History

An Innovative History with a Boundless Future

Kobelco Cranes has a proud history of innovation going back more than seven decades,first as a construction machinery division within Kobe Steel.Ltd.,then as a crane division within Kobelco Construction Machinery Co.,Ltd.,and now as an independent company.In fact,our roots can be traced all the way back to 1930,when Kobe Steel manufactured Japan's first domestically produced construction machine,the 50K electric mining shovel.In the years since,we have maintained a reputation for new technological development that is reflected in an impressive and diverse crane line-up.Today's Kobelco Cranes Co.,Ltd.carries on the tradition of innovative know-how and can-do spirit that puts us in the forefront of crane production both in Japan and abroad.

1930

Japan's first domestically produced construction machine:50K mining shovel

1953

Japan's first domestically produced truck crane:10KT

1954

220A diesel pile hammer

1955

Technical agreement signed with US company P&H

1955

355KD dipper barge

1957

Truck crane 55TC

1960

335G,655G,and 955G grab dredgers
LA22 pile driver
Production of construction machinery initiated at Okubo Plant

1963

55B-TC truck crane

1964

300 Series crawler cranes 300 Series truck cranes

1967

KG60B,KG80B work vessels H212 hydraulic truck crane

1969

T Series hydraulic truck cranes
R150 rough terrain crane

1971

K Series diesel pile hammers
670F,9125F floating crane barges

1972

GE1100 grab dredger

1973

FD Series floating crane barges

1977

MK-7 sludge dredger 5000 Series crawler cranes

1978

Kobelco International (S) Co., Pte. Ltd. established in Singapore.

1982

5650 crawler crane(650t lifting capacity)

1983

RK160,RK200 rough terrain cranes

1984

7000 Series crawler cranes

1989

CK Series crawler cranes Japan's first mini rough terrain crane:RK70M

1990

F&G2345 floating-crane and grab-dredging barge

1991

RK Series rough terrain cranes
BM1200 crawler crane for foundation and civil engineering work

1993

SL13000 crawler crane(800t lifting capacity)

1994

7000 Series crawler cranes(MASTERTECH)

1995

New RK Series rough terrain cranes

1998

BM-HD Series crawler cranes for foundation and civil engineering work
Okubo Plant receives ISO9001 certification

1999

Kobelco Construction Machinery Co.,Ltd. founded

2000

TK Series telescopic crawler cranes
Operational agreement signed with Tadano for production of wheel cranes

2001

MK500 lattice boom wheel crane

2002

Okubo Plant receives ISO14001 certification

2003

Kobelco Cranes Europe Ltd. founded in UK
Kobelco Cranes North America Inc. founded in the US
Agreement signed to provide Manitowoc of the US with OEM supply of crawler cranes for the US market

2004

Agreement signed to receive OEM supply of all-terrain cranes from Manitowoc
Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd. founded
Kobelco Cranes Singapore Representative office established

2005

Agreement signed to provide Manitowoc of the US with OEM supply of crawler cranes for the European market
KMG series all-terrain cranes

2006

Kobelco Cranes Middle East FZE.founded in UAE.

2007

SL6000 crawler crane
Kobelco Cranes South East Asia Pte. Ltd. founded in Singapore

2008

Kobelco Crane Remote ObservationSystem
Kobelco Cranes Trading Co., Ltd. founded for used cranes business.
KC Techno Service Co., Ltd. founded
RK Series rough terrain cranes: full model change