Founded in 1941 as a general roller-chain manufacturer, Enuma Chain is headquartered in Kaga, Japan, an industrial area near Komatsu on Japan’s west coast. Long a technological innovator, in 1974 Enuma introduced the world’s first sealed O-ring chain, a design that dramatically extended chain life by inhibiting lubricant loss. This breakthrough quickly became the standard throughout the motorcycle industry, and led to today’s high-tech EK Quadra-X Ring chains that further prolong durability while reducing friction.

But motorcycle chains are only part of the story. Enuma chains can be found throughout the world in a variety of applications, including farming equipment, conveyor systems, vending machines, automobiles and a variety of manufacturing environments. Among Enuma’s major customers are Kawasaki, Kubota (construction equipment), Iseki (tractors), Matsushita Electric and Mitsubishi.

Quality is an obsession at Enuma Chain. In 1997, the company was certified to ISO 9001 quality-management standards. This certification recognizes the high standards of our quality assurance system, and reinforces our guarantees of safety and precision in every product we sell.

Research and development at Enuma have always focused on creating technological breakthroughs and developing original ideas. Our invention of the O-ring sealed chain was based on years of accumulated technology, exemplifying a relentless commitment to innovation that continues to drive everything we do.

MISSION STATEMENT Our organization will continuously strive toward new ways of thinking, to maintain an always new and proactive position in the marketplace, planning our enterprise development in accordance to the changes of our times. We will strive unceasingly in the pursuit of complete confidence in the quality and value-added creativity of products which contribute to a better world.

EK Chain Timeline
1941	Enuma Chain Mfg. Co. Ltd. founded
1961	First motorcycle chains produced. Start of supplier relationship with Kawasaki that continues to the present day.
1966	Developed chain for large-displacement motorcycles: 530H chain for the 650cc Kawasaki W1
1969	Developed solid bushing with lubrication hole, replacing bushings rolled from sheet steel. Solid-bushing 530SHT2 chain first used on Kawasaki H1.
1972	Developed chain for new class of “super” bikes: 630STG first used on Kawasaki Z1
1974	630STO is the world’s first O-ring chain, extending wear life by as much as 10 times compared to non-sealed chains. Also introduced 530-sized O-ring chains. O-ring chain patent awarded in 1978 (Japan patent #1215953; U.S. patent #4424050).
1980	Developed inner link plate with lightening hole. Reduces chain weight by 20 grams per 100 links, and improves heat dissipation as well, further extending wear life.
1982	Developed “white grease” for improved wear resistance.
1986	Improved 530-sized chain with 6% larger pin diameter, increasing from 5.08 to 5.38mm, for greater resistance to stretching.
1986	Developed proprietary EM3 material for improved roller durability.
1987	Developed high-performance ZVO range of 520/525/530/532 O-ring chains. Special “Aus-tempering” heat treatment of sideplates increases chain strength. Outer roller diameter reduced from 11.1mm to 10.16mm for improved durability. Used as original equipment on Kawasaki ZX-10.
1988	Quadra-X Ring seal developed: reduces friction while improving chain life, compared to O-ring chains.
1988	Cold-forging of rollers and bushings adopted: improves precision and durability.
1994	Developed 428-sized O-ring chain for small-displacement bikes.
1994	Non-sealed racing chains developed; special “chromizing” process improves surface hardness of pins.
1997	Developed lighter-weight, high-performance 520/525/530/532 MVX chains. Refinement of “Aus-tempering” heat-treatment process allows the use of thinner link plates with no loss in strength. Chain weight reduced by 5 to 7%.
1997	Developed lighter-weight MRD and MRDL motocross chains. New shouldered-pin design better resists link-plate separation, while chromized pins increase wear life and thinner sideplates reduce weight.
2001	Developed 530ZVX chain for “monster” sportbikes over 1100cc.
2005	Introduced Zero Stretch Technology. Developed 530ZZZ street performance chain with revolutionary sideplate profile, resulting in 11,000-pound tensile strength yet lighter weight than competitors’ premium 530 chains.