Corporate Profile
History
| 1902 | ・Yasuichi KIHARA (1st generation) founded KIHARA Iron Works to manufacture salt manufacturing kettles, agricultural equipment and small boat internal combustion engines. |
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| 1928 | ・Started manufacturing of tobacco leaf dehydrators by obtaining the permission of the Ministry of Finance. |
| 1938 | ・Designated as an important factory for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. |
| 1951 | ・KIHRA Iron Works Co., Ltd. was established. |
| 1954 | ・Renamed to KIHARA WORKS Co., Ltd., and Yoshisuke KIHARA (2nd generation) became the president. |
| 1973 | ・Toshio KIHARA (3rd generation) became the president. |
| 1984 | ・Awarded “The Japan Monopoly Corporation President Prize” sponsored by Japan Monopoly Corporation for the development of the 508 ECONOMY (mobile dehydration oil heater) through joint development with Morioka Tobacco Experiment Station, Tohoku Branch of Japan Monopoly Corporation. |
| 1991 | ・Awarded by The Yamagin Regional Enterprise Support Foundation. |
| 2004 | ・ISO9001 certified. |
| 2005 | ・Awarded “The Social Insurance Agency Secretary Prize for entity which participates in and contributes to the government-run health insurance business” sponsored by the Social Insurance Agency. |
| 2008 | ・Yasuhiro KIHARA (4th generation) became the president, approving the Management Innovation Plan. |
| 2010 | ・Awarded “The 30th Energy-Efficient Machinery Award (Nikkan Kogyo Shinbun, Ltd. Prize)” sponsored by Japan Machinery Foundation. ・Awarded by The Yamagin Regional Enterprise Support Foundation. ・Awarded “The 1st Yamaguchi Prefectural Industrial Technology Promotion Incentive Prize (Yamaguchi Prefectural Industrial Technology Center President Prize)” sponsored by Yamaguchi Prefecture. ・Qualified as a “Dry Food Maestro” sponsored by Dry Food Association of Japan. |
| 2011 | ・Qualified as a “6th Sector Industrialization Advisor” by Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. ・Awarded “The 19th Chugoku New Business Conference Grand Prize (Special Prize) sponsored by Chugoku New Business Conference. ・Awarded “The 71st Kawasaki Entrepreneur Excellence Prize” sponsored by Kawasaki Industrial Promotion Foundation. ・Awarded “The 6th Japan New Business Creation Grand Prize (Excellence Prize)” sponsored by Japan New Business Conference Associations. ・A project “Transmit kanbutsu from Yamaguchi” organized by Yamaguchi City and approved by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications was launched. ・Opened The Innovation Space (an in-house products show room). |
| 2012 | ・”The 4th Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Prize (Director Prize of Chugoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry)” under the Prime Minister Commendation System sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. ・Appointed as a “6th Sector Industrialization Voluntary Planner” by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. ・Awarded “The 24th Small and Medium Enterprise Excellent New Technology and New Product Prize (Encouragement Prize)” sponsored by The Resona Foundation for Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion and The NK Industrial Research Institute. ・Awarded “The Year 2012 Prize for Science and Technology (Category Technology)” under the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Commendation System sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. ・Exhibited at “Agriculture Frontier 2012” sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. |
| 2013 | ・Exhibited in the booth of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy at “EXEX 2013 37th Harmony between Global Environment and Energy” sponsored by Energy Conservation Center |
| 2014 | ・Awarded “The 2014 Traffic Safety Contributor Prize (Yamaguchi Prefectural Police General Manager Prize/Yamaguchi Prefectural Traffic Safety Association President Prize)” ・Awarded “The 2014 Yamaguchi Prefecture Health and Welfare Contribution Governor Prize (Yamaguchi Governor Prize) ・Awarded “The 15th Prize to Contributor in Private Sector Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research and Development (President Prize of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Food Industry Technology Promotion Association)” sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. |
| 2015 | ・The Imperial Highness of the Crown Prince (now, Emperor Reiwa) visited our company. ・Granted “Yamaguchi Prefecture Award (Yamaguchi Governor Award)” sponsored by Yamaguchi Prefecture. |
| 2016 | ・The ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Kyrgyz Republic to Japan visited our company. ・Presented a technical paper at “IDS 2016 (The 20th International Drying Symposium).” ・Qualified as the first of “Dry Food Maestro (Advanced)” sponsored by Dry Food Association of Japan. |
| 2017 | ・Awarded “The Vibrant HABATAKU Small and Medium Enterprises 300 Program” under the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Commendation System sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. ・Participated in “Master’s Degree and Internship Program of African Business Education Initiative for Youth,” which was the first time for Yamaguchi Prefecture, sponsored by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). ・Registered as a supported company in “New Export Power Consortium” sponsored by JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization). ・Registered as a supported company in “”Russian Development Support Project, “Russian mid-sized and SME Platform Support company”” (the first company in Yamaguchi Prefecture) sponsored by JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization). |
| 2018 | ・Awarded “2018 Chugoku Regional Invention Commendation (Yamaguchi Prefectural Governor Prize)” sponsored by Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation. ・Designated as a “Driving Company for the Regional Future” sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; |
| 2019 | ・Adopted on “Global Food Value Chain Construction Promotion Project (Russian Federation)” sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. ・Registered as a supported company in “New Export Power Consortium” by JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization). ・Exhibited at “The 7th African Development Conference (TICAD7) Japan Fair” sponsored by JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) ・Registered on “STePP (Sustainable Technology Promotion Platform) sponsored by Investment and Technology Promotion Office, Tokyo under United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO ITPO TOKTO). |
| 2020 | ・Our “Business Continuity Strengthening Plan” was certified by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. ・Selected for an example of “Discover Countryside Treasures in Japan” by the Chugoku-Shikoku Regional Agricultural Administration Office, |
