About YKK

YKK GROUP

ABOUT

YKK, which stands for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha (Yoshida Industrial Joint-stock Company), has been founded in Japan the 1st of January 1934 by Mr. Tadao Yoshida.

The overall production of YKK’s plants around the world is today widely over 2.000.000 kms of zippers.

The Group is the global leader for fastening accessories and owns activities in the building industry, and in the fields of engineering, agriculture and breeding.

Nowadays YKK Group counts about 40.000 employees and is present in 71 nations .

 

 

YKK Italy Company profile

YKK Italy S.p.A. is the Italian sister Company of YKK Group, a global leader in fastening accessories.

Founded in 1968, it has its headquarters in Pero (MI), and various production units located throughout the Italian territory.

The plant in Prarolo (VC) is specialized in the production of zippers, the plant operating in Ascoli Piceno (YKK® Mediterraneo) produces sliders, galvanic finishes, small metal parts and snap buttons. YKK always uses the most advanced technology that, along with a precise and balanced management of all the activities, allows all group companies to reach customer satisfaction without compromising the respect and protection of environmental standards.

YKK Italy divides its manufacturing activity in four main business divisions:

• Zipper (zippers and their components);

• Textile and Plastic (Cosmolon, cords, elastic parts, buckles, cord stoppers, hooks and loops);

• Snap and Buttons (jeans buttons and rivets, snap buttons, eyelets, small metal parts);

• FTS or Field Technical Service (YKK rents to its Customers the processing machines in order to apply or transform the products with a high level of efficiency).

Vision and Mission

“A company is an important member of society, and it must coexist with other members. Its value will be recognized on the basis of the benefits it can share with others.”

This is the thought of Tadao Yoshida, founder of YKK, who argued that welfare cannot prosper if it is not shared: which is why the company works assuming as core values of its activity the attention to quality of life, shared well-being and equal dignity among individuals.

This approach, called “The Cycle of  Goodness” is carried out, for example, in respecting and protecting the environment, which is guaranteed by working with the latest equipment that minimize the environmental impact, in order to ensure the prosperity of local communities in which YKK is working. 

The special attention towards its Customers, seen as the satisfaction of their needs in order to concur in improving their competitiveness and success, is a fundamental feature of the Cycle of Goodness. This attention towards the Customer is guaranteed by the professionalism of the company but, above all, by an excellent product. Even technology is an important part of the Cycle of  Goodness. Using state of the art technology ensures higher production efficiency as well as the protection of the environment and people.

Through a policy of continuous investment in technology and creativity, YKK assures its Customers all the benefits of the latest technologies and most innovative ideas. For this reason, each EMEA sister company, including YKK Italy, has a Research and Development Centre that  constantly works for the improvement the production processes and the development of new solutions.

The constant collaboration between R&D and the commercial area allows YKK Italy to turn the requests of the market or individual customers into innovative and functional products that satisfy both the need of customization and the creation of new items suggested by the customer.

Environmental policy

Guided by the philosophy of the Cycle of Goodness®, summed up in the motto “no one prospers without rendering benefits to others”, YKK continues to be at the forefront of responsible business action.

In 1994, pursuing “harmony with the environment” as a top priority for all its commercial activities, YKK issued the Environmental Charter and offered Natulon® to the market, the first zipper made with recycled material.

Since then, YKK has been researching and choosing sustainable behaviors, processes and products, in all circumstances.

Recently, in 2020, the “Charter of the fashion industry for climate action”, promoted by the United Nations, set a target of a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and zero net emissions by 2050. In March of the same year, the YKK Group proudly joined the project and is continuing its efforts to achieve this goal.

The commitment was formally reconfirmed in October 2020 with the launch of Sustainability Vision 2050, the company’s roadmap to tackle climate change, protect material and water resources, and rethink chemical management and human rights. With Sustainability Vision 2050, YKK aligns its goals on no less than ten UN SDGs. YKK Corporation’s emissions reduction targets were approved by the independent Science Based Targets (SBTi) initiative in March 2021 as consistent with the levels required by the Paris Agreement, to continue efforts to limit global warming to less than 1.5 ° C.

From a product point of view, YKK is refining and increasing the use of various environmentally friendly technologies and more sustainable materials, developing collections in which the principles of circularity, resource reduction, reuse and recycling guide customers towards concrete solutions in the sustainable approach to production, without sacrificing quality, great value, or the durability of each product.