ASICS Corporation: Shoe Company - company profile on Apparel Search

Footwear Company... The stripe design featured on the sides of ASICS shoes is a trademark of ASICS Corporation and is a registered trademark in most countries of the world.

This company started life as Onitsuka Co., Ltd. on September 1, 1949. On July 5, 1958, it amalgamated with a sales subsidiary, Tokyo Onitsuka Co., Ltd. to become Onitsuka Co., Ltd., which was originally a manufacturing subsidiary. Following this, on June 1, 1963, Onitsuka Co., Ltd., absorbed into Chuo Sangyo Co., Ltd. (established on May 27, 1943, and renamed Onitsuka Co., Ltd. on June 1, 1963), which was on a break in business at that time, in order to change the par value of its stock from 500 yen to 50 yen.

Thereafter, on July 21, 1977, the new Onitsuka Co., Ltd. merged with GTO Co., Ltd, a manufacturer of sports wear and goods, and JELENK Co., Ltd, which was a manufacturer of sports wear, and was reborn as ASICS Corporation. Since this major merger, ASICS has grown into one of the industry's leading total sports products manufacturers.

1949
March - Onitsuka Shokai was founded.

September - After a reorganization of Onitsuka Shokai, Onitsuka Co., Ltd. was established in Kobe to act as a manufacturer specializing in sports footwear, such as basketball shoes, and started the development, manufacturing and sales of sports shoes.

1953

May - The Tiger Rubber Factory was opened in Kobe.

1955
August - Tokyo Onitsuka Co., Ltd. was established in Tokyo, as a sales center for the Kanto and Tohoku regions.

1957

June - The Tiger Rubber Factory was reorganized and Onitsuka Co., Ltd. was established as a manufacturing section.

1958

July - Onitsuka Co., Ltd. and Tokyo Onitsuka Co., Ltd. were absorbed into Onitsuka Co., Ltd. to integrate the sales and manufacturing sections. The Head Office of Tokyo Onitsuka Co., Ltd. was renamed the Tokyo Branch.

1963

June - In order to execute a change in par value, Chuo Sangyo Co., Ltd. (established on May 27, 1943) absorbed Onitsuka Co., Ltd., and thereafter became known as Onitsuka Co., Ltd.

1964
February - Onitsuka Co., Ltd. was listed on the Kobe Securities Exchange

April - Onitsuka Co., Ltd. was listed on the second section of the Osaka Securities Exchange

1969

April - Tottori Onitsuka Co., Ltd. (later renamed San-in ASICS Industry Co., Ltd.) was established as a manufacturing plant for sports shoes.

1972

May - Onitsuka Co., Ltd. was listed on the second section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange

1974

June - Onitsuka Co., Ltd. was relisted on the first section of both the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Osaka Securities Exchange.

1975

August - Onitsuka Tiger Ltd. (later renamed ASICS Deutschland GmbH) was established for market development in Europe.

1977

July - The business name was changed to ASICS Corporation, and through the merger with GTO Co.,Ltd. and JELENK Co., Ltd., it took over 7 sewing factories in Fukui, Takefu, Wakasa (capital relationship dissolved later), Yamaguchi (liquidated later), Kitakyushu, Omuta and Miyazaki, as well as JELENK U.S.A. Inc. (later renamed ASICS Sports of America Inc.)

1980

October - Tottori ASICS Industry Corporation was established as a manufacturing outlet of sports shoes (later renamed San-in ASICS Industry Corporation upon the merger of Tottori ASICS Industry Corporation, San-in ASICS Industry Corporation and Shimane ASICS Industry Corporation)

1981

July - Following termination of operations of ASICS Sports of America Inc., ASICS Tiger Corporation (later renamed ASICS America Corporation) was established as a new base for market development in the U.S.

1982

August - ASICS Physical Distribution Corporation was established in order to streamline distribution costs

1985

July - A new headquarters building was constructed on Kobe Port Island, and main operations were transferred to the new premises

November - Research Institute of Sports Science was established in order to strengthen the system of fundamental scientific research.

1986

July - ASICS Tiger Oceania Pty. Ltd. (later renamed ASICS Oceania Pty. Ltd.) was established for market development in Australia.

1990

March - ASICS France S.A. (later reorganized and renamed ASICS France S.A.S.) was established for market development in Europe

April - Construction of ASICS Research Institute of Sports Science and Human Resource Development Center (later renamed ASICS R&D Center) was completed in Kobe as a new center for research/development and human resource cultivation

1991

May - ASICS Benelux B.V. was established in the Netherlands in order to reinforce sales in Europe.

June - ASICS Italia S.p.A was established for further reinforcement of sales in Europe.

1992

March - ASICS UK Ltd. was established in Britain for further reinforcement of sales in Europe

1994

September - Jiangsu ASICS Co., Ltd. was established in China as a manufacturing outlet for sports shoes and sports wear (Manufacturing of sports shoes was transferred to an affiliate factory later).

December - ASICS Europe B.V. was established in the Netherlands, as an overall controlling company for Europe, and for further reinforcement of sales in Europe

1997

July - In order to rationalize the sales system in the Hokkaido and Chubu regions, the sales operations of both regions were consolidated at ASICS Hokkaido Sales Corporation (previously Asia Corporation) and ASICS Chubu Sales Corporation (previously Watamori Corporation).

1998

October - In order to rationalize the manufacturing system, Miyazaki ASICS Industry Corporation absorbed Kitakyushu ASICS Industry Corporation and Omuta ASICS Industry Corporation, and changed the business name to ASICS Apparel Industry Corporation

2000

December - ASICS R&D Center acquired "ISO 14001 certification," which is an international standard of environmental management systems

2001

October - ASICS Hojinkan Corporation was established for the purpose of accelerating the procedures for decision making in the fitness-walking business and to accumulate knowledge in the retail business

2002

March - The Head Office acquired "ISO 14001 certification," which is an international standard of environmental management systems

July - ASICS Tohoku Sales Corporation was established in order to rationalize the sales system in the Tohoku region

October - ASICS Deporte Corporation was merged in order to conduct efficient operation of the school sports wear business

2003

April - ASICS Europe B.V. absorbed ASICS Benelux B.V. to further reinforce the sales system in Europe

Many additional exciting things have happened at ASICS. You can visit their website to learn more https://www.asics.com/

The philosophy of ASICS is as follows:

To provide products and services that offer value to every customer
To protect the environment, and contribute to the world community at both the individual and societal levels
To offer sound services, and share profits with our shareholders and communities that have supported ASICS, as well as our employees
To achieve ASICS in the spirit of freedom and fairness, with respect for the dignity of the individual

Japan Office:

1-1, Minatojima-Nakamachi 7chome Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-8555 JAPAN
TEL:81-78-303-6888 FAX:81-78-303-2241
Asics Japan

USA Office:

16275 Laguna Canyon Road, Irvine, California 92618, U.S.A.
TEL:1-949-453-8888 FAX:1-949-453-0292
Asics America