REVOLUTIONIZING CHAIN TECHNOLOGY

Whatever your load, a Kito chain lets you lift it up––and then let your guard down. That’s because Kito has tested and engineered every link, every hook and every latch to be every bit as durable as our hoists.

In 1951, Miyoshi Kito boarded a ship bound for America to experience an industrialized nation firsthand. During his four months overseas, he visited countless chain manufacturers and was surprised by the use of quenched chains made with a variety of materials, including nickel, and alloyed and high carbon steel.

Although Miyoshi had considered developing similar chains in Japan, it wasn’t until he witnessed the high-calibre products made abroad that he knew Kito needed to develop its own truly superior chain if the company wanted to establish itself as a world-leading hoist manufacturer.  Back in Japan, that’s precisely what Miyoshi set out to do. 

Today, Kito’s in-house chain technology is second to none for two reasons. First, we produce more than 150 chain types using our own automatic chain making equipment, with a production capacity that exceeds 3,000 km per year. Second, Kito also has its own unique steel composition that optimizes ductility, tensile strength and corrosion resistance while also being remarkably lightweight. 

Take our manual hoists, for example. We use a higher grade chain – Grade 100 rather than the Grade 80 standard lifting chain. This not only makes the Kito chain stronger and more durable, its smaller links allow us to reduce the hoist’s size and weight without sacrificing an ounce of performance or safety. It also means our clients can trust a Kito hoist in every situation, on every job, at any time.