NMB

NMB is a well-known brand specializing in miniature bearings. It was founded by a group of Japanese engineers in Tokyo, Japan, in 1951. The company's full name is Nippon Miniature Bearing Co., Ltd. In its early years, NMB primarily focused on manufacturing precision miniature bearings. In the 1970s, the company embarked on a series of dazzling mergers and acquisitions, rapidly expanding its presence in Western markets. For example, in 1971, NMB acquired New Hampshire Ball Bearings (NHBB), a bearing brand established in 1946 and originally based in the United States but acquired from the Swedish company SKF. NMB immediately began manufacturing operations in the United States. In addition to acquiring companies that produce bearings, NMB quickly established sales and manufacturing subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Singapore. Furthermore, NMB expanded its product line and entered various fields such as precision motors, sensor equipment, and audio devices by acquiring other Japanese and American companies.

Throughout the 1980s, NMB continued its rapid global expansion. In terms of organic growth, the company established multiple manufacturing or sales subsidiaries in Thailand, Italy, and Singapore. Simultaneously, NMB conducted a long series of mergers and acquisitions, greatly increasing the breadth of its product offerings and the global scale of its existing product lines.

The burst of the Japanese economic bubble in the 1990s prompted NMB to quickly adjust its strategy. Apart from focusing on sales and profitability of its existing product lines, the company reduced its debt ratio and aimed for financial stability. NMB also proactively withdrew from or divested itself from unprofitable business areas or those that affected its overall strategy. Even during the uncertain times of the Japanese economy, in 1994, NMB made a decisive decision to invest in establishing a factory in China. They foresaw China as the world's largest market in the 21st century, demonstrating their foresight. It was during the tumultuous 1990s that NMB made this move.

With the rise of emerging markets in the early 21st century, NMB's merger and acquisition strategy once again focused on high-value and high-profit product lines related to bearings. In 2009, the company acquired the stepper motor division of Germany's FDK, as well as the German miniature ball bearing manufacturer MYONIC and its subsidiary. After 2010, NMB continued to heavily invest in the motor industry while divesting itself from underperforming assets. In 2017, NMB, which primarily focused on mechanical processing products such as bearings, motors, and sensors, merged and operated with Mitsumi Electric, an electronic component manufacturer established in 1954, through a stock swap. The merged company was then renamed MinebeaMitsumi. In 2020, MinebeaMitsumi further acquired ABLIC, an analog semiconductor manufacturer, solidifying its influence in the IC and semiconductor product portfolio once again.

According to the official website of MinebeaMitsumi, as of August 1, 2021, the company has 95 manufacturing facilities in 27 countries worldwide. It employs nearly 90,000 people and produces an average of 260 million ball bearings per month. Although bearings are no longer MinebeaMitsumi's largest business area, the company still holds an absolute dominant position in the miniature ball bearing market. For example, for miniature bearings with an outer diameter of less than 22mm, there are nearly 10,000 different product models available. These bearings offer a wide range of solutions for various usage conditions, such as high-speed rotation, low noise, low vibration, and special environments. MinebeaMitsumi's products account for over 60% of the global market share in this segment.

In just a short span of 40-50 years, MinebeaMitsumi rapidly transformed from a Japanese miniature bearing company into a global comprehensive component manufacturer primarily focused on producing bearings, micro motors, semiconductor components, and electronic parts. The company has achieved exceptional efficiency and effectiveness in its mergers and acquisitions, making it unparalleled in the bearing industry. MinebeaMitsumi's global expansion strategy has skillfully balanced acquisitions and business divestment. Undoubtedly, the company's efficient global expansion was aided by favorable circumstances and opportunities during that time.

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