History
A Century of History, A Century of Challenges.
KOBELCO started compressor business by manufacturing Japan's very first reciprocating compressor in 1915. Ever since then, we have offered various products contributing to production sustainability. We will endeavor to improve our technical capabilities acquired over the course of our history, extend our business frontiers, and make a greater contribution to society.
The History of KOBELCO COMPRESSORS CORPORATION
PRODUCT HISTORY
1915
Started production of Japan's first high-pressure reciprocating compressor
1956
Started production of Japan's first oil-free screw compressor
1961
Started production of oil-cooled screw compressors
1963
Started production of Japan's first screw refrigerator
Started production of the KST series of screw air compressors (single stage)
1964
Started production of the KST series of screw air compressor (two-stage)
1967
Started production of screw refrigerators for ships
1972
Started production of two-stage screw refrigerators for ultra low temperatures
Started production of heat pumps
1976
Started production of the B/BT series of package-type oil-free two stage screw air compressors
1977
Started production of screw condensing units built into refrigerators and oil skimmers (a world's first at that time)
1978
Started production of the KST series of small screw air compressors (7.5-11 kW)
1983
Developed the original Kobelco Super Rotor teeth profile to greatly improve performance
1984
Started production of the ALS series of oil-free single-stage compressors
1985
Started production of the KV series of single-stage vacuum pumps
1986
Started production of 15-kW two-stage semi-hermetic screw refrigerators (a world's first at that time)
1987
Started production of the Air Mate series of ultra-small dryers (1.5-3.7 kW)
1994
Started production of the SH-F (water-cooled) series of two-stage semi-hermetic screw refrigerators
Started production of the ultracompact Sukesan series of screw compressors (1.5-3.7 kW)
1995
Started production of a series of water-cooled and air-cooled condensing units for refrigerators
Started production of the March series of small screw compressors (5.5-11 kW)
1997
Started production of the ALE (Emeraude) series of oil-free two-stage screw air compressors
Started production of split system air source heat pumps
1998
Started production of the Kobelco Inverter series of screw air compressors with permanent magnet motors
Started production of the HMJ series of large single-stage screw air compressors (90-150 kW)
1999
Started production of Ultra High Efficiency (UHE) heat pumps
2002
Started production of KOBELION medium-sized screw air compressors (15-75 kW)
Started production of the iZ series of inverter refrigerators (screw refrigerators)
Started production of the FE series of oil-free two-stage screw air compressors
2003
Started production of High Efficiency Mini (HEM I) heat pumps
2006
Started production of inverter drive ammonia screw compressors (iZN)
2007
Started production of Steam Star MSEG small steam generators
2008
Started production of inverter-equipped single-stage semi-hermetic brine chillers (iZSB)
Started production of high-temperature heat recovery heat pumps with heat extraction at 70 °C (HEM-HR)
Started production of High Efficiency Mini (HEM II) heat pumps
2009
Started production of inverter drive semi-hermetic ammonia refrigerators (iZN)
2010
Started production of KOBELION II, the second generation of KOBELION screw air compressors
Started production of high-temperature heat recovery heat pumps with heat extraction at 90 °C (HEM-HR90)
2011
Started production of ALE II, the second generation of ALE oil-free screw air compressors
2012
Started production of KOBELION-VS/SG outdoor screw air compressors
2015
Started production of KOBELION III, the third generation of KOBELION screw air compressors
Started production of ALE III, the third generation of ALE oil-free screw air compressors
Started production of large-sized KOBELION screw air compressors
2016
Started production of ALE IV, the fourth generation of ALE oil-free screw air compressors
2018
Started production of KOBELION IV, the fourth generation of KOBELION screw air compressors
Started provision of the Kobelink IoT cloud service
2020
Started production of the iZF series of inverter-equipped two-stage screw condensing units
2021
Started production of the KOBELION IV Small series of small screw air compressors
Started production of low-GWP ultra-high efficiency water-cooled inverter chillers (HEMⅢ-150-GL)
2022
Started production of the iZFS series of inverter-equipped single-stage screw condensing units
2023
Started production of 55-75 kW ALE IV oil-free screw air compressors (fourth generation ALE)
Started production of the iZFB series of inverter-equipped two-stage screw brine chillers
Started production of the iZFSB series of inverter-equipped single-stage screw brine chillers
Started production of CFC-free 85 °C high temperature heat pumps (HEMⅢ-HR85-GN)
Started production of CFC-free 85 °C/90 °C high temperature waste heat recovery heat pumps (HEMⅢ-HR85(W)-GN and HEMⅢ-HR95WZ-GN)
2024
Started production of 75-120 kW ALE IV oil-free screw air compressors (fourth generation ALE)
Started production of low-GWP high efficiency brine coolers (HEB II-GL)
Started production of CFC-free ultra-high efficiency 70 °C high temperature heat pump chillers (HEMIII-HR70-GN)
Started production of CFC-free ultra-high efficiency water-cooled inverter chillers (HEMIII-100-GN)
2025
Started production of CFC-free 120 °C waste heat recovery and steam supply heat pumps (SGH120W-GN)
Started production of CFC-free low-GWP water-cooled inverters chillers with four-way valves (KHT-100-GN and KHT-150-GL-H)
