Sumitomo
What is Sumitomo?
Sumitomo is an internationally recognized cutting tool manufacturer whose solutions are widely used in machine shops and manufacturing facilities around the world. The company is part of the Japanese Sumitomo Group, which operates across several industrial sectors. However, from the perspective of the machining industry, Sumitomo is especially known for its carbide, CBN, and PCD tools for metal machining. Sumitomo's cutting tools are designed to meet the demands of modern CNC machining for productivity, process reliability, and tool life.
Sumitomo’s History as a Cutting Tool Manufacturer
Sumitomo’s industrial history dates back to the late 19th century, when Sumitomo Copper Rolling Works was founded in 1897. The company's expertise in metallurgy laid the foundation for later developments in the field of cutting tools. In 1931, Sumitomo began manufacturing carbide cutting tools in Japan, marking a significant milestone in machining technology.
In the 1970s, Sumitomo introduced sintered specialty materials to the market, broadening the possibilities for machining demanding applications. The first sintered CBN tools were introduced in 1977 and sintered diamond tools in 1978. These materials are especially utilized in machining hardened steels, cast iron, and other challenging materials that require high wear resistance and dimensional stability.
Sumitomo and Cutting Tools in Machine Shops
Sumitomo's range of cutting tools covers solutions for turning, milling, drilling, and grooving. Typical products include indexable insert tool systems, as well as solid carbide drills and mills designed for industrial series production. Tool geometries and chipbreakers are tailored for different material groups, such as structural steels, stainless steels, cast irons, and superalloys.
CBN and PCD tools form an important part of Sumitomo’s offerings, especially when machining hardened steels or aluminum alloys at high cutting speeds. These tools enable manufacturers to achieve consistent surface finish, long tool life, and predictable production processes.
Sumitomo’s Production Facilities and International Operations
Sumitomo has an extensive production and development network across Europe, Asia, and North America. The European headquarters, Sumitomo Electric Hartmetall GmbH, is located in Willich, near Düsseldorf, Germany. From there, sales, logistics, and marketing are coordinated for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
European production facilities are located, for example, in Lauchheim, Southern Germany, and in Jihlava, Czech Republic. These locations produce cutting tools such as drills and CBN and PCD tools, and also provide regrinding and coating services for machine shops. This supports comprehensive tool lifecycle management and cost-effective use in machining operations.
Sumitomo’s European Design and Engineering Center
In 2012, Sumitomo established its European Design and Engineering Center, known as E-DEC, in Lauchheim. The center serves as a technical hub where cutting tools and their applications are showcased in real machining situations. The facilities are designed for both theoretical training and practical machining demonstrations.
At the E-DEC center, machine shops and machinists can test tools, compare machining strategies, and develop their processes together with experts. This particularly supports the optimization of demanding machining tasks and the management of new materials in production.
Summary
Sumitomo is a long-established manufacturer of cutting tools, with expertise based on strong metallurgical know-how and continuous product development. The company's tooling solutions serve the machining industry broadly, from turning and milling to demanding CBN and PCD applications. Its international production and development network, as well as its European technical support, make Sumitomo a trusted partner in the everyday operations of machine shops.
