EBARA

If you have ever dealt with the field of pumps and related equipment, you have surely heard the name Ebara. Ebara is a well-known name in the pump industry, and its products are used worldwide today. This leading brand in the pump industry has been significantly more successful in recent years in supporting the establishment and equipping of industrial projects as a manufacturer with Japanese heritage.

In the following, we will learn more about the history of this brand and its fundamental products. The Inokuchi Machinery Office was established and launched in Japan in 1912 by Mr. Isei Hatakiyama, with the aspiration to develop products based on Dr. Aria Inokuchi's theory of centrifugal pumps. Since its inception in 1912, its operations have been based on quality: this characteristic is what makes Japanese technology recognized in every field.

The Enduring Spirit of "Netsu to Makoto" at EBARA

The idea of "Netsu to Makoto," enthusiasm and sincerity, is the corporate values of EBARA and is indicative of the firm commitment of the founders. The spirit is less about task completion than it is about enthusiastic effort and expert dedication that underlies every task. Since the time of its founding, this corporate philosophy has been a central aspect of EBARA's corporate culture, developing a culture based on respect for new thinking as much as for honesty.

Hatakeyama's legacy continues to endure in the company today. He sought to build a successful enterprise and at the same time give its members a sense of direction and accountability. This ethos spurs employees to work with unbridled dedication and pride, seeing to it that all responsibilities are carried out with the greatest care and professionalism.

Early History and Development (1912-1940s):

Issey Hatakeyama, a student of Arriya Inokuchi, founded the Inokuchi Type Machinery Office in 1912 to produce centrifugal pumps based on Inokuchi's designs. Inokuchi, an engineering professor at Tokyo Imperial University, allowed Hatakeyama to establish the company to produce his new centrifugal pump design3. The company quickly became successful, opening a second manufacturing site by 1914. In 1920, the company changed its name to Ebara Corporation and established a new factory in Tokyo's Ebara-gun district. During the 1920s and 1930s, Ebara grew, introducing the turbo-blower to its pump technology. In the early 1920s, Ebara installed a backup pumping system for the Tokyo aqueduct system at its own expense. When the Kanto earthquake struck in 1923, Ebara's pumps were activated, restoring the aqueduct within a day.

Post-War Expansion and Diversification (1950s-1990s):

Ebara expanded its business areas by introducing technologies such as compressors and turbines and initiated the development of energy-saving and environmentally friendly products and technologies. In 1956, Ebara formed a joint venture with U.S.-based Infilco. In 1964, the company established its first foreign sales subsidiary in Thailand, followed by its first foreign production subsidiary, Ebara Industrial Mecanicos A Commercio Ltd, in Brazil in 1975. Ebara International Corporation (EIC), a U.S. subsidiary, was founded in 1981. In 1989, a production subsidiary was established in Italy, and in 1990, a precision machinery subsidiary was founded in the United States. Ebara entered the Chinese market in 1992 with Ebara Qingdao Co. Ltd, and in 1994, it merged operations with the Ebara-Infilco joint venture.

Global Operations and Key Products:

Ebara operates globally in three business segments: Fluid Machinery and Systems, Environmental Engineering, and Precision Machinery. Ebara's main products include pumps, chillers, cooling towers, fans, turbines, waste incineration facilities, vacuum pumps, CMP equipment, waste treatment equipment, and electroplating equipment. Ebara's pumps are used in various applications, including water supply and sewage systems, the energy sector, and vacuum pumps for semiconductor manufacturing processes.

Main Office locations:

Haneda (Japan): Headquarters of Ebara Corporation.

Sodegaura Plant (Japan): Founded in 1975, producing pumps for large chemical and nuclear plants, compressors, and gas turbines.

Fujisawa Plant (Japan): Founded in 1965, producing standard pumps, air conditioning systems, fans, and boilers.

Futtsu Plant (Japan): Established in 2010, manufacturing industrial pumps, hydraulic turbines, and fans with nominal diameters larger than 4,000 mm.

Cles (Trento, Italy): Ebara Italia S.p.A. was founded in 1989, with production starting in 1992 in a fully automated plant.

Brendola (Vicenza, Italy): Site opened in 1998, leading Ebara Italia S.p.A. to become Ebara Pumps Europe S.p.A.

Gambellara (Vicenza, Italy): New operating site of over 54,000 sqm area, established in 2018.

Ebara Pumps Europe: Ebara Pumps Europe S.p.A. was founded in Cles (Trento) in 1989, with production starting in 1992. In 1998, with the opening of the site in Brendola (Vicenza), Ebara Italia S.p.A. became Ebara Pumps Europe S.p.A. In 2018, the plant expanded to a new operating site of over 54,000 sqm in Gambellara (Vicenza). The two locations utilize highly technological machines and are organized based on the Japanese Group model, forming one of the largest European production centers for industrial and standard steel pumps.

Ebara has been contributing to society by supplying products that support the development of social infrastructures, industrial development, and human life.

Ebara has introduced key innovations over the years, including:

Centrifugal Pumps: Developed based on the centrifugal pump theory of Dr. Ariya Inokuchi, these pumps formed the foundation of Ebara's business in 1912.
Turbo-blower: Introduced to Ebara's pump technology, expanding its capabilities.
Energy-saving and Environmentally Friendly Products: Ebara initiated the development of these products and technologies to promote sustainability.
Solar Pumps: In 2021, Ebara launched solar-powered pumps in Brazil to provide drinking water in areas without electricity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Hydrogen Compressor (Flex-Op): Ebara Elliott Energy developed a flexibly positional compressor to improve operational flexibility in hydrogen compression in 2022.
Electric Pumps for Rocket Engines: In 2022, Ebara began developing electric pumps for rocket engines, utilizing its rotary machinery technology.
Carbon Dioxide-Free Hydrogen Production Technology: Ebara is developing a turquoise hydrogen production technology that produces hydrogen from hydrocarbons without generating carbon dioxide.
Liquid Hydrogen Booster Pump: In 2023, Ebara developed the world's first liquid hydrogen booster pump for use when liquid hydrogen is unloaded from a tank and supplied to a hydrogen gas turbine.
Hydrogen-Fueled Absorption Chiller-Heaters: Ebara developed the world's first hydrogen-fueled absorption chiller-heaters that operate without CO2 emissions by fuel combustion and can directly use hydrogen without converting it into power or electricity.
Aquaculture Systems: Ebara has developed fully-closed land-based aquaculture systems to address food and environmental problems associated with increased demand for fishery resources.
CMP (Chemical Mechanical Planarization) Systems: Ebara's CMP systems enable nano-level planarization by polishing the device surface of semiconductor wafers with slurry.
Dry Vacuum Pumps: Ebara's dry vacuum pumps provide a high level of cleanliness required for deposition and plasma processing in wafer fabrication.