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In a period marked by many golden anniversaries in Georgia’s relationship with Japan, the company that started it all is commemorating its first foray into U.S. manufacturing in 1974.
YKK (USA) Inc. is marking 50 years in the middle Georgia city where it became an unlikely market entrant less than 30 years after the end of World War II.
The zipper maker opened a New York sales office in 1960 but soon began to search for sites in the South, which was fast becoming the center of the country’s textile industry. Cloyd Hall, a Macon native and advisor to then-Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter, introduced the company’s founder, Tadao Yoshida, to the governor, leading to a fast friendship that helped clinch the deal for Georgia, already shortlisted due to its location, port and airport.
Seeing the promise of Japan, Mr. Carter set up the state’s trade office in Tokyo in 1973, a forward-thinking decision commemorated last October during a Georgia reception at the Peninsula Hotel in Tokyo the week after the SEUS-Japan Alliance’s annual conference.
In the ensuing half-century, YKK has ridden the ups and downs of the apparel market, from the growing pains of starting a new factory from scratch in the Western Hemisphere to the enactment of NAFTA and the migration of the industry beyond U.S. borders, first southward and then to Asia. Over time, a facility that started with zippers tailored to the U.S. apparel market has significantly adapted, producing a varied portfolio of solutions for the automotive, medical and government sectors. It now employs 600 people, down from its peak but reflective of its long-term commitment.
“As we mark this significant milestone, we express our deep gratitude not only to our dedicated employees, whose tireless efforts have been instrumental, but also to the city of Macon for their unwavering support over the past 50 years,” said John Smith, president of YKK (USA) Inc. “We are enthusiastic about extending this legacy of excellence and community partnership well into the future.”
As part of yearlong celebrations, YKK has honored employees celebrating their 45th and 50th years with the company, and it’s re-dedicating the “Heart of Friendship” sculpture in Macon that was donated by YKK in 1974 and was relocated to the city’s Carolyn Crayton Park.
The public art piece is just one of the many significant cultural exchanges underwritten by YKK, which in 1990 donated $300,000 for the Macon Cherry Blossom Festival headquarters building. Chairman Tadahiro Yoshida, the son of the founder, who was recently awarded the Order of the Rising Sun with Gold and Silver Stars by the Japanese government, was on hand for the dedication.
YKK also supported the establishment of a sister-city relationship with its hometown of Kurobe that has led to at least 1,100 Maconites visiting Japan since 1977, as well as partnerships between the cities’ hospital systems.
The Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta is also celebrating 50 years in Atlanta this year and marked the occasion with a reception at Consul General Mio Maeda’s residence June 5.