Yaskawa Electric Corporation

Yaskawa Electric Corporation, founded on July 16, 1915, in Kitakyushu, Japan, by Keiichiro Yaskawa, began as a manufacturer of electric motors. In 1917, it delivered Japan's first three-phase induction motor, and by 1936 it had developed the first Japanese servo motor. The company coined the term "mechatronics" in 1969, blending mechanical and electronic engineering, and trademarked it in 1972, a move that defined its identity. Its head office in Kitakyushu, designed by American architect Antonin Raymond in 1954, stands as a physical marker of its long history.

Yaskawa's Motoman robot series, launched in 1977, became a flagship for heavy-duty industrial robots used in welding, assembly, painting, and material handling. The company also produces servo drives (Sigma-7 series), AC variable frequency drives (GA700, U1000), and motion controllers (MP3000 series). Listed on the Tokyo and Fukuoka stock exchanges and a Nikkei 225 constituent, Yaskawa serves automotive, electronics, and semiconductor industries globally.

As of fiscal 2023 (ending March 2024), Yaskawa reported revenue of about ¥560 billion ($3.7 billion USD) and net income of roughly ¥45 billion. Its market capitalization in late 2024 stood at approximately ¥1.2 trillion ($8 billion USD). The company employs around 15,000 people, with major facilities in Japan, China, Europe, the Americas, and Southeast Asia. In 2023, it launched the Sigma-7+ servo motor series for semiconductor manufacturing, and in 2024 it introduced the Motoman GP25 robot for automotive assembly. Yaskawa is investing in AI-driven robotics and digital twin technology, opening a new R&D center in Kitakyushu focused on collaborative and autonomous mobile robots.[edit]