HISTORY

Masao Uemura (deceased) founded “Ansei Kogyosho”, the predecessor of Ansei in August 1947 as Japan started to walk the long road to recovery after the war. At the time of establishment, we were mainly involved in the manufacturing and maintenance of electrical parts. Based in Nakadecho, Atsuta-Ku, Nagoya City (current location of the technical center), we handled the processing of a variety of parts including press machining, pipe bending, and braze welding.Commodities were still scarce at that time. Ansei Kogyosho formed during this time, which can be said to be the dawn of manufacturing that linked to modern Japan, and took the first assured step along this path.

After the corporate reorganization in 1953 (becoming an LLC), it became Ansei Kogyo Inc. in July 1967. This era saw the growing popularization of the automobile, and the various domestic automobile manufacturers in Japan pushed forward towards mass production. In 1966, they embarked on the development of the first-generation latch, and loaded this in the first mass production vehicle in 1967. In 1969, a second-generation door latch incorporating a new mechanism was adopted in a model with a huge production volume, necessitating a supply increase. In 1968, the Mie Factory (January) and then the Obu factory (March) were opened. Along with the increase in the automobile factory, there was another trigger for expansion of the corporate scale at this time.
At that time, there were many cases of domestic manufactures developing products through technological collaboration with overseas manufacturers, but Ansei Kogyo forged an independent path, and carried out original product development. This way of doing things itself is a historical cornerstone that has continued to this day.

In the 1970s, automobiles reached a large number of people, and demands for safety increased. With legal regulations surrounding automobiles becoming ever more strict, we utilized new technologies and ideas in our manufacturing to respond to this from the manufacturer side. During this period, we developed an in-type door latch which both met legal regulations and guaranteed 200% strength with a superior appearance. Then, in 1976, we developed a door latch with improved sound when the door closed. This approach not only responded to the needs of the period, but pursued even higher quality manufacturing. During this period, the trust we received from automobile manufacturers increased. At the time, the production volume of door latches continued to increase, and we moved into heater controls as new products. The approach of boldly challenging new product development while honing the development and production of door latches has been one we have carried with us to today.

In the 1980s, the main things requested of door latches was that they be compact and offer improved door-closing sound. At this time, other parts manufactures started to promote the use of resin in the door latches, but Ansei Kogyo, focusing on increased safety, continued to use metal plating, developing compact door latches with improved door-closing sounds that we quickly attached to mass production vehicles. After various investigations and trial and error, in 1987, we finally succeeded in creating a resin door latch. The resin door latch developed by Ansei Kogyo, dispelled the “heavy” demerit of sheet metal products, and was extremely well received. During the latter half of the 1980s, we started to supply door actuator products. Additionally, in 1984, we licensed our door latch technology to overseas companies, and this was the trigger for spreading the advanced technology of Ansei Kogyo around the world.

This started in the 1990s, with the change in trading name from Ansei Kogyo to “Ansei Corporation”. Additionally, the 90s became the age in which we embraced the staking out of global markets. With the world trend for moving to automobile manufacture/local procurement overseas, in July 1997, we established a joint venture SUMMIT ANSEI AUTO PARTS CO., LTD. (SAA) in Thailand (Chonburi Province). In the same month, the subsidiary ANSEI AMERICA INC. (AAI) was started in America (Illinois) as we continued to open bases of operation overseas. Domestically, as well, we opened the Okayama factory in 1991 (expanded in July of same year, and 1992, 1994, and 1997). In 1992, the technical center, as a base for design, was opened in Atsuta-Ku, Nagoya City, as we also strengthened domestic operations. Furthermore, during that period, we developed integrated door lock actuator products and door actuators in 1992. We greatly strengthened our track record during this age of increased sophistication.

Acceleration in overseas expansion as we move into the 21st Century. In 2002, relocated ANSEI AMERICA, INC. (AAI) in America (Tennessee) and opened Tennessee factory. Established a local environment providing for all processes from production to assembly. Established FUZHOU AN CHANG AUTOMOTIVE PARTS CO.LTD in China (Fujian Province) in 2012. In 2014, established PT.ANSEI INDONESIA JAYA (AIJ) in Indonesia, building a firm foothold in the Asia region. In the development field, we promoted increased efficiency through cost reductions and unit-based door actuators. Achieved advanced safety through the incorporation of cutting-edge technology, with the development of Japan’s first door latch with a built-in inertia lock (mechanism that detects collisions and mechanically prevents the door from opening) to assist with collision safety in 2010. We developed and mass-produced slide door latches in the 2000s, and, in 2012, we started development of a slide door latch system with excellent water/frost durability, closure and safety features. In 2016, this was installed in our mass-produced vehicles. In recognition of our long track record and high level of technology, we are steadily increasing the number of new contracts with automobile manufacturers. Ansei celebrated its 70th anniversary. Moving forward, we will continue to embrace new challenges, such as new product development and the staking out of new markets, considering automobile motorization and automatic driving, with the development of our main product, the door latch, as the core.