Sapporo Sogo Kōgyō Cooperative

The Sapporo Sogo Kōgyō Cooperative was a Japanese cooperative of five minor rolling stock and engineering manufacturers based in Hokkaido.
==History==
The cooperative was started in 1957 as a joint venture of five minor rolling stock and engineering manufacturers based in Hokkaido to accept orders for and manufacture rolling stock for the Sapporo Municipal Subway's streetcar network. The idea of a cooperative had been floated around for some time prior to the formation of the cooperative, with the Hokkaido government planning to have rolling stock manufactured in Hokkaido as a means to stimulate the economy in the area after World War II. Many of the employees of the company were ex-Japanese National Railways, South Manchuria Railway and Chōsen Government Railway engineers and engineers who were repatriated to Japan after Japan's loss in World War II.
From 1957 to 1961 the cooperative manufactured 43 streetcars; nearly all of the streetcars manufactured by this collective featured a distinctive style with a curved profile and front window, nicknamed the "Sapporo Style". With the Sapporo Municipal Transport Bureau increasing orders from Honshu-based companies, orders became less and less until the cooperative stopped accepting orders altogether. The last rolling stock manufactured by the cooperative was a set of five two-car connected streetcars designated the A850 series in 1965, after which the cooperative disbanded.
==Constituent companies==
===Fujiya Tekkō===
Fujiya Tekkō was one of Hokkaido's leading machining and engineering companies, founded in 1889. The company spun off its iron works business, Fujiya Iron Works, in 1955, which still exists today.
===Naebo Kōgyō===
Naebo Kōgyō was founded in April 1952 by ex-Japanese National Railways employees. The company carried out rolling stock maintenance for private railways and other similar tasks. The company was reorganized as Sapporo Kōtsū Kikai in 1969 and was acquired by the Hokkaido Railway Company in February 2003.
===Taiwa Sharyō===
Taiwa Sharyō was founded in June 1946 as a mutual aid organization by ex-Japanese National Railways employees. It carried out maintenance of steam locomotives and other rolling stock; the company was reorganized into Taiwa Sharyō in August 1947 and later started a metalworking business as Taiwa Co. Ltd., but later withdrew from that industry and currently operates as a real estate agency renting out spaces for pachinko parlors.
===Toyohira Tekkō===
Toyohira Tekkō was a steel bar manufacturer founded in September 1937. Mainly manufacturing bogies for the cooperative, the company also manufactured a powered snowplow for the Sapporo Streetcar network. The facilities formerly owned by the company are currently owned by JFE Bars & Shapes Corporation.
===Unyu Kōgyō===
Unyu Kōgyō was started as Unyu Kyōryoku Kai in January 1947 by ex-Japanese National Railways and South Manchuria Railway employees; their name was changed to Unyu Kõgyō in October 1947. The company operated on land leased from the JNR and specialized in performing maintenance on their steam locomotives and freight cars; business would slow due to a shift to diesel-powered locomotives which the company had difficulty repairing. The company was closed in April 1960 with the expansion of Soen Station and JNR requesting their land be returned for the expansion.
==Products==
*Light rail rolling stock
Category:Companies