Matsuura Machinery
Japanese machine-tool manufacturer specializing in CNC machining centers, high-speed milling equipment, and automated machining technologies.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Matsuura Machinery is a Japanese machine-tool manufacturer headquartered in Fukui, Fukui Prefecture. The company began operations in August 1935 as a manufacturer and distributor of lathes, later expanding into milling, drilling, numerically controlled equipment, and machining centers. Its development reflects the broader transition of the machine-tool industry from conventional mechanical equipment toward automated and computer-controlled production systems. Matsuura started producing milling machines in 1957 and became a publicly traded company in 1960. It added automatically controlled milling machines in 1961 and numerically controlled milling machines in 1964. These steps established the company as a participant in the emerging automation of industrial machining, allowing manufacturers to produce complex components with greater consistency and reduced dependence on manual operation. The company subsequently broadened its product range with automatically controlled drilling machines in 1972 and vertical machining centers in 1974. International expansion became more important during the 1970s. Matsuura began exporting to the United States in 1975, giving the company access to one of the world's largest industrial-equipment markets. During the 1980s it developed high-speed machining centers and twin-spindle vertical machining centers, beginning production of those types in 1981, followed by horizontal machining centers in 1983. This portfolio positioned Matsuura around high-productivity, high-precision machining for manufacturers that needed to process complex metal parts efficiently. Matsuura's machining centers serve a range of industrial applications, including aerospace equipment production, automotive manufacturing, mold and die work, and other precision-engineering activities. Its equipment has also been associated with demanding aerospace production: machine tools made by Matsuura were used by NASA in work on the Space Shuttle Discovery's fuel tanks in 1998. The resulting production improvements reportedly reduced the tanks' weight by four tons compared with the earlier design. The company passed cumulative shipments of 10,000 machining centers in 1993 and 20,000 in 2015. These shipment milestones indicate the scale of its long-term presence in the machining-center market. Today, Matsuura is best understood as a specialized industrial brand whose identity rests on precision, automation, machining speed, and the ability to support complex production environments rather than on consumer-facing products. Its principal business remains the design and manufacture of advanced machine tools for industrial customers in Japan and overseas.
History
Matsuura Machinery Corporation began business in August 1935 in Fukui, Japan. Its initial activities involved manufacturing and distributing lathes, placing the company within the traditional machine-tool sector. Over time, Matsuura shifted toward milling and automated production equipment as industrial customers increasingly sought higher throughput, repeatability, and precision. The first major expansion of its manufacturing scope came in 1957, when Matsuura began producing milling machines. The company went public in 1960, an important corporate milestone that occurred during a period of rapid industrial development in Japan. In 1961, it started producing automatically controlled milling machines, followed in 1964 by numerically controlled milling machines. These products represented a move away from manually operated machine tools toward programmable manufacturing. Matsuura continued broadening its capabilities during the 1970s. It began producing automatically controlled drilling machines in 1972 and vertical machining centers in 1974. The latter became an important category in the company's development because machining centers combine multiple cutting operations and support more integrated production of complex components. The company began exporting to the United States in 1975. This international move extended Matsuura's commercial reach beyond Japan and connected the company with aerospace, automotive, tooling, and other precision-manufacturing customers in North America. During the 1980s, Matsuura concentrated on faster and more productive machining configurations. Production of high-speed machining centers and twin-spindle vertical machining centers began in 1981, while horizontal machining centers followed in 1983. Matsuura's equipment has been used in several demanding industrial settings. Aerospace manufacturers are among the users of its machining centers, where precision and weight reduction can be important production objectives. In 1998, Matsuura machine tools were used in manufacturing work associated with NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery fuel tanks. The resulting tanks were reported to be four tons lighter than their predecessors, illustrating the potential importance of advanced machining in aerospace component production. The company's cumulative installed or shipped base expanded significantly over the following decades. Matsuura surpassed 10,000 shipped machining centers in 1993 and exceeded 20,000 in 2015. These milestones mark the growth of its machining-center business and the adoption of its equipment by industrial customers. The available historical record does not identify a founder, current executive team, corporate parent, or detailed ownership structure. Matsuura is nevertheless documented as an active Japanese machine-tool manufacturer whose principal identity is tied to CNC machining, high-speed production, and precision industrial equipment.
- 2015
Cumulative shipments exceed 20,000 machining centers
[1]Total machining-center shipments exceed 20,000 units.
- 1998
Equipment used in Space Shuttle Discovery fuel-tank production
[1]Matsuura machine tools are used in work on NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery fuel tanks, which were reported to be four tons lighter than earlier tanks.
- 1993
Cumulative shipments exceed 10,000 machining centers
[1]The company's total number of shipped machining centers surpasses 10,000 units.
- 1983
Horizontal machining centers added
[1]Matsuura begins producing horizontal machining centers.
- 1981
High-speed and twin-spindle machining production begins
[1]The company starts producing high-speed machining centers and twin-spindle vertical machining centers.
- 1975
United States exports begin
[1]Matsuura begins exporting its machine tools to the United States.
- 1974
Vertical machining centers introduced
[1]Production starts for vertical machining centers.
- 1972
Automatic drilling equipment added
[1]The company begins producing automatically controlled drilling machines.
- 1964
Numerically controlled milling production begins
[1]Matsuura starts producing numerically controlled milling machines.
- 1961
Automatic milling equipment introduced
[1]Production begins for automatically controlled milling machines.
Products and positioning
A precision-oriented industrial machine-tool supplier focused on automated, high-speed, and high-productivity machining for demanding manufacturing applications.
Machine tools
CNC machining centers
Matsuura's core product area is the CNC machining center, a computer-controlled machine tool designed to perform multiple cutting operations with repeatable precision. These systems are used for complex component production across aerospace, automotive, mold-making, and other industrial sectors. The company's machining-center portfolio includes vertical, horizontal, high-speed, and twin-spindle configurations.
Machine tools · 1981
High-speed machining centers
High-speed machining centers are designed to raise cutting productivity and shorten production cycles while maintaining the accuracy required for precision parts. Matsuura began producing this type of equipment in 1981. Such machines are relevant to manufacturers processing complex metal components and to production environments where cycle time and surface quality are important.
Machine tools · 1974
Vertical machining centers
Vertical machining centers became part of Matsuura's product range in 1974. In this configuration, the cutting tool approaches the workpiece vertically, supporting a broad range of milling and drilling operations. Matsuura later added twin-spindle vertical machining centers, extending the platform toward higher productivity and more integrated production.
Machine tools · 1983
Horizontal machining centers
Matsuura began producing horizontal machining centers in 1983. Horizontal configurations can support efficient chip evacuation and multi-face machining, making them suitable for industrial components that require several operations or access from multiple directions. They form part of the company's broader machining-center offering for production manufacturing.
Machining centers
LX series
The LX series is identified in available company dossier material as one of Matsuura Machinery's flagship offering families. Specific model specifications, launch dates, and current availability are not established in the supplied reference material.
Machining centers
HPS series
The HPS series is identified in available company dossier material as one of Matsuura Machinery's flagship offering families. The supplied references do not provide sufficient detail to describe individual models, technical specifications, or current availability.
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