Kenzo Saito

Japanese entrepreneur who set out to build an industry on original Japanese research rather than imported technology.

Kenzo Saito founded Tokyo Denki Kagaku Kogyo K.K., later TDK, on December 7, 1935. He was inspired by Dr. Yogoro Kato's statement that original technology is the source of true industry, and set up the company to industrialize ferrite. TDK commercialized ferrite cores in 1937, the first step toward the components group it is today.