Hitachi – College Essay Example
Hitachi – College Essay Example

Hitachi – College Essay Example

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  • Pages: 3 (677 words)
  • Published: December 8, 2016
  • Type: Case Study
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Namihei Odaira (????, 1874 – 1951) was a Japanese entrepreneur and philanthropist who established the renowned Hitachi Ltd. He was born in Tochigi Prefecture, approximately 100 km away from Tokyo, Japan. In 1900, he completed his degree in electrical engineering from Tokyo Imperial University and subsequently began his career as a power plant engineer with a mining company.

He later worked for various electric power companies. In 1906, he became an engineering section chief at the Hitachi copper mine, which was owned by the Kuhara Mining Company. While his primary responsibilities were ensuring a consistent electricity supply and maintaining the mine's electrical equipment, he and his colleagues began developing a five horsepower electric motor. This was the start of what would eventually become Hitachi, a compan

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y founded by Odaira in 1910. However, since it was initially established as an internal project of the Kuhara Mining Company, the owner of Hitachi was Fusanosuke Kuhara, the President of the mining company, not Odaira.

Hitachi Ltd. was established as an independent company in 1920 with Odaira serving as the Managing Director until 1929 and then as the President until 1947. However, in 1947, the U.S. occupation authorities ordered Odaira to step down from his position. Thankfully, in 1951, this order was lifted and he returned to Hitachi Ltd. as Chairman Emeritus. Tragically, shortly after his return, he passed away on October 5, 1951. It's important to note that even though Odaira could not be the president due to his involvement in the mining industry, he played a pivotal role as the managing director from 1910 to 1929, during which time Hitachi Ltd

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became an independent company.

About Namihei Odaira’s Hitachi

By 1915, Odaira had increased his small five hp motor to a powerful 10,000 hp water turbine. Just a decade later, Hitachi created Japan's first large-scale DC electric locomotive. This was only the beginning, as Hitachi soon expanded its operations to include the production of refrigerators, electron microscopes, and the first cars for the Shinkansen bullet train. In 1929, Odaira assumed the role of president, a position he held until 1947 when he was forced to step down due to the U.S. occupation. After his reinstatement in 1951, Odaira passed away shortly afterwards. However, even in the aftermath of his death, Hitachi continued to thrive and explore new avenues. In October 1970, Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd. was established and within just one year, it made significant advancements in the industry by manufacturing the world's first fully hydraulic crawler crane.

Five years later, Hitachi developed the Earth Pressure Balance Shield Machine and won the Japan Society for The Promotion of Machinery Industry Prize. In 1983, Hitachi teamed up with Deere & Co. for the first of many global joint ventures, resulting in the production of hydraulic excavators. During the late '80s and early '90s, Hitachi expanded its production to include wheel loaders, bulldozers, and road construction machinery. Throughout the 1990s, Hitachi continued to strengthen its team.

Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd. has collaborated with Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. to develop a range of crawler cranes. Additionally, they established Euclid-Hitachi Heavy Equipment Inc. in the US to introduce five models of hydraulic excavators and created Hefei Hitachi Excavators Co. Ltd. in China

for the production of off-road dump trucks. Currently, the company's primary product line consists of a diverse selection of hydraulic excavators, while also marketing wheel loaders, off-road dump trucks, tunnel boring machines, and other products. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd. operates manufacturing facilities in Europe, the U.S., and Asia. Visit Hitachi Today for more information.

Hitachi, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is led by Kazuo Furukawa as its current president. It has major subsidiaries in North America, Europe, and Asia. In the 2007 Fortune 500 rankings, Hitachi held the 48th position and ranked third among electronics companies. With over 384,000 employees and 2006 revenues totaling US$87 billion, Hitachi continues to have a significant presence across various industries. Its introduction of the world's first one-terabyte (TB) hard drive in 2007 earned it considerable recognition in the world of computer technology. Hitachi's corporate vision revolves around inspiring the next generation and striving for technological evolution.

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