[Post 1558] Why These Three Letters Are on Billions of Zippers | WSJ The Economics Of

Summary

YKK zippers are everywhere, from jeans and jackets to NASA spacesuits. The Japanese company manufactures and sells billions of zippers each year and built its market position through obsessive control over manufacturing, product quality and globalization. But as it expands around the world, it also draws legal scrutiny and faces the challenge of finding what's next

WSJ travels to Japan to figure out how a small component helps a business grow into a global fastener empire.