KTC Brand story

A legacy of pursuing high quality handed down from the men who drew their passion from making tools to service Zero fighter planes

To trace the source of the passion that is inside KTC tools, one must return to 1939, before KTC was founded.

At that time, “Kyoto Machinery”, a textile machinery maker that could be considered the forerunner of KTC, was taking the initiative in making high performance, highquality tools for servicing Zero fighter planes which had clearly surpassed world standards. A passion for tool making in response to the mission to “produce high quality tools” - this could be called the true source of KTC manufacturing.

However, it was not only the Zero fighter planes that drove their passion for the tools.

They were amazed by the superior functionality of the American made socket wrench that they had been shown as a war trophy from the battle of Midway, making them firmly determined to catch up and surpass its quality of it.

This lead to their stubborn insistence on pursuing only high quality steel materials, even in the times of scarcity that followed immediately after the war.

Then in 1950, the “KYOTO TOOL CO., LTD.” was established by the three men who acquired a heart for uncompromising research for technological innovation and a spirit of craftsmanship that pursued the highest levels of quality, while they were forming their passionate ideas about tool making.

The turning point came in the month following the company’s establishment, before they had even had time to organize their production system.

There was an enquiry regarding a delivery of tools to be included with vehicles from Toyota Automotive Sales, which had just become independent from Toyota Motor Co. Ltd. As the delivery of onboard vehicle tools to Toyota started, the production volume of automobiles, mainly trucks, grew rapidly and so did the production volume of tools.

After that KTC rode a wave of motorization and won the rank of No. 1 in Japan for number of items and volume of production.

Now, the passion of the men who produced the tools for servicing Zero fighter planes has clearly surpassed the “superior functionality” of the American made wrench they had once seen, and KTC is now producing their magnum opus, “NEPROS” - the tool for servicing F1 cars at the pinnacle of Motorsports. The “Passion and dedication in the tools” has been passed on.

The DNA of the spirit of passion that has been passed down.

A double circle and KYO spanner set.

At the time of founding, a logo of the character “Kyo” from “Kyoto” enclosed in a double circle was engraved in the center of the Roman letters “KYOTOKTC” carved in relief on the onboard vehicle tools for Toyota. Also, for the tools on the market the “KYO” character was enclosed by a stylized version of the character “KO” (works).

Used as the onboard vehicle tools for Toyota.

Certified by the Ministry of Trade and Industry as Grade A excellent vehicle parts.A designated brand of the Defense Agency.

The early KTC brand tools

From this period onwards, the logo on the product was gradually changed to a simple “KTC” mark.

KTC rode a wave of motorization that included an increase in the supply of onboard vehicle tools to Toyota Motor Corporation, and exports to the United States through the Fuller Tool Co. In only 16 years from its foundation, KTC had reached the top of the industry.

A tool set specialized for brakes was developed for use in dismantling, assembling and adjusting brakes of all manufacturers.

From here new concepts of specialized tools began that made complex operations “simple” and “quick” across all types of machines, leading to the development of such tools as the “Multipuller” and the “Crank shaft pulley tool series”.

Deluxe Tools

Mirror Tools

In 1982 KTC’s “Deluxe Tools”, a monument to KTC’s dedication to the making of high-grade tools, went on sale.

The 3,000 limited edition sets, all hand ground, and stamped with the mark “D”, were all sold in an instant.

Then in the same year, the “Mirror Tools” was developed to commemorate KTC’s 35th founding anniversary under the concept of “KTC Leaps Forward into the World”.

As tools that satisfied the pride of a professional mechanic, the outward appearance, which, as the name suggests, was highly polished like a mirror, attracted a great deal of public attention.

FF WORLD

Mirror NEPROS

The factory furniture (FF) WORLD was developed in 1992 and was born from a concept of achieving work efficiency and rationalization, while increasing the comfort of the workers in the factory.

In 1995 the Mirror NEPROS was launched - an ultimate tool that stimulates the senses of the professional mechanics, was developed under the concept of “stronger, easier to use, and more beautiful”.

KTC established its own independent standards, and new technologies were introduced for every process from material development through to surface processing.

The original form pursued an ideal and made no allowance for others to imitate.

KTC Tool

A complete renewal of the standard tool based on 50 years history and technology built up since the foundation of the company.

The concept is “the tool for the new century that will still be in use in 100 years”.

Having inherited the DNA of our highest-level brand “NEPROS”, this will be the top of the standard with the functionality of the NEPROS expanded to the maximum limit.

It will achieve progress on all frontsincluding form, function and price.