Kobe Steel, Ltd. founded.

Produced Japan's first construction machine:50K electric mining shovel

30K electric dragline

Acquires crane technology through an agreement with Harnischfeger.

Signs technical agreement with the French manufacture Poclain.
Shinko Construction Machinery Institute established in Okubo Plant.

First hydraulic wheel excavator:TY45

Japan's first 10A mini hydraulic excavator

Large size YS1000 hydraulic excavator
R Series hydraulic excavators

Participates in the capitalization of Harnischfeger of Australia.

LK Series wheel loaders

Sales subsidiary Kobelco International(S) Co.Pte.Ltd. established in Singapore.

K Series hydraulic excavators

Central parts terminal completed in Okubo Plant.

Sales subsidiary Kobelco America Inc. established in Houston,Texas.

Initiates the OEM supply of cranes to Harnischfeger.

C Series hydraulic excavators

D Series hydraulic excavators equipped with KPSS

MARK Series hydraulic excavators equipped with swing flasher

American manufacturing subsidiary Kobelco Construction Machinery,Inc.established in Calhoun,Georgia.

SK Series mini excavators(super mini)

Kobelco Construction Machinery(Europe)B.V. established in Netherlands.

SK Series mini excavators

MARK and MARK Series hydraulic excavators

Chengdu Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. Established in China.
100,000th hydraulic excavator built.

The two U.S. -based companies Kobelco America Inc. (KAI) and Kobelco Construction Machinery (KCM) are merged, creating a new company that retains the name KAI.
The name is changed to Kobelco Construction Machinery America LLC in 2002.

Thai Kobelco Construction Machinery Ltd. established in Thailand.

SR Series mini excavators

Yutani Heavy Industries (Hiroshima Plant) and Okubo Plant receive ISO9001 certification.

SR Series hydraulic excavators

Kobe Steel's Construction Machinery Division is recognized as an independent company called Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.

Dynamic Acera Series hydraulic excavators

Global Alliance agreement signed with CNH Global (Holland) of FIAT Group.

Hiroshima Plant and Okubo Plant receive ISO14001 certification.
KOBELCO-CNH Australia Pty.Ltd.(Australia), Kobelco Case Construction Machinery(Shanghai) CO., Ltd., and Fiat Kobelco Construction Machinery S.p.A.(Italy) established.

SK 1600D, the world's largest-class building demolition machine.

Kobelco (Shanghai) Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. (Service Center) established.
Chengdu Kobelco Construction Machinery Group Co., Ltd., holding and marketing company, established in China.
Arrangement reached with Toyota Tsusho Corporation to pursue joint operation in China.
Kobelco Construction Machinery Intrenational Trading Co., Ltd. established to market used equipment.
Second manufacturing center, Hangzhou Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. (China) established in China.

Crane division separated and made into an independent company, Kobelco Crane Co., Ltd. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Kobe Steel, Ltd.).

SR-3 Series mini excavators

Opened Ogaki Factory in charge of manufacturing mini excavators.

Participated and displayed the hybrid excavator (monitor machinery) in “INTERMAT 2006” in Paris as a pioneer of the industry.

The ultra large machinery for building demolition “SK3500D” which realized the world’s highest work height of over 65 m was listed in Guinness World Records.

Fully remodeled the middle-sized hydraulic excavator and realized a 20% reduction of fuel consumption compared to the conventional machinery.

Founded a sales company Kobelco Construction Equipment India Pvt. Ltd. in India.
Founded a mini excavator manufacturing company Chengdu Kobelco Mini Excavator Co., Ltd. in Chengdu, Sichucan in China.
Founded hydraulic excavator manufacturing factory (complete machine factory) in Thailand.

Released short tail swing radius hydraulic excavator which adopted the new cooling system “iNDr”.

Founded a finance company Chengdu Kobelco Construction Machinery FinancialLeasing Co., Ltd. in China.

Chengdu Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. and Chengdu Kobelco Mini Excavator Co., Ltd. were merged and started producing hydraulic excavators ranging from mini, medium to large sizes.
Expanded the factory due to the transfer of Chengdu Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.

Took over the direct sales business of BOMAG JAPAN and become the only one general agency in Japan to handle importing and selling of products by BOMAG.
The new hydraulic excavator factory in Andhra Pradesh, in southeast of India started operation.

Started sales of hybrid hydraulic excavators "SK80H Hybrid (SK80H-2)" in Japan.

Backhoes which adopted the ultra-low sound “iNDr” were registered with NETIS by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Hybrid hydraulic excavator “SK80H Hybrid (SK80H-2)” received the Minister of the Environment Award for the Prevention of Global Warming.

Announced the construction of Global Engineering Center (GEC) and Itsukaichi Factory.

Backhoes which have the “Auto idle stop function” were registered with NETIS by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Founded Global Engineering Center (GEC) and Itsukaichi Factory.
Termination of global Alliance agreement with CNH Global (Holland ) of FIAT Group.

Released Hybrid hydraulic excavator "SK200H Hybrid"