Zengeler Cleaners
A Celebration with our Partners in Japan
Sankosha Hosts 40th Anniversary Celebration In Japan
We were fortunate to be invited to Sankosha Manufacturing Corporation's 40th anniversary celebration in Tokyo, Japan. Sankosha is an international leader in the manufacturing and distribution of equipment for the laundry and dry cleaning industry, with its United States headquarters located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. The gathering of international leaders in the industry were treated to a festive celebration of Sankosha’s history, innovation and product development at the gala event. It was a wonderful visit.
Sankosha was founded by Mitsuyuki Uchikoshi about a decade after starting his own career in the cleaning business. He began as a dry cleaner in 1968 and from the very beginning, Mr. Uchikoshi was always drawn to the role equipment played in the cleaning process.

Because he was committed to making that process easier and more efficient, he eventually became a manufacturer of high-end equipment that focused on improving the workflow at every stage of the cleaning process. Additionally, Mr. Uchikoshi was committed to manufacturing the highest quality equipment in the cleaning industry.
As a visionary, Mr. Uchikoshi dreamed of marketing his innovative machines beyond Japan and wanted to expand into North America. He even went back to school to learn English to help him turn his vision into reality. After extensive research and a lot of hard work, Sankosha USA was born in Elk Grove Village in 1993. Mr. Uchikoshi’s next step was to identify qualified dealers throughout the United States and create partnerships with them, thus providing both sales and service domestically. This partnership network continues in full force right up until the present day.
We were honored to be invited.
Zengeler Cleaners has enjoyed a long history with Sankosha, believing both companies share in a commitment to quality and value that eventually translates into the highest possible level of satisfaction for customers. Because of the close relationship between Sankosha and Zengeler, I was given the honor of making the ceremonial “toast” to Sankosha and the Uchikoshi family to officially commemorate the occasion.
A picture of Mitsuyuki Uchikoshi his wife Masako Uchikoshi along with myself and Courtenay Bailey is attached.
For more information about Sankosha USA, please visit www.sankosha-inc.com; for Sankosha Manufacturing Corporation, Ltd., please visit overseas.sankosha-mfg.com. I can be reached at (847) 272-6550, ext. 14 .
Thanks for reading! ~ Tom Zengeler, President
Zengeler Cleaners … America's First Family of Dry Cleaning™, with locations in Northbrook, Winnetka, Deerfield, Northfield, Hubbard Woods, Long Grove and two stores in Libertyville.