Shibaura Machine is Celebrating 145 Years of Changing the Standard in Machine Tools

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL, May 18, 2021

The year 1876 had a lot of milestones. The United States celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the telephone patent was issued to Alexander Graham Bell, and that is when Shibaura Machine first opened its doors. 

A lot has changed since then for Shibaura Machine, but a lot has also remained the same. As one of the original machine tool builders out of Japan, Shibaura Machine continues to offer machine solutions with a vertically integrated company philosophy. In an industry that truly recognizes the value of controlling the entire quality process in house throughout the product design and manufacturing process, Shibaura Machine is one of the few original machine tool builders from Japan that still practices this philosophy today.

145 Years of Changing the Standard in Machine Tools

From the start, Shibaura Machine was continually recognized worldwide as a precision machine tool builder with a strong DNA in machine tool design. 1939 is when things really began to evolve- and quickly. Shibaura Machine completed its first large-scale machine tool at the newly opened Tsurumi Plant and officially became the first large-scale machine tool manufacturing business in Japan.

Over the next several decades, Shibaura Machine took to solving some of the most difficult engineering problems and came up with industry class leading manufacturing solutions. From designing solutions that helped transform the textile industry to completing our first 5-meter master gear hobbing machine that was recognized in helping Japan become a leader in the shipbuilding industry and later was certified as a heritage machine, Shibaura Machine was making a name for itself through its predictability and accuracy.

The Future Of Machine Tool Manufacturing

The years and generations of experience poured into Shibaura Machine is what allows us to evolve quickly to be proactive to customer needs. Through the years Shibaura Machine has grown to be a builder of machine solutions from mother machines, “machines that make machines”, to nanotechnology based machines. Most recently, Shibaura Machine is deeply involved in utilizing the latest IoT (Internet of Things) and Industry 4.0 technologies based analytics to truly deliver the best of the mechanical and software worlds.

What will the next 145 years bring? That question largely remains a mystery, but with Shibaura Machine you can expect us to continue to lead in machine tool manufacturing with technology built around our customers' needs. 

If longevity is a true test of the product’s brand and vision, Shibaura Machine (FKA Toshiba Machine) has earned its right to be recognized as an iconic machine tool brand that should always be considered when looking at investing in machine tool technology.

Contact Shibaura Machine Company, America at MT-Sales@shibaura-machine.com to learn more.