Like many other car companies Mazda has a very unique and determined
history. In fact Mazda started out as a cork manufacturer in 1920, but
there were many business endeavors that the founder, Jujiro Matsuda
failed to establish in the long-term and was forced to overcome with
sincere determination. Mr Jujiro was born on August 6th, 1875 and was
the 12th son of his family. His father had died when he was just three
years old. He specialized in many trades, and throughout his life he
experimented with many different types of businesses.
Actually, Jujiro Matsuda started a blacksmith shop in 1894 which went
out of business because of a recession. He tried blacksmithing once
again eleven years later, converting a cow shed to suit his needs. His
eldest son pumped air for the furnace. Jujiro in fact ended up inventing
the pump for this very furnace and soon his invention was patented.
Placing his pump on the market it sold very well and Matsuda formed
the Matsuda Pump Partnership. A few years later his partnership was
taken over and once again his efforts were diminished.
Jujiro, still determined went on to form Matsuda Works in 1912 employing
nearly 4000 workers and producing four million artillery fuses for the
Russian's government. He then proceeded by leaving this company, which
had been renamed the Japan Armament Manufacturing Company essentially
to re-launch Matsuda Works in Hiroshima, Japan. Once again he pulled
out just in time and Nihon Steel Manufacturing Co. took over his company.
Finally in 1920 while still in Hiroshima Mr. Matsuda took over a bankrupt
Abemaki tree cork company renaming it Toyo Cork Kogyo, Ltd. Who would
have ever thought this little cork company founded by Mr. Jujiro Matsuda
would someday become one of the world's leading car manufacturers? 
In 1927 the company was renamed by Mr. Matsuda to Toyo Kogyo Kaisha
and by 1929 they were machining tools, and had already created their
first motor vehicle. By 1931 thirty of these 500cc tricycle trucks
with differential transmissions were made for testing purposes. Then
in 1932 more models were produced and shipped to China, called "Mazda-Go-A"s.
A small passenger sedan was thought upon and prototypes were created
but the idea had to be abandoned due to WWII.
Then there was the atom bomb which was dropped August 6th, 1945 but
somehow more than half of the company's plant was left intact. After
reconstruction in 1950 Matsuda produced the Type CT three-wheeler which
was had a 1157cc V twin engine that boasted 32 horsepower. The CT proved
to be very successful. There were also the CA four wheel truck models,
and the CF compact four wheel fire engines.
Jujiro passed away in March 1952 after his son Tenuji had taken over
in 1951. In May of 1960 a coupe with a 356cc, two cylinder engine, which
was rear-mounted and air cooled called the R360. In 1962 the four cylinder,
358cc Carol sedan was launched. Proceeding in1963 after a rotary engine
research group was developed and proved successful there was the model
800 and Familia four which consisted of front-mounted engines and rear
wheel drive.
Tenuji suffered from lung inflammation in 1971 and passed away leaving
his son Kohei to succeed him. Kohei eventually stepped down in 1977.
In 1984 the company name was changed to Mazda Motor Corporation. Now
Mazda exports its productions to over 120 countries and has assembly
plants in 21 countries. In 1990 after accumulating productions, over
one million Mazda RX-7's had been manufactured.
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