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6th - 8th may 2014

meet the CEos Page 6

Tetsuro Nishimura, Nihon Superior Co. Ltd. (cover)David Raby of STI Electronics Inc.
Bob Black of Juki Automation Systems Inc.
Don Miller of Nordson YESTECH
Chris Larocca of OK International Inc.
Volker Pape of Viscom AG| MAY 2014 ISSUE

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Page 3

director

spotlight

an interview withTetsuro Nishimura
Nihon Superior Co. Ltd. was founded in 1966 when it began marketing uniqueflux products imported from the United States. The company made its mark onsociety by gathering the most advanced soldering and brazing technologies andproducts from around the world and supplying them to companies in the metaljoining industry.

A turning point for the company camewhen it started developing its own
soldering materials and with the successof its unique SN100C lead-free solder
alloy, Nihon Superior has become a major
player in the global market. To support thegrowing demand for its products, Nihon
Superior has established manufacturing
and sales centres in Japan, China andother Asian countries as well as theUnited States and formed business
partnerships with companies in othermarkets. Our editor recently spoke with
Tetsuro Nishimura, President, to gauge
the company’s thoughts on current andfuture issues.

Q. How is the current market inJapan? Where do you see it in fiveyears from now?
A.

Very quiet. We have had somechanges in the economy. For example,
tax has increased from 5% to 8% andthat has caused some big movement.
It was busy before, but now it is weakand during the next five years we expectthat there will be more big changes in theJapanese economy.

Q. How important is a global customer
base to Nihon Superior? Whatadvantages does this bring customers?

director

spotlight

A. They are absolutely important for
us. They have different ways of thinking
and different rules and the new ideas andagendas are great for new products. In orderto get additional information and to deliver
the latest information to our customers, weopened a new Research and Development
Centre in Malaysia last September. InMay of this year, to support customers
worldwide, we will also open a new sales
company in Malaysia, Nihon Superior Asia
Sdn. Bhd. (NSA). This will cover sales
from the Philippines to India, including
Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Wealso expect NSA to be the hub base forall sales and technical support throughout
the South East Asian countries through theconnection with our subsidiaries in Thailand
and office in Vietnam.
Q. How has 2014 started for Nihon

Superior? Do you anticipate muchgrowth this year?

A. The market is weak, but it has been

busy for us so far. We may face difficulty
for the next half year, but this is a goodchance for us to settle down and develop
something new. We estimate to be plus
10% by the end of this year.

Q. What new markets will the companyfocus on entering? Why these?
A.

We are trying to develop
semiconductors and vehicle markets.
We have especially developed the home
appliance markets so far, and we havebeen expanding the results to othermarkets little by little. Now is the time toexpand the results widely to productswith high-reliability requests. We havedeveloped a Sn-Zn+a solder alloy forsoldering Ag electrode on vehicle glass.
This solder LF-Z3 drastically holds downAg erosion that occurs even with high Agsolders. With this solder, and an exclusive
use flux, we find it may enable one of thetasks of lead-free soldering on vehicle
products to be cleared.
____________________________________‘‘With this solder,
and an exclusive
use flux, we find it
may enable one ofthe tasks of leadfree soldering onvehicle products
to be cleared____________________________________We have also developed new products
such as “Alconano” nano silver paste.
This has already been accepted at
Shindengen Electric Manufacturing Co.,

Page 8Ltd. for power modules for robots. Webelieve that these results will be a foothold
for the new market.

Q. In order to enter these new markets,
will you expand your network of global
licensees? How do you decide which
companies to bestow with this honor?

A. We will consider it very carefully
but in a positive way, whether it will
expand the new market or just cause
unnecessary competition.
____________________________________‘‘SN100C (031)
is designed to
improve theefficiency ofelectronics
assembly. It offers
fast sequential
soldering by
reducing flux
spatteringand excellent
spreading____________________________________Q. Congratulations Mr. Nishimura –we understand that Nihon Superior
won an industry award at the IPC
APEX EXPO for SN100C 031. Can you
briefly describe this product and tell
us how it meets industry challenges?

A. SN100C (031) is designed to improvethe efficiency of electronics assembly.
It offers fast sequential soldering by
reducing flux spattering and excellent
spreading. This allows shorter solder time
consumed per joint and improves working
efficiency, especially for those at mass
production. Also, at the same time, it has
a high reliability. It is SVHC-free, whichmeans it contains no ingredients in theEU REACH Regulation list of Substancesof Very High Concerns. It also has lesscracking of flux residue after soldering
which helps to prevent solder corrosion inhigh humidity circumstances.

Q. Speaking of new products, are you

experiencing success with the Alconano
range of nano-silver products? What
prompted the company to create andintroduce this platform?

A.

Yes. As mentioned above, wereceived approval from ShindengenElectric Manufacturing Co. Ltd. forpower modules. There are other cases
coming up constantly, and we are trying
to follow up and find the best answer tocustomers. Since, in most cases, ourcustomers are trying to build up newtechnologies, it is more like a challenge
for us too. There are many tasks to becleared but at the same time, we gain
a lot from them. The curiosity and theinquiring mind to new products and newmarkets led us here.
____________________________________

Since, in most‘‘cases, ourcustomers aretrying to build up
new technologies,
it is more likea challenge
for us too____________________________________

Q. By the end of 2014, what goals do you
hope to accomplish for the company?

A. First of all, we would like to get Nihon

Superior Asia on the road. We believe
this will be helpful for both our customers
and ourselves. Eventually, we would liketo strengthen the linkage with our R&D
center in Malaysia and Japan to respondto expectations from our customers.
Our aim, to expand SN100C and other NSproducts worldwide, has never changed
and will remain unchanged. We are always
watching carefully for customers’ requests
and thinking hard about what solutions wecan provide.

| MAY 2014 ISSUE