History of Mazda

Mazda’s true beginning can be traced to 1920 when the Toyo Cork Kyogo Company was founded by Jujiro Matsuda.

As the name suggests the Hiroshima-based from initially concerned itself with cork products, but in the following year, Matsuda saw the need for heavy industrial equipment and he decided to move into the manufacture of machinery.

Matsuda was born in August 1875, and despite being brought up in the fishing trade, developed and early interest in metalworking.

After various other enterprises, Matsuda eventually decided to move into the supply of cork, as the First World War had cut off Japan’s; supply of soft wood from Europe.

In July 1927, the business was renamed the Toyo Kogyo Co Ltd, which roughly translates as the Orient Industry Company. In 1984, it adopted the name Mazda Motor Corp.

Production began in 1931 in a brand-new factory built on a former salt farm, just outside of downtown Hiroshima. The truck was called the Type-DA but when a catchier name was needed, it was christened the Mazda-go.

In 1967, Mazda Motor Company became the world’s first carmaker to manufacture cars with three types of engines, the regular piston engine, a diesel engine and first newly developed Wankel rotary engine.

In the 1970s, Mazda linked up with Ford to help both automobile makers. Mazda has supplied axles and other automotive products to Ford Motors Co.

Mazda has always kept a fairly low profile, with little advertising or promotion and despite obvious talent in its design capability the brand had nearly faded into oblivion by the time it was acquired in 1996 by Ford.
History of Mazda