About Our Company｜Houwa Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Company Overview

Corporate Name	Houwa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
Main Office	3-15-20 Rokuban, Atsuta-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken, Japan 456-0058 Phone: +81-52-654-2341 Fax: +81-52-661-8667
Date Established	April 10, 1956
Capital	80,000,000 yen
Representative	Masaki Ochiai, President
Sales	19.8 billion yen (FY2011)
No. of Employees	450 employees
Product line	Seats for cars, motorcycles, boats and motorized wheelchairs for seniors Carpet, ceilings and other interior parts for cars Specialized bodies for cars, boats and other various FRP products
Main Customers	Suzuki Motor Corporation, SNIC, Suzuki Business, Co., Ltd., IO Industry Co., Ltd., Ashimori Industry, Co., Ltd., Tokai Chemical Industries, Ltd., Mazda Engineering & Technology Co., Ltd., JA Toyohashi
Affiliate Banks	Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Resona Bank, Mizuho Bank, Shizuoka Bank, Ltd.

Company History

1956	Houwa Kogyo Co., Ltd. established as a manufacturer of car interior parts in Minami-ku, Nagoya. Orders accepted for interior parts from Toyota Auto Body, Co., Ltd. and Aichi Machine Industry, Co., Ltd.
1957	Orders received for seats for the Toyoace from Toyota Auto Body, Co., Ltd.
1958	Transactions started with Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd. (now Suzuki Motor Corporation). Production of seats begins for development of the Suzulight light car.
1959	Main plant moved to its current location.
1960	Orders received for large truck seats from Toyota Auto Body, Co., Ltd. Orders received for seats for the Cony 360 from Aichi Machine Industry, Co., Ltd.
1961	Orders received for Toyota specialty cars and interior parts. Begin development and production of seats for the new light four-wheel truck called the "Cony Guppy" from Aichi Machine Industry, Co., Ltd. Begin development and production after order received for seat and interior parts for the four wheel truck called "Sunlight Carry" from Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd.
1962	Hamamatsu Plant opened.
1963	Order received from Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd. (now Yamaha Corporation) for boat seats and FRP parts. Company receives the Nagoya City Mayor Prize due to modernization of the company.
1972	Toyohashi Plant opened. Entered the western furniture division. Begin the development of western interior furnishings using FRP and dealings with Houtoku Co., Ltd. and Hukla Japan Inc.
1978	Toyohashi Technology Center established to improve quality and development.
1979	Begin seat production within Suzuki Motor Corporation's Kosai Plant.
1980	Technical cooperation with Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. to install standing sewing machine stations (TSS technology) at the Hamamatsu Plant.
1983	Overseas technical assistance in seat production offered to P.T. Vitafoam Indonesia.
1986	Technical assistance contract concluded regarding the integrated production of seats at the request of Suzuki Motor Corporation with Maruti Udyog Ltd. and Bharat Seats Ltd. In India.
1987	Taiwan's Kenda Rubber Industrial Co., Ltd., Houwa Kogyo, Co., Ltd. and INOAC Corporation enter into three company joint venture to establish Kenjou Industrial Co., Ltd.
1989	Technical guidance offered to GSC in Canada for seats in the Cultus. Second Toyohashi plant opened.
1990	Chita Plant completed and operations begin as a production location for Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd.
1991	Technical assistance contract concluded at the request of Suzuki Motor Corporation with Hungary's seat manufacturer IMAG and Itochu Corporation.
1992	Signing of joint venture with INOAC Multi Indonesia Pt (IMI).
2000	ISO9001 certification acquired (JET-0296)/ Houwa Kogyo Co., Ltd. Toyohashi Plant.
2002	ISO14001certification acquired (E02-275)/ Houwa Kogyo Co., Ltd. Toyohashi Plant.
2005	Dealings being with Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd. Production begins of airbag modules for Suzuki Motor Corporation.
2006	ISO9001certification acquired (JET-0296)/ Houwa Kogyo Co., Ltd. Hamamatsu Plant. Solar power system (32 kw) installed at Hamamatsu Plant.
2007	ISO14001certification acquired (E02-275)/ Houwa Kogyo Co., Ltd. Hamamatsu Plant.
2009	SIAM HOUWA CO., LTD. established in Bangkok, Thailand. Solar power system (50 kw) installed at Toyohashi Plant.
2010	Deep well unit installed at Toyohashi Plant as a BCP measure.
2011	Joint venture with Taiwan's Kenjou Industrial Co., Ltd. dissolved. Joint venture with INOAC Multi Indonesia Pt dissolved. Anti-earthquake construction performed at the Toyohashi Plant and Hamamatsu Plant as BCP measures.

Location

Main Office

Visiting by train: Take the Nagoya Subway Meiko Line to Rokuban-cho Station and then from Exit 3 walk south 8 minutes.

Toyohashi Plant

Visiting by train: Take the JR Tokai Tokaido Line to Futagawa Station and drive for 15 minutes.