THK

THK contact details

Head office

2-12-10 Shibaura, Minato-ku
Tokyo 108-8506
Japan

Telephone +81 3 5730 3911

Website thk.com

UK branch (THK GmbH UK)

Suite W6, Harbour Buildings West, The Waterfront
Brierley Hill, West Midlands DY5 1LN
United Kingdom

Telephone +44 1384 471550

Web thk.com/?q=uk%2Fnode%2F4520

European headquarters (THK GmbH)

Kaiserswerther Strasse 115
40880 Ratingen
Germany

Telephone +49 2102 7425 555

Web thk.com/eu/en/imprint

Show THK headquarters on the map Open in Google Maps →

Contact details as published by THK CO., LTD., checked 2026-10-30. Specify Motion is not affiliated with THK CO., LTD..

THK product lines

Who THK is

THK CO., LTD. is a Japanese manufacturer of linear motion components, with its head office in Shibaura, Tokyo. The company is closely associated with the LM Guide, its name for the recirculating-ball profile rail guide, which it began selling in 1972. For OEM machine builders, THK matters in two ways. It supplies guides and ball screws used inside other makers’ axes. It also builds those parts into its own single-axis actuators, where the guide and screw are designed together.

THK’s company outline gives a capital of ¥34,606 million and 3,906 employees in the parent company, with 9,530 across the group, as of mid-2026. Its business lines include linear motion systems, ball screws, XY tables and seismic isolation devices.

History and ownership

THK’s corporate history says Hiroshi Teramachi set up Toho Seiko in Tokyo in April 1971. The company began selling LM Guides and ball splines a year later. THK CO., LTD. itself was formed in March 1973 through a joint investment. Expansion into Europe started with THK Europe GmbH in Düsseldorf in October 1982. In 1992 THK acquired PGM Ballscrews Ireland.

The company listed on the over-the-counter market in 1989 and moved to the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2001. In August 1998 it began manufacturing and selling linear motor actuators. Later acquisitions took THK further into automotive parts: RHYTHM Co., Ltd. and its group companies in 2007, and the linkage and suspension business of TRW Automotive in Europe and North America in 2015.

THK is a listed company. The founding family remains in leadership: the company outline names Akihiro Teramachi as chairman and Takashi Teramachi as president and CEO.

Actuator portfolio

LM Guide actuators

The SKR is a caged-ball LM Guide actuator. The ball screw and guide block run in one compact outer rail, with caged balls in the guide. Six sizes, from SKR20 to SKR65, reach a series maximum of 1,490 mm stroke and 3,000 mm/s with a 50 mm lead. THK quotes repeatability of ±0.003 mm in precision grade. The KR is the earlier U-rail design. It runs from the tiny KR15 to the KR65, with strokes to 1,490 mm and up to 1,480 mm/s.

THK notes that the maximum speeds for both are limited by ball screw critical speed, guide speed or a 6,000 min⁻¹ motor. The fastest figures only apply to short strokes with long leads. That is worth remembering when comparing catalogue speeds between suppliers; our ball screw vs roller screw guide explains why screw speed limits fall with length.

Accuracy grade is part of the order code. On the SKR, normal grade gives ±0.01 mm repeatability with no positioning accuracy defined. High accuracy grade gives ±0.005 mm on most sizes, and precision grade gives ±0.003 mm on SKR20 to SKR46. Specify the grade the process actually needs. Precision grade costs more and only pays off if the rest of the machine frame is equally stiff and stable.

LM actuator GL

The GL actuator combines a ball screw or belt drive with an integral LM Guide in two sizes, GL15 and GL20. It is offered with a ball screw (leads up to 40 mm, ±0.02 mm repeatability) or a toothed belt (±0.08 mm) for strokes up to 2,720 mm on the GL20.

Economy electric actuators

THK’s electric actuator catalogue adds motorised products with its own controllers. The ES slider and EC rod cylinder use stepper motors or a 50 W servo with TSC or TLC controllers. They reach 600 mm/s and 600 mm stroke (ES) or 450 mm/s and 300 mm stroke (EC), at ±0.02 mm repeatability. The catalogue also lists compact KRF/KSF, universal US/USW and press-fit PCT/PC types.

Technologies and standards

The LM Guide and the caged-ball technology used in the SKR are central to THK’s engineering. Its catalogues grade actuators by accuracy class (normal, high accuracy, precision). They quote repeatability by THK’s own evaluation method with a THK-supplied motor. When an actuator will be driven by a third-party servo motor, check that the coupling and motor flange options suit it; THK states that SKR accepts motors from various manufacturers.

For motor and drive selection to go with a ball screw actuator, see our servo vs stepper guide and the linear actuator sizing guide.

Industries served

THK’s precision actuators are common in semiconductor and electronics production, inspection and test, and precision assembly. Its wider business also serves machine tools, building seismic isolation and, through its acquisitions, automotive suspension and linkage parts.

Global and UK presence

In Europe, THK GmbH operates from its headquarters at Kaiserswerther Strasse 115, Ratingen, Germany. It also runs a UK branch at Suite W6, Harbour Buildings West, The Waterfront, Brierley Hill, West Midlands. The UK branch lists +44 1384 471550 for sales and logistics. THK displays its email addresses as images, so the online contact form is the simplest written route.

Specify Motion and THK

Specify Motion is independent of THK and is not affiliated with it. We can help source THK actuators or propose single-axis actuators from our supply network that meet the same published stroke, speed and accuracy figures, confirmed by an engineer. Use find a replacement with your THK model number, or browse our linear actuators hub.

THK history: key dates

1. 1971Hiroshi Teramachi establishes Toho Seiko in Tokyo
2. 1972Toho Seiko begins selling LM Guides and ball splines
3. 1973THK CO., LTD. formed through a joint investment
4. 1982THK Europe GmbH established in Düsseldorf
5. 1989Shares listed on the over-the-counter market
6. 1998THK begins manufacturing and selling linear motor actuators
7. 2001Listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
8. 2007Acquires RHYTHM Co., Ltd. and its group companies

THK linear actuators

Rodless screw actuator

SKR

Caged-ball LM Guide actuator integrating an LM guide and ball screw in a compact outer rail, sizes 20 to 65; series maximum 1,490 mm stroke and 3,000 mm/s, repeatability to +/-0.003 mm (precision grade).

Rodless screw actuator

KR

LM Guide actuator with U-shaped outer rail and ball screw, sizes 15 to 65; series maximum 1,490 mm stroke and 1,480 mm/s, repeatability 0.003 mm in precision grade.

Rodless screw actuator

GL

LM actuator with integral LM Guide in sizes 15 and 20, offered with ball screw (leads to 40 mm) or toothed belt; belt type strokes up to 2,720 mm (GL20), repeatability +/-0.02 mm (screw) or +/-0.08 mm (belt).

Compact actuator

ES (Economy slider)

Economy ball-screw slider with stepper or 50 W servo motor and THK TSC/TLC controllers; series maximum 600 mm stroke, 600 mm/s and 10 kg horizontal payload at +/-0.02 mm repeatability.

Rod actuator

EC (Economy cylinder)

Economy rod-type electric cylinder with stepper or 50 W servo motor; series maximum 300 mm stroke, 450 mm/s, 266 N thrust and 40 kg horizontal load, repeatability +/-0.02 mm.

Frequently asked questions

What is the THK website?

THK's global website is thk.com, with regional sections for Europe and the UK. Technical catalogues for LM Guide actuators and electric actuators are published at tech.thk.com, and a North American web store lists actuators and controllers with headline payload and speed figures.

What is THK's phone number in the UK?

THK's UK branch at Brierley Hill, West Midlands, publishes +44 1384 471550. THK GmbH's European headquarters in Ratingen lists +49 2102 7425 555. THK shows email addresses only as images on these pages, so use the contact form on thk.com.

Where is THK's headquarters?

THK CO., LTD.'s head office is at 2-12-10 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8506, Japan, telephone +81 3 5730 3911. The European headquarters, THK GmbH, is at Kaiserswerther Strasse 115, 40880 Ratingen, Germany.

Who founded and owns THK?

Hiroshi Teramachi founded the business as Toho Seiko in 1971, and THK CO., LTD. was formed in 1973. THK is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Its company outline names Akihiro Teramachi as chairman and Takashi Teramachi as president and CEO.

Does THK have a UK office?

Yes. THK GmbH runs a UK branch at Suite W6, Harbour Buildings West, The Waterfront, Brierley Hill, West Midlands DY5 1LN, which handles UK sales and logistics under the European headquarters in Ratingen.

What does THK make?

THK makes LM Guide profile rail guides, ball screws, ball splines and related linear motion parts, and builds them into single-axis actuators such as the KR, SKR and GL series and economy electric sliders and cylinders. It also makes seismic isolation devices and automotive suspension components.

Sources

1. THK: Company profile
2. THK: Corporate history
3. THK UK: Sales and logistics
4. THK Europe: Imprint
5. THK catalogue: Caged Ball LM Guide Actuator model SKR
6. THK catalogue: LM Guide Actuator model KR
7. THK catalogue: LM Actuator model GL
8. THK catalogue 660-9E: Electric actuators
9. THK North America store: Linear actuators

Figures are summarised from the sources above and from manufacturers' published data on the date shown. Always confirm against the current datasheet for your exact part.