Kobelco, originally formed in Kobe, Japan in 1905, best known as an industrial steel manufacturer. The strategy behind choosing Kobe as a headquarters was based on the idea of being a major port city in Japan, with steel being very high in demand for exporting in the early 20th century. Currently, Kobelco – officially known as Kobe Steel, Ltd. – supplies almost 50% of the world the valve spring wires that you find in car engines. Kobelco has gone to great lengths to expand its corporate reach and influence across a variety of industries. In addition to producing construction machine parts and tractors, Kobelco boast over 200 subsidiaries and dozens of affiliates all over the world. Industries ranging from steel, iron and welding equipment to eco system technologies, make Kobelco one of the largest, most profitable companies in the world. After a costly scandal in recent years, Kobelco posted a profit of over 400 million dollars in 2017.