Mizuno has a well deserved reputation as one of the most innovative and advanced sports brands in the world. They have been producing golf equipment for over 70 years and the Japanese manufacturer's MP irons are among the leading clubs used on the PGA tour.
Despite being one of the most established and creditable brands in golf, by the 1980's Mizuno was lagging behind its competition. This, coupled with a downturn in the Japanese economy prompted the company to establish an American division in 1982. Jack Curran, an industry veteran with experience at bowling giant Brunswick, started the operation and it proved to be an instant success.
Technologically, as with most Japanese companies, Mizuno were streets ahead of their American competitors and they now had the means to market their products effectively. In 1983, Mizuno U.S.A launched the Black Turbo, a golf club with a graphite head which proved to be a big hit. They also offered the first mobile golf workshop to the pros on the Professional Golf Association's (PGA) tour. By 1985, Mizuno had established a North American manufacturing plant in Norcross, Georgia. To complement this, in February 1990 they created a $3 million facility in Juarez, Mexico, for the production of Mizuno golf bags.
By 1993, Mizuno recorded $1.6 billion in sales and held a 7 percent market share of the $750 million golf-club industry. This led to Jack Curran's appointment as president of Mizuno America, based in Atlanta, Georgia. This was a handy base for the 1996 Olympics, also based in Georgia, which Mizuno played an active role in. It was a busy year for the company and in October, Mizuno became involved with the Golf Network with comprehensive advertising each day on the digital satellite channel.
Today, Mizuno continues its development of technologically advanced golf equipment. The company's aim is to continually strive for larger and lighter club heads. An example of this is the use of 7J55 - a super Duralumin alloy manufactured by Kobe Steel. The strongest type of Duralumin is lighter than titanium and has also been used in the production of aircraft and defence equipment!
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