Komatsu UK celebrates 25th anniversary

The UK-based site is one of the major production facilities for construction and mining equipment in the Komatsu group.

For the celebrations, Peter Howe, KUK managing director and chairman of 262 Komatsu Europe International, welcomed Tetsuji Ohashi and a delegation of other senior executives from 2300 Komatsu Ltd, the company’s global HQ in Tokyo, Japan.

Established in 1985 in Gateshead, near Newcastle, North East England, KUK was officially opened by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales in 1987.

Over the last quarter of a century, KUK has produced more than 59,000 machines and achieved a cumulative turnover of over €4.8 billion, making an enormous contribution to the region’s economy.

There are 174 companies in the global Komatsu Group, in which a total of over 44.000 people are employed. KUK currently employs around 400 staff and has an extensive product portfolio, featuring 15 machines. It currently exports 80% of its products to Europe and North Africa.

In a speech, Ohashi thanked the workforce at KUK for their strong team spirit, their commitment and their dedication. He also thanked Gateshead Council and the UK Department for Trade and Investment for the strong support they gave to Komatsu when first setting up the site.

He said: “We can all look back with pride at what Komatsu has achieved over the years. So much of our success can be attributed to our people. We have built excellent foundations for our future. We will continue to invest not only in the KUK facility and our employees, but will also continue to support the local community”.

The occasion was also marked by the presentation of an award to Peter Howe by David Coppock, regional director, UK Trade & Investment, in recognition of Komatsu UK’s outstanding contribution to the region’s exports.