Torakusu Yamaha, the founder of the Yamaha Corporation, began in 1900 with piano production, and another Japanese firm, Kawai, was founded in 1927. In 1958, Korea established itself in the business with the company Samick. Concerned exclusively with grand pianos, the company Fazioli, based in Italy, was established in 1979. Incidentally, “Company Establishments” in piano production in the 20th century consisted primarily, due to economic reasons, of complete, global company mergers.