Our history
Read the history of Kyocera Unimerco, from small
beginnings to an international technological company.
1964-66: Our heritage
In 1964, Hans Foxby founded what became Kyocera Unimerco under the Unimerco name, located in Lind, near Herning in Denmark. Our very first tool, called TJEP, later became our brand for fastening tools.
After a trip to the USA in 1965, Hans came home with a contract for the exclusive distribution of Paslode nailers and staples in Scandinavia.
1966-70: The woodworking industry represents massive opportunities for cutting tools
In 1966, we began to supply tools to the woodworking industry. This marked the commencement of the development of our extensive range of cutting tool products, including refurbishing blades so that customers can use their tools again and again.
In the same year, Unimerco moved from Lind to Sunds.
1970-90: Unimerco began to manufacture specialised tools
At this time, servicing local industry became an important activity in the form of sharpening and refurbishing tools.
We moved into new industry sectors, including the metalworking, food and graphics industries, with sale and RE·NEW Reconditioning of cutting tools, activities we retain today.
Many customers required specialised tool solutions, and in 1985 we therefore began to design and manufacture specialised tools.
1976: Sharing resources
In 1976, profit-sharing was introduced, based on the idea of Kenneth Iversen, who succeeded Hans Foxby as CEO. Iversen grew up in a Danish fishing community, where profit-sharing and co-ownership are used as motivation factors and the model for a gradual succession process. The idea is that the more effort you put in, the more everyone in the business benefits. Kyocera Unimerco still practises profit-sharing today.
We introduced a new ownership structure the following year, offering all employees Unimerco shares. Consequently, Unimerco gradually became wholly owned by its employees and management.
1991: The communal spirit
Using the village community as our model, we created our own community in 1991 to ensure mutual respect, awareness of each other's challenges and opportunities, interdisciplary cooperation and communication, and the experience of working as a single team. This entailed the administration and production being located side by side, in one large building with no physical barriers.
1991-00: Unimerco established its first subsidiaries abroad
As the first step in a strategy to become a global group, we established a sales company in Sweden in 1991. This was followed by the USA, Norway and the UK in 1995, 1996 and 1998, respectively. International growth led to more focus on new customer groups, primarily in the automotive, aviation, telecommunications and wind turbine industries.
Unimerco also expanded its range at this time with measuring tools, calibration services, a coating department for surface treatment, a training centre for the sale of courses, and a test centre for testing newly developed tools.
1992: First ISO 9001 quality certification and environmental certification
In 1992, our Danish company was the first toolmaker in the world to achieve ISO 9001 quality certification. Our global customers in such industries as automotive and aviation required more and more quality management documentation. All processes, from development and design to sales and service, are therefore subject to process and quality management.
In 1995, we were one of the first companies in Denmark to achieve environmental certification. Physical and mental health and safety become subject to certification.
2000-09: Acquisitions abound
In 2000, we acquired Dandia Industridiamanter in Rødovre. This gave us vital expertise in the production of advanced diamond cutting tools. This period saw many acquisitions, and in line with many customers outsourcing production to other countries, such as China, we opened our first sales office in China in 2005.
In 2008, we acquired the tool company Derek Walmsley & Co. Ltd. in Sheffield, a consultant and supplier of tool solutions to industry in the UK, including the aviation, offshore and medico industries.
2009-11: The TJEP brand is back
Until now we had only sold our own fastening tools, but in 2009 we expanded the range drastically. This meant that we resurrected the TJEP brand. Exports to Norway, Sweden and Germany commenced. In 2010, we also established a sales company in Germany.
In the same year, the TJEP product range was expanded with a wide array of nails, screws and staples. TJEP is now the leading brand for fastening tools in Denmark, and internationally we are developing rapidly.
2011: Kyocera acquires the Unimerco Group
July 2011 marked the end of an era as an employee-owned company and the start of a new chapter. Unimerco became part of Japanese Kyocera Group with more than 71,000 employees. The sale was the result of the desire to find an industrial partner able to accelerate our growth and global presence. It also entailed a larger product image, geographical expansion and more employees.
2011-14: Kyocera Unimerco becomes the European head office for cutting tools
In 2013, Kenneth Iversen, the company's CEO for 37 years, took well-earned retirement. Senri Nagashima, seconded from Kyocera to Unimerco, took over as CEO.
In the same year, Kyocera made Unimerco the European head office for cutting tools and merged Kyocera's previous European tool activities into Kyocera Unimerco.
2014-present day: Accelerating growth
In 2015, we established companies in Lithuania, Italy and Turkey.
In 2018, Shoji Gotoda became CEO and President of the entire Kyocera Unimerco Group, and in 2020 a new strategy was launched to optimise our overall business, speed up growth and implement 'One Kyocera Unimerco' across companies and national borders.
In 2022, we reported the best ever annual results.
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