Established in 1985, Komatsu UK was officially opened by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales in 1987 and is located in Birtley, Gateshead, near Newcastle, north-east England.
Over the last 25 years, the company 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.”
Komatsu UK, part of the global Komatsu organisation with its head office in Tokyo, employs some 400 staff and has an extensive product portfolio, featuring 15 machines. It currently exports 80% of its products to Europe and North Africa.
For the celebrations, Peter Howe, Komatsu UK managing director and chairman of Komatsu Europe International, welcomed Tetsuji Ohashi, a director and senior executive officer, and a delegation of other senior executives from Komatsu headquarters. Ms Keiko Fujiwara, managing director and CEO of Komatsu Europe International, also attended.
In a speech, Mr Ohashi thanked the workforce at Komatsu UK for its strong team spirit, commitment and dedication. He also thanked the Gateshead Council and the UK Department for Trade and Investment for the strong support it gave to Komatsu when 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 Komatsu UK 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.”
