KYB History

KYB:A Century ofHydraulic Innovation

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Kayaba Research Centre Founded

1919

Lateral Cable Hydraulic Control Device

KYB's First Hydraulic Product

1926

A Predecessor to Automotive Shock Absorbers

1927

Kayaba Manufacturing Co. established

1935

Oil dampers for Shinkansen

1964

First KYB automotive shock absorber manufactured

1946

Monotube Shock Absorbers

Expanding the Automotive Range

1970

KYB Motorcycle Suspension Co., Ltd. Established

2013

Semi-active Suspension Systems

1999

The World's First Environmentally Friendly Hydraulic Fluid

Sustainalub

2024

In 1927, Kayaba resigned from the Navy Technical Department and founded "Kayaba Seisakusho". Kayaba's company was entrusted by the Navy Technical Department to manufacture one of the classified projects Shiro had originally designed and successfully developed whilst he was in the Navy. This project was oleo struts, a hydraulic shock absorber used on the landing gear of most aircraft, specifically designed to lower rebound upon landing.

Oleo struts

Semi-active suspension is a type of automotive suspension system that controls the damping force of a shock absorber in response to input from the continuously varying road surfaces.

Semi-active suspension systems

With the needs of the automotive industry expanding exponentially, KYB began to manufacture monotube shock absorbers in 1970, offering better performance and heat dissipation compared to traditional twin-tube shock absorbers.Today, KYB's Gas-A-Just range features monotube high-pressure gas shocks, designed for performance and stability, ideal for vehicles that need extra control and handling precision.

Expanding the automotive range

On March 10, 1935, “Kayaba Manufacturing Co., Ltd.” was born. Shiro, who dissolved the Kayaba Research Centre in order to establish Kayaba Manufacturing Co., Ltd., cited “Creativity, Vitality and Harmony” as the core tenets of the new company’s basic philosophy.

Kayaba Manufacturing Co. established

In the latter half of 1946, the Company started research and development of shock absorbers in collaboration with automobile manufacturers, initially receiving an order for 4,000 shock absorbers to be used on the jeeps of the U.S. forces. These innovative designs and technology quickly gained recognition in the automotive industry, establishing KYB as a key play in automotive manufacturing.

KYB's first shock absorbers

- Kayaba Research Centre Founding Declaration

“In addition to serving society through creative inventions that explore the secrets of space, the Kayaba Research Center will seek to contribute to the achievement of an ethical and lasting peace for all people worldwide.”

In November 1919, Shiro Kayaba left the prestigious Waseda University in Tokyo at the age of 21 and founded the Kayaba Research Centre. With 30 researchers at the time, inventions and proposals were made for many high-performance hydraulic products, racking up over 100 patents.

In 1923, Japan was struck by the Great Kanto Earthquake, causing widespread damage. The Kayaba Research Centre was destroyed and Kayaba was given no choice but to work for the Japanese Navy as an engineer, a role which would see him devising take off and landing equipment for aircraft carriers.

The takeoff and landing of planes presented a difficult issue—one that could cost human lives. This groundbreaking design was aimed at solving that problem using entirely remote-controlled hydraulic equipment. At first, however, the product faced resistance, with many arguing that there was no precedent for such a system. Despite this, Shiro Kayaba repeatedly made a passionate defense of the product and in 1926, it became the first braking system to be installed on an aircraft carrier.

In 1926, Kayaba's equipment was built and installed on the aircraft carrier Hosho.

In October 2013, KYB Corporation and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. formed a jointly owned business - KYB Motorcycle Suspension Co., Ltd.By combining the resources and know-how of KYB, a manufacturer of hydraulic shock absorbers, and Yamaha Motor, a manufacturer of motorcycles, the two companies develop advanced suspension systems, ensuring enhanced performance, stability, and comfort for Yamaha motorcycles.

KYB Motorcycle Suspension

Throughout the 1950s, KYB Corporation started to develop oil dampers in collaboration with Japanese National Railways. Since the development of the first Shinkansen in 1964, KYB has proudly supplied the active suspension systems and other components. KYB railroad equipment works to buffer roll from air pressure when cornering, entering a tunnel or passing oncoming trains for comfort at high speed travel.

Shinkansen

Global warming is one of the greatest challenges of our time and as such, KYB is committed to sustainability, providing high-performance solutions that contribute to a greener, more energy-efficient future.KYB's Sustainalub™ is an eco-friendly hydraulic fluid, designed to reduce environmental impact. Replacing the petroleum based oil in KYB shock absorbers with Sustainalub™ will save up to 15.6 million litres of oil per year.Read more here.

Sustainalub™