saving lives since 1955

Akamon Building, the company's head office at the time of founding

Tokibo Co., Ltd., the original company of our TKB Group was established in 1955 and based in Tamura Akamon Bldg. in Minato-ward, Tokyo. It was known as Tokyo Kikai Boeki Co., Ltd. at the time. Dr. Yasuyuki Sata, M.D. (ie. Dr.Sata) (1914-1993), the founder, was originally pursuing his career as a medical doctor.

Although German medicine prevailed in pre-war Japanese medical circles, after 1945, the country's medicine dramatically changed by the influx of new knowledge from the United States. As Dr.Sata learned the existence of much advanced medical devices in the U.S., he felt the urge to save more human lives by introducing such state-of-the-art medical devices to Japan, rather than treating individual patients as a medical doctor, which he had found a noble profession. The urge eventually led him to set up an import company specialized in medical devices.

Eventually he set up an import company specializing in medical devices. In 1970, Tokyo Kikai Boeki Co., Ltd changed its name to “Tokibo Co., Ltd.”. In 1972, a building to accommodate the company’s headquarters was built in Higashi Azabu, Minato-ward, Tokyo. As the business developed, a network of sales offices expanded across Japan.

Yasuhiko Sata, the eldest son of Dr.Sata, joined the company in 1970 and founded “Sata Corporation (later
named TKB Corporation)” in 1973. TKB’s network of business widened its horizon by increasing the number of affiliated companies overseas. TKB International Inc. (later named TKB Medical USA Inc.) in Los Angeles is one of them.

In 1981, Newport Medical Instruments Inc. *was established in California, U.S., as a group company and the firm started to develop and manufacture its own product series:“Newport Ventilator”. This was an outcome of the wealth of both technological and clinical expertise Tokibo had gained through the sale of ventilators, and the excellent design technology of American engineers. The ventilators manufactured by Newport Medical were widely accepted in Asian markets including Japan and China. They were also successful in emerging markets such as Russia and South Africa, contributing to the establishment of a solid corporate image of Tokibo as a ventilator manufacturer.
*Newport Medical Instruments Inc. was sold to COVIDIEN plc in 2012.

60 years ago, TKB Group started its business by importing Foregger anesthetic machines manufactured in the United States. To commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the group’s foundation on June 9, 2014, the group has introduced Forreger Memorial Series, a new product line released in this very year. This series is an icon of gratitude to our numerous customers and resolution to remember the founder’s spirit. One of the line’s products, the “bellavista ventilator”, is an innovative system equipped with the latest touch panel technology and other unique features.

TKB also places emphasis on product development and manufacturing at its affiliated manufacturers. Those products include shunt systems for hydrocephalus treatment which are developed and produced at Sophysa (France) and operating tables at OPT SurgiSystems (Italy).

Tokibo is also keen to develop OEM products and created the“tkb Series” as its own original brand in 2009. “tkb”, the initial letters of “Tokyo Kikai Boeki Co., Ltd.” (current Tokibo Co.,Ltd.), reflects the company’s total confidence in its products. Tokibo is known to provide safe, trustworthy medical devices selected under the strict, discerning eye, which is only possible through our extensive experience in marketing, sales, technical services and manufacturing of products for various medical fields let alone the valued opinions of our longtime customers who are on the front lines of health care.

Tokibo not only sells medical devices but also provides educational opportunities for doctors, nurses and paramedics by organizing training workshops on how to use its products as well as seminars and lectures by expert doctors invited from overseas. In this way, Tokibo makes efforts, small though they may be, to bring about advances in the field of medicine as a whole.