is renamed YKK Snap Fasteners Mexico S.A. de C.V.
2005
January
YKK Snap Fasteners Manufactura Mexico S.A. de C.V. starts production.
2005
January
Processing lines for YKK AP America Inc.’s Transportation Materials Group installed in Dublin.
2005
February
Transportation Fastening Materials business begins.
2005
August
YKK AP America Inc.’s Transportation Materials Group makes its first shipment of car bumpers.
2006
March
YKK AP America Inc. has a ground breaking ceremony for Phase 1 of its $80 million plant expansion.
2006
March
The Transportation Fastening Materials office opens in Detroit, Michigan.
2006
May
YKK Snap Fasteners Manufactura Mexico S.A. de C.V. finishes its expansion.
2006
July
YKK Tours launched by the YKK Group as an industrial tourism plant tour.
2006
October
Tape Craft Corporation celebrates its 60th Anniversary.
2007
April
YKK AP America Inc. breaks ground on Phase II of its $80 million plant expansion.
2007
April
The Residential Division of YKK AP America Inc. launches their new single-hung window production line.
2007
July
YKK Snap Fasteners Mexico opens a branch office and warehouse in Irapuato.
2008
March
YKK AP America Inc.’s Transportation Materials Group receives an Outstanding Performance Award from American Honda Motor Co. Inc.
2008
March
YKK AP America Inc.’s Transportation Materials Group receives a Quality and Delivery Performance Award from Honda of American Mfg. Inc./ Honda of Canada Mfg Inc.
2008
April
YKK AP America Inc. has a ribbon cutting ceremony for its Vinyl Windows Plant located in the National Mfg. Ctr. of YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. in Chestney Park.
2008
April
YKK AP America Inc. opens its Houston, TX branch.
2008
June
YKK Canada Inc. celebrates its 40th Anniversary.
2008
September
YKK Center Park, a facility that is open to the general public, opened.
2009
January
The Transportation Fastening Materials Group becomes part of YKK (U.S.A.) Inc.
2009
November
YKK Snap Fasteners Mexico merges with YKK Mexicana.
2013
April
YKK Snap Fasteners America Inc. merges with YKK (U.S.A.) Inc.
2014
September
YKK AP America Inc. has an open house for its new production, distribution and logistics facility in the Dallas Fort Worth metropolitan area.
2015
January
The Residential Division of YKK AP America Inc. moves its fabrication process from Chestney to Ocmulgee Park.
2015
July
The YKK80 Building completed in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, as the new headquarters of YKK Corporation and YKK AP Inc.
2017
April
Jen Colombia S.A.S. becomes YKK Colombia S.A.S.
2018
February
YKK AP opens Houston Service Center
2018
November
YKK AP opens San Francisco Solutions Center
2018
December
YKK AP America Inc. opens a manufacturing facility in Cincinnati, Ohio
2019
April
YKK AP opens Pittsburgh R&D Office
2019
December
YKK AP acquires Erie Architectural Products Group
2021
April
YKK North and Central America Group merges with YKK South America Group to become YKK Americas Group.
