CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIOJapan’s Hidden Champions in the spotlightJapanese manufacturing’s global reputation for monozukuri(craftsmanship) and high-quality
has hinged on corporate giants
such as Sony, Toyota, Panasonicand Honda. But the true strengthof Japanese industry lies largely
with the smaller, lesser-known
companies that provide highquality products, parts and machinery as B2B manufacturers.
Today, these so-called “Hidden
Champions” have put themselvesat the forefront of the latest global shifts, from 5G/6G internet,
Industry 4.0 technologies andelectric vehicles (EVs), to renewable energies, large-scale industrial waste reduction and thepath towards carbon neutrality.
Thanks to these companies,
Japan will lead the way in manyof these aspects that will define
the first half of the 21st century, with their efforts always
underpinned by a desire to contribute to society and the environment. This long-held trait ofJapanese manufacturers dates
back to their emergence in the
post-World War II period, asYasuyuki Hirotomi, President of
Kyoei Steel, explains.
“The Japanese people shifted
their mindset to rebuild the country,” he says. “They made efforts
to contribute to the world andglobal society, and that included,
for example, Sony and other leading Japanese companies. All ofthem are focused on contributing to the world, repenting theexperiences of the war. The ideaof contributing and creating a
new world has been the driving
force behind their efforts.”
Kyoei Steel’s efforts focus on“green steel” manufacturing andthe recycling of industrial waste,
as the company looks to align itself
with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are also
a key priority for Ibara Seiki, amanufacturer of auto-parts, robotics and industrial machinery parts.
“Our philosophy is ‘The Creation of
Security’ to contribute to society
and our mission for 2030 is basedon the SDGs. In fact, we started
making CO2 reductions as partof our contribution to the environment even before the SDGs,”
explains president Kazuhiko Ueno.
The shift towards a carbonneutral society is also shaping

Toshiki Kawai, Representative
Director, President & CEO,Tokyo Electron Ltd.
the priorities of Kawasaki Thermal Engineering (KTE), whichdevelops highly efficient and environmentally friendly hydrogenfueled boilers. “My mission is tomake steady progress towards
our goals and towards the realization of a carbon-neutral
society,” states KTE president
Susumu Shinohara. “For our new
products, we are currently trying
to achieve ambitious targets forcarbon emission reduction andwe have also been looking at thearea of hydrogen products. Looking at the future, we will continue
to produce solutions towards thecreation of an eco-friendly society and industry.”
From 5G/6G internet, IoT
and Big Data, to AI and robotics, the power of Industry 4.0
technologies to change how welive and work depends greatly
on the power of advanced semiconductors. And while Japan
has significantly lost its global
market share in semiconductor
production, it remains a leader
in semiconductor manufacturing
equipment thanks to the likesof Tokyo Electron (TEL), whichis investing ¥400bn ($3.5bn) in
R&D over three years.
“In the next 10 years, our industry will double,” says Toshiki
Kawai, President of TEL. “Therefore, in order to lead the industry
growth while remaining a market
leader, our company will continue
to develop cutting-edge technologies, utilizing our long-standing
expertise and ensuring the best
services with the best partners.
Therefore, Tokyo Electron’s goal
is to be the game-changer, rather
than follow the industry.”
A major supplier to TEL, Osaka
Vacuum is a leader in the fieldof vacuum pumps used in semiconductor production, a market
worth $480 billion that is expected to grow to $1 trillion by
2030. “The semiconductor in-

dustry has the biggest potential
for our products. For example,
iPhones ask users to send data to
iCloud every two weeks, and thisprocess uses semiconductors,”says company president and CEO,
Kazuyuki Kasaoka. “I’m certainthat there will be an increasing
amount of data science appliedin electronics and devices, andour pumps will surely serve thisindustry well.”
KYODEN, a manufacturer ofprinted circuit boards (PCBs),also has big plans for the futureas the company looks to meetdemand spurred by 5G internet,
IoT and EVs. “In the future, cars
will need to be connected with 5G
technology, and that is our new
target now. We want to concentrate on the application of 5G tocars using power semiconductors,” explains president Kiyotaka
Mori, adding that KYODEN isconstantly accumulating highfrequency and high-heat dissipation technologies that are mainly
used in power semiconductors.
“Our development in this area is
aimed at meeting the demandsof our Japanese customers fortechnologies such as IoT, 5G, andedge computing. We also provide
optical transceiver PCBs for 5G
base stations and data centers.”
Telecommunications equipment
manufacturer Denki Kogyo (DKK)
is also involved in the businessof base stations, supplying basestation antennas, broadcasting
antennas, peripheral equipment,
towers, and shelter structures to
its clients. At the same time that
DKK aims to support Japan’s efforts to become a leader in 6G
technology, the company is also
diversifying into several new areas, including food, construction,industrial waste treatment andrenewable energy. As DKK president Tadatoshi Kondo explains,
this diversification stems from thecompany’s vision to contribute tosociety and the environment.
“In terms of the high-frequency
business, in the mid to long-term
our focus is on the environment,”
he says. “We would like to apply
heat treatment technology to ourenvironmental business and find agood partner to collaborate with.
Our focus is on how to reduce andrecycle plastic in an environmentally friendly way. He adds: “Infive years’ time I would like tosay that a sizable percentage ofour business has transitioned andthat we have contributed to theenvironment and society.”
With the unstoppable shift towards EVs, diversification is also
the name of the game for many
Japanese companies engaged
in the production of automotive
parts for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Having accumulated years of experience
manufacturing parts for Japan’s
leading automotive firms, companies like Komatsu Seiki and
Mitsuboshi Belting are looking toapply their technology to develop
products for other industries.
For Mitsuboshi Belting, which
manufactures industrial belts
for automobiles and agricultural
machinery, the focus is renewable energy and robotics. “OurFreespan belts are used in windturbines across the globe and withcalls for more renewable energy,
there is growing demand for ourbelts,” says company president
Hiroshi Ikeda. “In terms of robotics and other fields, there are three
things that are used to transmit
motor power: belts, chains, andgears. What’s good about belts
is that they are easy to handle,
light and oil-less. The main issue
is their weakness because they are
made from organic materials. So
our challenge was to increase thestrength of our belts and we wereable to achieve that with products
like the Giga Torque belt.”“Regarding the electrification of cars in the automotive
industry, it’s difficult for us tofind parts required in EVs that
could use our technology,” reveals
Komatsu Seiki president and CEO
Shigeru Komatsu. “We have a factory in Thailand that focuses on
automotive powertrain parts, but
we’re trying to shift away fromengine parts and focus on areas
like medical devices.”“First and foremost, as a company, we must survive the transition to a carbon-neutral society in2033, where the industry would
have changed due to the increasein electric cars,” Mr. Komatsu
adds. “If we’re able to successfully navigate this period, I’msure we’ll be involved in somemajor things and hopefully, we
can expand from there.”KYODEN: Making the future a reality

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Through its development of semiconductor substrates, PCBs, and antenna boards for 5G technology,
Japanese manufacturer KYODEN is bringing the next generation of technology to today’s market.
Markets and technology are changing faster than ever, and this development is driven by companies
creating the technology of tomorrow. Japanese board manufacturer
KYODEN is one of those companies,
supplying high-quality products fortoday’s market as well as developing
the next generation of technology.

K-Concept
Established in 1983, KYODEN is a
one-stop shop for PCBs (printed circuit boards), providing services fromdesign and development, to assembly,
mounting and manufacturing. The
company is a key player in the supplyof automotive PCBs, with a range of
products for driving assistance systems and information displays. How-ever, KYODEN president Kiyotaka
able for power semiconducMori explains the company istors; while proposing alooking to the emerging 5G
high-frequency build-up
market as well. “Cars will
PCB with a composite
need to be connected with
conﬁguration that com5G technology, and thatbines a base material (withis our new target now –high-frequency characteristhe application of 5G totics such as MEGTRON 6 andcars using power semiMEGTRON 7) with a general10-layer copper coilconductors,” he says.
purpose material.
Indeed, the company
With a factory in circuit board (inner layer
copper foil: 210μm)
is looking further into theThailand, KYODEN
has strong production capabili- future, and Mr. Mori explains thatties but is looking to build more he is conﬁdent that KYODEN will
factories and invest in equipment be the ﬁrst board manufacturer tofor the forecasted dedevelop products for 6G.
mand in electric
The company is also
vehicles (EVs)well-established in
manufacturing B2B
and 5G. Alongequipment, from inwith the dedustrial products, tovelopment ofequipment for comhigh-frequency
and high heat dismunications, offices,
sipation technoloand the medical ﬁeld. This
36-layer IVH probecard circuit board
has enabled KYODEN togies, KYODEN has
created a high-speed thick-ﬁlm collaborate with a wide range ofcopper plating technology that partners, working with its clients to
replaces copper inlay and is suit- prototype and develop its products,“By working withcustomers on prototyping
and development, we canﬁnd the best combinationof materials, machines,
and methods.”
Kiyotaka Mori,
President, KYODEN Co., Ltd.
and sharing information to ensure
synergy with its co-creators. The
company aims to maintain Japan’sculture of craftsmanship and innovation while moving prototyping and mass production overseas
through the establishment of a sales
and R&D ofﬁce in Germany andexpansion into the next generationof manufacturing-heavy countries.
www.kyoden.co.jp

Pump up the volume: Osaka Vacuum aiming
to be a vacuum specialized manufacturer

Since 1950, Osaka Vacuum has been supplying pump systems that satisfy customers’
advanced needs for production processes, analysis, and R&D.

“Vacuum technology isan essential technology
in many industries; notjust semiconductor
manufacturing where
our technology is
tailored to aid in front
end processing.”
Kazuyuki Kasaoka,
President and CEO,
Osaka Vacuum, Ltd.

Osaka Vacuum developed theworld’s first compound turbo
molecular pump for the advancement of the electronics industry,
an innovation that burgeoned thecompany’s reputation. After that,the company soon started developing for the semiconductor market
to support the revolution in theelectronics industry during the 90s
and early 2000s. “This trajectoryshows our company’s growth,” says
Kazuyuki Kasaoka, President andCEO of Osaka Vacuum. “However,whilst we started as a device manufacturer, our strategy today is tofocus on our vacuum pumps andtheir component parts.”
The company’s products include
various pump applications, with theturbo-molecular pump currently
the company’s main product for theoverseas semiconductor and electronic parts manufacturing market.
“We develop new products as
an extension of our business,”
explains Mr. Kasaoka. “We listen
to our customer’s needs and respond to them, and so whenever
we have a peak in sales, this allows us to advance our researchand development.”

Turbo molecular pump
As a business that recently celebrated its 70th anniversary, looking
back on the company’s rich history
and reﬂecting on its past will help
guide the company’s future direction,
believes Mr. Kasaoka. “Our founder,
my father, didn’t leave a document
outlining the company’s philosophy.
By looking back at 70 years on historical case studies, we documented ourphilosophy and produced the 70th
anniversary document. The document
was written with the purpose of passing the company’s philosophy andculture down to the next generations
as a vacuum specialized company.”www.osakavacuum.co.jp/en

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIODKK eyes overseas for future
growth and societal contribution
Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd. (DKK), established in 1950, currently successfully operates in
the high and low-frequency segments of the telecommunications industry.

Small cell antenna
Throughout its 70 years in thetelecommunications industry,
DKK has consistently played acentral role in the provision ofa more convenient living environment for all of society’s
stakeholders, a feat achieved
through the instalment of social
infrastructure, such as the establishment of communication andbroadcasting networks in theadvanced information society
and important contributions tosafety in the automobile industry.
As everybody knows, the business environment is evidently inthe midst of rapid change – andat a pace never seen before. The
needs of society and customers are diversifying due to thefurther sophistication of theadvanced information society
and ongoing globalization. The
DKK Group is therefore fixatedon guaranteeing a diversified
range of higher quality products
and services to suit the shifting
desires within the industry. But
not only that; the company alsostrongly believes in the importance of a wider contribution
to society, both now and in the
future. The company believes
it is important to carefully
nurture technology and hone
the techniques required for the
spread of technology, and thensubsequently pass it down to
the next generation.
Such a dedication to continuous
advancement as well as a more
holistic future prooﬁng of the industry itself can be especially appreciated in the telecommunications ﬁeld. The President of DKK,
Tadatoshi Kondo, outlines where
the company envisions itself inregard to its broad approach. “Ifyou think about contributing tosociety, it is important to nurture
the technology and technique andpass it down to the next generation. In this sense, DKK is playing
a key role in establishing technology’s foundation for the future as
well,” he says.
DKK is also eyeing overseas
growth. Presently, two markets
in the radio frequency businessthat are being looked into as potentially prime for expansion are
the construction machinery andfood industries. As a machinery
manufacturer whose radio frequency technology can produce
superheated steam, DKK has

established a facility within its
factory where clients can dotrial testing for antioxidants.
One part of the company which
is currently earmarked for expansion is the telecommunications division. DKK believes it
can conduct more value-added
business in the U.S. than inSoutheast Asia, so it is focusing
on the North American market,
especially in niche areas where
Japanese technologies are applicable. Mr. Kondo outlines
the company’s plan: “We have
our local subsidiary in North
America, and since the U.S. alsouses the same frequencies asJapan, and we are currently
focusing on 28 gigahertz: theSuperheated steam rotational
roastersame products used in Japan
could also be applied to the U.S.”
One of DKK’s strengths is thatJapan is an island nation, meaning
the company has had to miniaturize its devices and to ensure multiple frequencies are boarded onto
the same device. This provides
DKK with a strong advantage innew markets and means that its“Software is borderless,so we would like to takethat abroad as well.”Tadatoshi Kondo,
President andRepresentative Director,
Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd.
venture into the North American
market will undoubtedly bear fruit.
In order to continuously adapt
to society’s shifting landscape,
DKK is also currently pursuing
the prospect of partnering andcollaborating with other companies. The possibilities are broadand exciting for DKK: the highfrequency area of its businessis actively looking into working with food industry partners,
whereas the telecommunications
area of the company has beenworking with partners in hardware and infrastructure.
DKK will continue its unrelenting effort to contribute tosociety through further growthand development as a group. At
the same time, the Japanese
firm will continue to satisfy
the needs of the market by developing innovative products
and services, exploring newtechnologies and entering new
business fields – endeavours
reliably supported by the knowhow and trust it has cultivatedover its 70 years in operation.

THE FUTURE OF COMMUNICATIONSIS HERE

28GHz RF Signal Repeaterwww.denkikogyo.co.jp/en

28GHz O-RUCONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

A century of experience under
its belt – and ready for the future
A leading manufacturer of mechanical belts for automobiles and other machinery, Mitsuboshi
Belting is expanding both its global reach and its range of products, and is primed forthe shift to renewable energy sources.
produce the Giga Torque
GX, which can replacechains in chain-drivemachines. “What’s goodabout belts is that they’reeasy to handle, they’re lightand they’re oil-less, but themain issue is their weakness
compared to chains, because

Established in Kobe in 1919, theJapanese company Mitsuboshi
Belting Ltd. specializes in the
manufacture of mechanical belts
for automobiles, motorcycles anda wide range of other machinery.
A ﬁrm with a burgeoning global
presence, it has also branchedout from belts to other productsin the century since its founding.
“Demand for belts comes not
only from automotive companies,
but from wherever there’s machinery with a motor,” Mitsuboshi’s president, Hiroshi Ikeda, explains. “This includes agricultural
machinery, ofﬁce appliances andﬁnancial-related machinery suchas ATMs. Within machinery, thebelt is such a small component
and cost-wise it’s very cheap
compared to other parts, but it’sa crucial component, so it’s important for the quality to match theneeds of that machinery.”With electric vehicles (EVs) on
the rise, the automotive industry
is changing – and Mitsuboshi ispreparing for the changing needsof its customers. “We provide fanbelts and camshaft timing belts
for cars with internal combustion
engines, but when they shift to
EVs there’ll be no need for thesebecause of the new type of motors,” Mr. Ikeda says. “However,in Poland, is employed in wind turbines worldwide. “The FREESPAN
belt is used to change the angleof the turbine blade,” Mr. Ikeda
says. “It’s been a big hit, so we’re
increasing the production line.”
Meanwhile, the MAXSTAR
POWER, which Mitsuboshi says
was “developed to satisfy the

special requirements of agricultural machinery like harvesters
and combines”, is a prime example of the outstanding durability provided by the ﬁrm’s belts.

they’re made from organic material,” Mr. Ikeda says. “So ourchallenge was to increase thestrength of the belt and we wereable to achieve that with our

MAXSTAR POWER
says. “Because they’re made of
EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) synthetic rubber,they’re superior in durability andweather resistance.”
Mitsuboshi also manufactures
engineering plastics, coating materials, and pastes for electronic
components, including its MDot
conductive silver paste, which
was developed using proprietary
technologies. “Our paste products
are guaranteed to be of high quality because of their proven trackrecord of use in satellites, where
they must be able to withstandthe harshest of environments,”
Mr. Ikeda says. “We believe theseproducts have great potential andwe would like to expand theirsales in the future.”
In addition to Poland, Mitsuboshi has international sites in
the U.S., Germany, China, Hong
Kong, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
“India is a big market we’re focusing on,” Mr. Ikeda says. “Weentered the country 10 years

NEO-ROOFING rooﬁng membrane

FREESPAN belt

Giga Torque GX

MDot silver paste

for electric power steering units,
electric parking brake units andsliding door units, our products
will be used and there’ll be moredemand for them.”
Mitsuboshi’s role in the move toclean energy sources is not limited to supplying belts for EVs.
For example, the FREESPAN belt,
produced at the company’s factory“When it comes to agricultural
machinery, it’s especially important that it doesn’t stop whileit’s operating,” Mr. Ikeda says.
“For instance, if the belt breaks
while harvesting rice, you can’t
continue working – and the harvesting time is limited.”
Mitsuboshi’s drive for longlasting belts has also led it toproducts like the Giga Torque
GX belt.”
Aside from belts, Mitsuboshi’s
widening portfolio of products
includes waterprooﬁng materials
for construction, such as the NEOROOFING protective membrane
for roofs. “We’re number one forwaterprooﬁng membranes madeof synthetic rubber,” Mr. Ikeda

ago to supply car manufacturers, but after a few years wemoved to a larger factory due
to more demand. That facility
will be our big foothold going
into Africa and Europe.”“Our tailored belts cater not
only to car manufacturers,
but also makers of ofﬁce
appliances, agricultural
machinery, and much more.”
Hiroshi Ikeda,
President,
Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd.

www.mitsuboshi.com/english/

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

A highly efficient heat energy source today
for the carbon-free future of tomorrow

For over 120 years, Kawasaki Thermal Engineering has been on the boil in providing
world ﬁrsts when it comes to package boilers and absorption chillers.
K awa s a k i Th e r m a l
are sourced from petrochemEngineering Co., Ltd.
ical plants, steelworks,(KTE) is proud tocaustic soda produchave launched thetion operations and
WILLHEAT series
other such facilities
of compact onceand processes, asfuel. Development
through boilers,also took advanequipped with lowtage of Kawasaki
NOx hydrogen comHeavy Industries’
bustion dry burners.
knowledge inThis product washydrogen-related
developed based on KTE’s
fields. For theseexperience and technologies in the manufac- Hydrogen-ﬁred Multi latest boilers, KTE
turing of boilers that tube once-through boiler developed a newuse hydrogen byproducts, which type of burner fueled by hydrogen, which is a highly promising,environmentally friendly, nextgeneration energy source.
Hydrogen is a clean energy
source that emits no CO2 during combustion, but due to its
high burning temperature it
produces roughly three times
the NOx emissions of natural
Low-NOx hydrogen combustion
gas fuel. KTE’s new products
dry burneruse dry burners, which do not
require NOx-reduction measuresseen in standard-type burner
combustion chambers such as
steam-spraying systems andexhaust-gas recirculation.

Susumu Shinohara,
President, KTE

Features• NOx emissions are kept at 60 ppm or less (at 0% O2) based on
the low-air-ratio standards speciﬁed in the Energy Saving Act• Rated boiler efﬁciency of 98%• PID continuous control is applied for feed water to control thesteam–water separator’s water level, which facilitates stablewater levels, and this used in conjunction with the separator’srotation function achieves a high level of steam dryness (99.8%)

Kawasaki Thermal Engineering Co., Ltd.
Tokyo Head Ofﬁce · Overseas Project Department
Tel: +81-3 -3645-8251 · E-mail: ospd@kte-corp.co.jp

TOUNETSU: Industrial furnaces for a greener future
TOUNETSU’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions goes hand in hand with that of its clients.
“YUKAI will meet nextgeneration requirementsin the automotive sector
and will increase heat
efﬁciency.”

TOUNETSU Tomato Farm
– President Kiyata with
Chairperson Shunji
Founded in 1981, TOUNETSU is amajor manufacturer of industrial
furnaces, based not only in Japan,
but also in China, India and Thailand.
TOUNETSU specializes in aluminum casting furnaces, catering
particularly to the automotive industry. As electric vehicles (EVs)take on a growing market shareamid a push towards cleaner andmore sustainable energy sources,
the company is adapting to thechanging needs of its clients.
“Our new product is called YUKAI,” TOUNETSU president Kiyata
Mochizuki says. “The characteristicof this furnace is that it’s used tomelt aluminum used in EVs, whichis thinner and of higher quality.”

Sharing knowledge is key to
TOUNETSU’s international plans.
“Our strategy is to license ourpatents,” Mr. Mochizuki explains.
“We’re looking to ensure our patents expand to many countries, andlet companies use our licenses.”

Kiyata Mochizuki,
President,
TOUNETSU Corporation

The furnace itself is more environmentally friendly, Mr. Mochizuki
also notes: “If you burn aluminum,
H2O and carbon dioxide are emitted

into the atmosphere.
To eliminate this, weare melting aluminumin liquid via a non-direct ﬂame form witha non-oxidative environment.”
In addition to being present elsewherein Asia, TOUNETSU
has a partnershipwith the company
Pyrotek Inc. in the
U.S. and the Czech Republic. “Weprovide them with technical guidance, make factory visits, and share
our technology,” Mr. Mochizuki says.

Next Generation LP Furnace – ALSTTOUNETSU also has an agricultural business, which employs retired
workers over 65. “Our chairperson,
who established the company, isworking in the agricultural department, which is very high tech; they use
autonomous driving trucks and GPS,for example,” Mr. Mochizuki says.

www.globaltounetsu.com/en

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIOGreen steel to meet sustainable
development goals
Kyoei Steel brings green
steel to the world thanks to
efﬁcient production throughelectric furnaces, which
produce 75% less carbon
emissions than traditional
blast furnaces.
With relatively few signiﬁcantnatural resources to speak of,Japan holds the claim of being
one of the world’s largest steelproducing nations. Whilst a testament to Japan’s great manufacturing prowess, it’s status as asteel making heavyweight consistently leaves many marvelling at
the country’s productivity despite
its resource scarcity.
“Though we cannot procureiron ore, which is the ingredient used in the Western methodof making steel, traditionallyJapanese people have used ironsand, reﬁned it, and extracted thesteel element to make knives andswords, for example,” explains
Yasuyuki Hirotomi, President of
Kyoei Steel Ltd.
“Japanese people have this custom of working with iron sand,and this is a very ﬁne technologythat requires very detailed attention. This long history of using ironsand technology, together withthe mass production ability of
the Western method, has allowed
Japanese people to come up withan original method of steel manufacturing and that is why theJapanese are still strong at it.”
Kyoei Steel, which manufactures and sells steel products for

Hideichiro Takashima, Chairman (right) &Yasuyuki Hirotomi, President (left), Kyoei Steel Ltd.

Vina Kyoei Steel(Southern Vietnam)

Vinton Steel (U.S.)

construction use in the domestic
and international markets, isan example of a Japanese company that has become one of
the first steel makers to utilize
more environmentally friendly
electric arc furnaces that melt
steel scrap for steel making, andthe first in the world to use a
one-furnace system.
“We cannot say that we werethe very ﬁrst ones to introduce
the electric arc furnace to Japan,
but we can say that we were theﬁrst ones in the world to introduce the one-furnace system,”says Mr. Hirotomi. “At the time,
it was common to use two furnaces to make sure production
could continue if one of themfailed, but we introduced a newand very efﬁcient way of using
one furnace for the high-speed
production of steel.”
The main difference between
blast furnaces and electric furnaces is that the former needs
to operate constantly with aconsistent temperature. However, with electric furnaces, you
can operate them on a demandbasis. With the current shift insociety towards carbon-neutrality, this method uses electricity, producing 75% less carbon
emissions than blast furnaces
and can be reset multiple times
without a deterioration of performance. “For these reasons,steel making with electric furnaces is now considered an efficient method, conforming to thereuse, reduce, recycle ethos,”says the Kyoei Steel president.
The company now plans toincrease its capacity throughstrategic investments in environmentally friendly processing methods, including throughmergers and acquisitions. “Ourstrategy is not to purchase one
large facility and have it supply
a large region,” explains Mr.
Hirotomi. “Our focus is moreon having mini mills aroundthe globe, which procure andsell locally. That is the themeof our company.” For example,
about 32 billion tonnes of steel
are currently used in bridges,
roads, buildings, and vehicles
around the globe and of those,
only about 2% is recycled ev-

Rebar
ery year, which is about 600
million tonnes, but in the near
future, this amount will likely
increase by about 200 million
or more.
“It is estimated that about
50% of steel demand, of about
1.9 billion tonnes in total, shouldbe met with recycled steel tomeet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs) targets,so with our electric furnace technology, we want to contributeto green steel manufacturingand having mini mills around theglobe as our strategy.”

BRINGING GREEN STEELTO THE WORLD
www.kyoeisteel.co.jp/en

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Mitsuya Seiko: Pushing the limits of performance
A pioneer supplier of plain bearings for automobiles, Mitsuya Seiko has set its sighton tackling the global automotive industry.
30,000 parts required to makeone single car will disappear, butthere will be a requirement for
additional new parts. Presidentof Mitsuya Seiko, Naoki Takahashi,
believes this market prospect can
Mitsuya Seiko’s plain bearings
Since its founding in 1913,
Japanese firm Mitsuya Seikohas worked faithfully in accordance with its motto of “being
a company that the customer
needs”. This approach sets thecompany apart from regional
competitors in one main way: its
synergistic relationship with its
customers means new products
always come to market to speciﬁcally meet an existing need.
This customer-led approach hasbrought great success for thecompany for over 100 years, andmoreover, provides the ﬁrm witha clear and reliable identity.
As the electriﬁcation of the automobile marches on, some of theMD2100F & MD2500F plain
bearing series - impregnatedwith special bronze-layered resin

High load SBS30 plain bearing
shape
provide the company with scope towork in tandem with other companies: “There are some ﬁelds ofexpertise where we are lacking interms of monozukuri. We want tocooperate with other companies
to develop and complete the necessary process for new products.”
One area of the company withwhich the Tokyo-based manufac-

turer needs no outside help is its
vital human resources, whose expertise and focus Mr. Takahashi
is rightly proud of: “Many of ouremployees have worked here formany years, and they start froma young age; meaning they dedicate their entire career to thecompany. And I want to show
my appreciation and highlight
how much they’ve achieved, notonly for the company, but also for
their growth as human beings.”
Having established a plant inThailand in 2012, Mitsuya Seikocontinues to secure the unwav-“What is important
to us is being well
prepared for the next
mainstream product.”
Naoki Takahashi, President& Representative Director,
Mitsuya Seiko Co., Ltd.
ering trust of its customers in
response to the increasingly globalized horizon facing Japanesecompanies, creating more advanced products that anticipate
customer and market needs.

www.mitsuya-seiko.co.jp

Die maker stamps path for growing markets to comeNissin Precision Machines is repurposing its ﬁne processing technology to assist the vehicle electriﬁcation andsemiconductor markets.
says. “Our technique is even suitable
for making electric vehicles (EV),which consists of three importantelements: the motor, the battery,
and the inverter. Extremely ﬁne processing is required to produce these,and since we can do it, we can takeadvantage of this trend. Our pressedof cemented carbide as a material
for its specialized press stamping
dies. “Today we offer products like
progressive stamping dies, and we
also make deep drawing pressed

Progressive Stamping Die“Our technology canbe applied to thevehicle electriﬁcationand semiconductor
manufacturing equipment(SME) industries, where
Japanese companies havea dominant market share.”
Takao Ito, President,
Nissin Precision Machines
Having started out as a precision die
maker in Ohta city, Tokyo, Nissin Precision has gone on to pioneer the use

impossible to automate, and which
is why our technology can’t be copied easily. We now make more than
7,000 types of die.”Nissin CNC Freeform Tube Bender
In addition to die making, the(NFB) to which die making
company’s main customer segtechnology is appliedments for its press stamping busiproducts,” says Takao Ito, President ness are the vehicle electriﬁcationand semiconductor manufacturingof Nissin Precision Machines.
“When creating them, we must equipment (SME) industries – secthink about a lot of elements. For
tors in which the president sees
example, the cost of the prothe most growth potential.
cess, the quality of the product,“Our technology can be
the thickness, the hardness,
applied to next-generation veand the elongation of the mahicle electriﬁcation and SME
terials. We control all theseindustries, where Japanesecompanies have a domielements to create our
products, which remains Deep Drawing Part nant market share,” he3D Wave-Truss® processed by NFB
products are also incorporated into
control units for SME and the deep
drawing technique is used for thisindustry as well. Their demand isincreasing, and so we can meet it.”www.nissin-precision.com/en

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Komatsu Seiki targets
hydrogen and medical
as prime growth sectors
Since its founding as a watch parts maker, Komatsu Seiki has served a number of industries and is now poised to advancethe shift to low-carbon hydrogen fuel as well as serving the medical industry with its novel nanoSUS technology.

“Our business is underpressure due to the automobile
industry’s transformation.
However, there are highexpectations for our
microfabrication technology
in various industries.”
Shigeru Komatsu,
President and CEO, KOMATSU
SEIKI KOSAKUSHO CO., LTD.
In all sectors of the economy,
Japanese companies have become highly successful in someof the most niche manufacturingﬁelds, creating dominant market
shares worldwide in the process.
Komatsu Seiki Kosakusho, which
was established as a manufacturerof watch parts in 1953, is one
such example. Its specialist adaptable, high-precision technology
has since seen the organization
diversify and become a market
leader in the automotive industry.
“The ultraﬁne processing that
we have engaged in through the
production of watch parts has led
us to become a manufacturer forfuel injectors, which often involves
slanted holes. The only companies
that can make such fuel injector
components are German, Swiss andJapanese, and they all originatedfrom wrist watch manufacturing,”

Komatsu plant aerial view
explains Shigeru Komatsu, President of Komatsu Seiki Kosakusho.
“The manufacture of watch parts
has since become applicable toautomotive parts manufacturing,helping us today obtain approximately 30% of domestic and foreign market share of electroniccontrolled fuel injector parts.”

Fuel injectors help elevate thefuel efﬁciency of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and theircompliance with environmental
regulations. The components
which Komatsu Seiki Kosakusho
makes for the automotive industry
for this purpose today accounts
for 98% of the company’s com-Oriﬁce plate
mercial activity. However, with theautomotive industry’s transition
away from ICE vehicles to electricvehicles (EVs), this is a challenge
on the immediate horizon forwhich Komatsu Seiki Kosakusho
is now preparing.
“With 98% of our proﬁt comingfrom the automotive industry, andmainly from fuel injectors which
use gasoline and diesel oil, theshift to EV will be a challenge forus, but we’re still committed toproviding our products to those
who need them, whilst also looking
for new ﬁelds to potentially enter,”says Mr. Komatsu. “Regarding theelectriﬁcation of cars in the automotive industry, it’s difﬁcult for us
to ﬁnd parts required in EVs that
could use our technology, and wefeel that it’s too late for us to enter
the electric motor or lithium-ion
battery ﬁelds. Instead, we’re look-ing further ahead into the potential of hydrogen fuel cells, which
we plan to develop products andsolutions for in the future. Under
current technology, hydrogen fuelcells allow for a greater range
than EV, so for countries withbigger land masses – like in Asia
and North America – hydrogen
could be the way to go.”With the use of hydrogen asa transport fuel still very muchin the research and development
stage in terms of its application
globally, Komatsu Seiki Kosakusho
is also investing in other technology areas in order to further
diversify into other industries
and attract new customers. One
such product is nanoSUS, which
the company has developed andreﬁned from stainless steel without changing any chemical composition. The material has many
advantages when compared tomore conventional materials, suchas normal stainless-steel, titanium
and high-grade carbon steel, Mr.
Komatsu explains.
“The development of nanoSUS
began by making the crystals
ﬁner by plastic deformation andheating technologies in order tostrengthen and harden the material,” he says. “Since it becomes
harder by itself, you don’t need toapply a heat treatment to it, andthat is its selling point. We began

Machines partsby focusing on the homogeneous
strength of the material and cost
reduction during the processes,
however, later we realized that
there was an antibacterial effect, as well as a hydrogen embrittlement resistance, and thesequalities have been applicable tomany ﬁelds, especially medical
and hydrogen energy supply.”
Focusing on this antibacterial
effect, Komatsu Seiki Kosakusho
recently opened a branch in the
U.S. market and has committed to providing its new nanoSUS product to manufacturersof medical devices and relatedindustries. For this product development, the organization has
partnered with universities andother bio-labs overseas.
“We have worked together
with Northeastern University in
Boston, evaluating the antibacterial effect of nanoSUS. In Japan, there is a limit to bacterial
experimentation, so we decided
to conduct research with thisuniversity,” says Mr. Komatsu.
“Boston is a key area when it
comes to medical device devel-

Wrist watch parts
opment, which is why we decided
to launch our site there.”
The company has also established Nanograins, a subsidiaryto bridge the communication gap
that exists between end-users of
nanoSUS – who are doctors –and the manufacturers. “We havereceived personnel from Olympus,
who specialize in medical device
development, and we’re focusing
on our new development process
and the sales of medical devices,”says Mr. Komatsu. “As we prepare
for a carbon neutral society, thisis an example of how we’re trying
to shift away from engine partsand focus on these new growthareas like medical devices.”www.komatsuseiki.co.jp/english/

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Turning Heads: The mechatronics maker of tomorrow
A leading provider in automation and transport systems, Heads Holdings represents
the next step in Japan’s monozukuri.
Having started out in 1975 as a (automated guided vehicles) andmaintenance company for Japa- AMRs (automated mobile robots), we
nese automotive behemoth, Nissan, also do real estate and dispatched laFukuoka-based Heads Holdings has bor. The combination of assets, housesince diversiﬁed and expanded its buildings, rental spaces, human capibusiness to provide automation and tal, and machinery works very well.
transportation systems for factories When somebody rents from us, we
as well as non-contact automatic provide the facility and dispatch labor;charging systems. The group also and later introduce our machinery tothat plant. Since
produces equipthey are all interment such as conconnected, we canveyor belts andcombine all our eftransfer systems,
forts and businessand has otherapproaches incomplimentarycatering to a parbusiness areas inticular customer.”cluding logistics,
With such a
dispatched labor,
diverse range ofand real estate.
business and prod“We see theucts, the objective
benefits of theof the Group, exsynergy created
Takumi Honda,
plains Mr. Honda,
from doing things
President & Representative
is to be a total solusimultaneously,”
Director, Heads Holdingtion provider thatsays Keiichi Honda,
caters for many
Chairman of Heads
different types of
Holding. “Besides
our focus on AGVs https://heads-hd.co.jp/group clients. “We havearound ﬁve business segments now,
but we are looking to expand to 10
business segments in the future. The
diversiﬁcation of our company gives
more stability to our business andemployees. We are always trying to
see the broader picture.”
However, AGVs and AMRs remaina particular priority for the Group,with global manufacturing trends
seeing a shift from mass production
to that of mass customization, driven
by the increased adoption of automation, the ever growing popularityof e-commerce, and requirements
for improved safety standards infactories. With the market for thesetechnologies set to grow from $2.1
billion to $3.2 billion over the next
ﬁve years, Heads Holdings is in prime
position to take advantage.
“Singapore, Thailand, America, India and many other countries thatneed solutions for factory automation will demand our products andservices,” says Mr. Honda. “When thetime is right, we will be introducing
and supplying our products to them.”

Aero face

HRVT-M 800

GLORIE

SDGs the focus as Ibara Seiki branches out“We don’t give up easily
when faced with amanufacturing challenge,
and it is possible toovercome anything by
digging and exploring.”

2015, is also key to Ibara Seiki’s
activities. “Our mission for 2030
is based on the SDGs, and speciﬁcally, we started making CO2
reductions in our contribution to
the environment even before theSDGs,” Mr. Ueno says.
Having implemented a management philosophy to reduce
the use of raw materials and to
manufacture in an environmentally friendly way in 2011, Ibara
Seiki aims to “contribute to therealization of carbon neutrality
in the future”, he explains.

Kazuhiko Ueno, President,
Ibara Seiki Co., Ltd.
At Ibara Seiki, a major Japanese
automotive parts company founded in 1944, the core philosophy
is “creation of security”, says theﬁrm’s president, Kazuhiko Ueno.
Contributing to society by working towards the UN’s Sustainable
Development Goals, established inAuto parts
Prioritizing a positive social
impact is typical of Japanesebusinesses – and it serves toboost their potential, Mr. Ueno
explains: “Because of this noble

Robot system
purpose, we don’t give up easily
when faced with a manufacturing challenge, and it is possible
to overcome anything by digging
and exploring.”
In an industry in which “a lotof changes are happening”, Mr.
Ueno notes, Ibara Seiki is “speedily adapting to the electriﬁcation of car systems”, producing a“new generation” of components
not only for electric vehicles –whose market share is growing– but also for non-EVs.
While automotive parts are itscore business, Ibara Seiki also provides solutions as a robot system
integrator and, working with part-ner company Cyberdyne,
has entered the wearable
cyborgs market, too. “Wealso want to develop wellness
products such as disinfectant
stands,” Mr. Ueno says.
Having established joint
ventures in China and Indonesia, Ibara Seiki’s international focus is on consolidating its partnerships inthose two countries,
he says. “But we arealways open to communication with po- Disinfectant
standtential companies.”

Cyberdyne’s HAL®
www.ibaraseiki.co.jp/

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIONT Techno West Factory (built in 2015)

Continuous gas carburizing furnace

Shaft cutting automation line

Grinding machines“I’m sure we have the best products in the world; we offer thehighest quality,” says Daisuke
Naito, President of NT Techno,a Japanese manufacturer of automotive automatic transmission
parts. “Whilst some say Japanese prices can be high, the best
car makers – those who prioritize
quality and safety of their vehicles – choose the highest quality
parts. That is the main advantage
of Japanese products.”
Indeed, if you were to ask
automotive industry stakeholders to pick a Japanese supplier
who embodies this quality, manymight name Aisin, the Fortune
Global 500 company that develops automotive components
and systems. Yet, even Aisin– despite being the globally
recognized brand – depends on
lesser-known small and medium
sized enterprises (SMEs) like NT
Techno to serve their international clients. “We’re dedicated
100% to working for Aisin as a
subcontractor,” says Mr. Naito.
In fact, such is the dedication
to this client, that the NT Group
has split up its group of companies to accommodate this key
relationship, with NT Techno
serving mainly the needs of Aisin
and its clients, and sister business NT Seimitsu looking after
other automotive customers.
However, the NT strategy going
forward is to increase collaboration and crossover between
these entities in order to develop

new products and expand theclient base.
“My mission is to develop
greater collaboration within the
NT group, and that has alreadystarted,” explains Mr. Naito. “NT
Seimitsu has the technology tomake certain materials, so myplan is to get parts from themand for the whole process to
be kept within the NT group.
That’s my first goal. My second
goal is to begin making parts for
EVs – we’re even now working
on flying cars as well – and tochallenge ourselves to make thetransition to working for othercompanies too.”Collaboration the key to ignition for NT Techno“My mission is to develop
greater collaboration
within the NT group, andit has already started.”
Daisuke Naito,
President,
NT Techno

www.nt-techno.co.jp

Crafting electric equipment to power key industries
Through its pursuit of craftsmanship and expertise in high-mix low-volume production, Nikko Electric supplies electric
equipment to key industries, including a high efficiency IPM motor with huge potential for the electric vehicle transition.

“We plan to use our IPM
motor as an EV motor thatis much more cost-effective.”areas that overseas companies arenot,” says Shigeo Tsuyuki, Presidentof Nikko Electric Industry – an electrical equipment manufacturer forthe automotive sector. “By keeping afoothold in these fields and pursuing
technology in the context of thatcraftsmanship, Japanese companies
can continue to thrive. This applies
to Nikko Electric as well.”Following this strategy, Nikko
Electric has pursued high-mix, lowvolume production, gaining worldwide demand for its specialized
products mainly focused on internal
combustion engine manufacturing.
“Our current best-selling products
are the starting motors and alternators for diesel engines, especiallythe high-output alternator,” says Mr.

DC motor

IPM motor

Alternator

Regulator

Shigeo Tsuyuki, President,
Nikko Electric Industry
Faced with growing regional competition across all sectors of the
manufacturing industry, Japanesecompanies have continued to
thrive in specialized products andtechnologies thanks to a steadfast
commitment to quality through themonozukuri philosophy.
“The Japanese craftsmanshipthat companies are proud of is notalways suitable for mass production, so Japanese firms are pursuing

Tsuyuki. “However, our next focus is
the IPM motor, which is a high efficiency motor, and we are looking
to expand into industrial machinery
utilizations. Many companies areworking towards electric vehicle(EV) motors, for example, and wewant to add value to them by promoting the IPM motor.”
Whilst making an EV motor isfairly simple, many companies are
cautious about entering the market
due to concerns about cost efficiency,
the Nikko Electric president explains.
“It is worth noting that a few years
ago in China, EV motors were being
developed and produced by mediumsized automotive companies, butthey were not making profits. We
are trying to focus on our IPM motorand by upgrading it, we are planningfor it to be used as an EV motor thatis much more cost-effective.”nikkodenki.co.jp/eng