Leading PCB firm prioritizes sustainability
FICT is positioning itself to be a true key player in theglobal market in testing probe cards.

i8FBJNUPKPJOPVS
GPSDFTXJUICVTJOFTTBOEUFDIOPMPHZ
QBSUOFSTUPDSFBUFB
TVTUBJOBCMFTPDJFUZw
Seiji Miyoshi 
1SFTJEFOU '*$5-UE
"VHVTU*OUFSWJFX&TUBCMJTIFEJOBTUIF1$#CVTJ
OFTT VOJU PG 'VKJUTV  '*$5 JT UPEBZBOJOEFQFOEFOUDPNQBOZUIBUMJWFTCZUIFTBNFGPVOEJOHQIJMPTPQIZUPQSPWJEFBOEEFWFMPQTUBUFPGUIFBSU
1$#TPMVUJPOTGPSHMPCBMDVTUPNFST*O UIFDPNQBOZJOWFOUFEUIF 0SHBOJD 'MJQ$IJQ #(" 4VCTUSBUF '$#("  B OFX UFDIOPM
PHZUIBUIBTOPXCFDPNFBHMPCBMTUBOEBSEJOUIFTFNJDPOEVDUPSQBDL

BHFTVCTUSBUFXPSMEi"QQMZJOHUIF QSPDFTTTPMVUJPOTUPSFEVDFXBTUF
TBNFUFDIOPMPHZUPPVSQSPCFDBSE XBUFS USFBUNFOU BOE FMFDUSJDJUZDPOTVNQUJPOBTNVDIQSPEVDUT BMMPXFE VT
BT QPTTJCMF w TBZT .SUP EFWFMPQ IJHI QFS.JZPTIJi"TUIFSFBMNGPSNBODF 45 #PBSE PG IJHITQFFE DPNQPTJUJPOJOHPVSDPNNVOJDBUJPO QVTIFTQBOZBTBLFZQMBZFSUIFCPVOEBSJFT TJHOBM
JO UIF HMPCBM NBSLFUUSBOTNJTTJPOT OPXJOUFTUJOHQSPCFDBSETTPBSCFZPOE()[45#PBSE wTBZT4FJKJ)PXFWFS UIFDPOWFO.JZPTIJ $&0PG'*$5
UJPOBM UISPVHIIPMF
"OPUIFS UFDI
1SPCF$BSE 45#PBSE
TUVCJOUSPEVDFTOPMPHZ UIBU UIFB EJTSVQUJWFDPNQBOZ IBT EF
J O UF S GF SF O D FWFMPQFE JT UIF '
X J U I J O  U I J T"-$4 '"MM-BZFSXBWFMFOHUI *O
$POOFDUJPO4USVDDPOUSBTU CZVTUVSF XIJDINBYJ
JOHPVSDPOEVDNJ[FT UIF XJSJOH
.VMUJMBZFS(MBTT4VCTUSBUF
UJWF QBTUF  PVSDBQBDJUZPGQSJOUFEXJSJOHCPBSET PWFS 1SPUPUZQF ("-$45FDIOPMPHZ BOZMBZFS *7)MBZFST UISPVHIQBTUFmMMJOHBOE *OUFSTUJUJBM7JB)PMF XJUIBPOF
NFUBMCPOEJOHi5IFEJTUJODUJWFOFTT UJNFMBNJOBUJPOBQQSPBDITUBOETBTPGUIJTUFDIOPMPHZMJFTJOJUTBMJHO BTUVCMFTTTPMVUJPO GBDJMJUBUJOHVOJONFOUXJUIUIFFTDBMBUJOHFOWJSPO UFSSVQUFEIJHITQFFEUSBOTNJTTJPOw(JWFO UIF QSFWBMFOU USFOE PG
NFOUBMDPODFSOTPGPVSUJNFT(JWFO
UIFDPOUFNQPSBSZFNQIBTJTPOTVT QVSTVJOHBmOFSXJSJOHQJUDI USBOUBJOBCJMJUZ XFTFBSDIGPSBMUFSOBUJWF TJUJPOJOHUPXBSEHMBTTTVCTUSBUFT$SPTT4FDUJPOPGPVS
MBZFST1$#NBEF
XJUIPVS'"-$4
5FDIOPMPHZJT OPX CFDPNJOHJODSFBTJOHMZ DSVDJBM
5ISPVHI JUT '"-$4
UFDIOPMPHZFWPMVUJPO LOPXO BT ("-$4 
UIFDPNQBOZJTOPXGPDVTJOHPOFWPMWJOH UPXBSE MBNJOBUFE HMBTTUFDIOPMPHZ
i(PJOHGPSXBSE XFBJNUPKPJOPVSGPSDFTXJUICVTJOFTTBOEUFDI
OPMPHZ QBSUOFST BOE DVTUPNFST
UP DSFBUF B TVTUBJOBCMF TPDJFUZXJUIPVSBEWBODFEUFDIOPMPHJFT w
PVUMJOFT.S.JZPTIJXXXmDUHDPNFO

Insights from a visionary in manufacturing:
unveiling trends and challenges
Exploring the multifaceted nature of Japan’s manufacturing, Miyatsu possesses expertise from intricate semiconductor
technologies to engineering advanced machinery.

i&NCSBDJOHUIJTNJOETFUBMMPXTVTUP
EJTDPWFSOJDIFT MFBEJOH
UPPQQPSUVOJUJFTGPSDPSQPSBUFHSPXUIw
Chiharu Miyata $IBJSNBO$&0 .JZBUTV$P -UE.(

.(

.(+BQBOFTFmSN.JZBUTVVOEFSTUBOETUIFSFMBUJPOTIJQCFUXFFOIBSEXBSF
BOETPGUXBSFJTLFZJOTZTUFNEFWFMPQNFOU1SJNBSJMZBOFRVJQNFOUNBOVGBDUVSFSJOUIFTFNJDPOEVDUPS
BOE JOGSBTUSVDUVSF mFMET  .JZBUTVSFDPHOJ[FTUIBUTPMFMZGPDVTJOHPONBOVGBDUVSJOHDBONFBOMPTJOHGP
DVTPOVOEFSTUBOEJOHBOEGVMmMMJOH
JUTDVTUPNFSTCVTJOFTTFTBOEOFFET
5IFSFGPSF  UIF DPNQBOZ  GPVOEFE
JO JTBDUJWFMZFOHBHFEJOUIF*$5 CVTJOFTT UP SFBDU UP UIF TQFDJmDOFDFTTJUJFTPGJUTDVTUPNFST"TDPNQBOZQSFTJEFOU$IJIBSV.JZBUBFYQMBJOTi#ZTVQQPSUJOHPVSDMJFOUTXJUIUIJTBQQSPBDI UIFZUSVTUVTUPQSPWJEF UIF OFDFTTBSZ FRVJQNFOUGPSUIFJSNBOVGBDUVSJOHQSPDFTTFTw0OFPG.JZBUTVTLFZQSPEVDUTJTJUT .( 4JOHMF XBGFS QSPDFTTUZQF 4USJQ BOE -JHIU &UDIJOH  EF
WJDF 5IJT QSPEVDU QSPWJEFT B LFZQBSUJOTFNJDPOEVDUPSNBOVGBDUVS
JOHSFNPWJOHJNQVSJUJFTPSPSHBOJDNBUUFSGSPNUIFXBGFS/PUFEGPSJUTTBGFUZBOEVTFSGSJFOEMZOBUVSF UIFQSPEVDUJTUIFMBUFTUJOUIF.(4FSJFTXIJDIIBTGPSNFEUIFDPSOFSTUPOF
PG .JZBUTVT CVTJOFTT GPS PWFS ZFBST-PPLJOHGPSXBSE UIFDPNQBOZVOEFSTUBOETUIBU+BQBOFTFBEWBODF
NFOUTJOTUBDLJOHUFDIOPMPHZBSFTFU
UPCFDPNFIJHIMZWBMVBCMFBTTFNJDPOEVDUPSTJODSFBTFJOUIFJSMBZFST.S .JZBUB  XIP IJNTFMG TQFOUUJNFMJWJOHJOUIF6OJUFE4UBUFT JTBMXBZTPQFOUPDPMMBCPSBUJOHXJUIMJLFNJOEFE JOUFSOBUJPOBM QBSUOFST BOEIJHIMJHIUT"TJB &VSPQFBOEUIF64BTQBSUJDVMBSMZJNQPSUBOUSFHJPOT.JZBUTVIBTFYQFSJFODFJOUIFJOUFSOBUJPOBMNBSLFU EFWFMPQJOHTPGUXBSF
BOE QSPWJEJOH DMJFOU TFSWJDFT GSPNJUTCBTFJO7JFUOBN BOEJTMPPLJOHUP
JODSFBTFJUTJOUFSOBUJPOBMOFUXPSLBT
JUTCVTJOFTTDPOUJOVFTUPHSPXIUUQTFONJZBUTVDPNJOEFYIUNM“HHV CUPLA” fuelcoupling for highpressure hydrogen

Nitto Kohki advanced know-how
further contributing to hydrogenfuel and LiB industries“Nitto Kohki has anadvantage having afoot in both the EV andhydrogen vehicle markets.
We have great potential
in both directions.”
Akinobu Ogata,President & CEO,
Nitto Kohki Co., Ltd.

With its pioneering technology, Nitto Kohki is eyeing an increased presence in LiB manufacturing and couplings
for hydrogen fuels as the shift to the next-generation of vehicles continues to take place.
With stricter environmental regulation coming into place in countries
across the globe, the demand forelectric and hydrogen vehicles willcontinue to increase. This trend ispresenting major business opportunities for Nitto Kohki, a JapanesemSN UIBU NBOVGBDUVSFT DPVQMJOHT
for vehicles, hydrogen fuel stations
and lithium-ion batteries (LiBs), as
well as labor and energy-saving
technology, machinery and tools.

“delvo” electric screwdriver for
automatic screw fastening
In Japan, the company has
developed its couplings for hydrogen vehicles together with
Toyota, and has also managed tocapture market share with couplings for refueling stations byteaming up with a leading Japanese dispenser manufacturer.
“We will be expanding our product lineup and bolstering sales activities to carve out new applications besides fuel cell vehicles, suchas transportation equipment andships,” adds Akinobu Ogata. “NittoKohki’s hydrogen-related products

satisfy Japanese safety standards,
which are the most stringent in theworld. Fuel cells are expected tomOENPSFVTFTPVUTJEFUIFQBTTFO
ger vehicle sector, for example inforklifts, ships, drones, and freightcars, and ensuring safety performance will be crucial.”
With growing production of LiBs
for electric vehicles (EVs), Nitto Kohki is well positioned to meet increasing demand for couplings used in thetransportation of liquid electrolyte
solution material used in LiBs, aswell as in EV production lines.
“This increased need for batteries is leading to an increase in ourown business as our products are a
crucial part of the battery-making
process,” says the Nitto Kohki president. An increase in EV production,
particularly in China, has led to sales
expansion for couplings used on EV
battery production lines, contributing to the record sales level.

Pneumatic tool series forautomatic machines “BELTON”“We see many avenues for increasing our sales activities for thisbattery production. In this way, you
could say Nitto Kohki has an advantage having a foot in both the EV andhydrogen vehicle markets. We havegreat potential in both directions.”“COMPACT ZEROSPILL CUPLA”
for coolant piping quick connect
coupling
Opportunities are also arising
GPSUIF+BQBOFTFmSNJOUIFmFME
of automation, and energy andlabor-saving technologies, with ahighlight product in the pipeline
being a new pump that dramaticallyreduces the amount of electricity
required for suction conveyor systems by limiting discharge pressure
BOEnPX0GGFSJOHFOFSHZTBWJOHT easy installation, quiet operation,and cleanliness, this new pump
NBLFT JU QPTTJCMF UP TJHOJmDBOUMZ
reduce power usage. “A prototype
has already been manufactured
and is undergoing safety tests,” Mr.
Ogata reveals. “Our aim is to launch
the product early next year andcustomers are waiting withhigh anticipation. Only so muchinformation can be disclosed about
products currently under development, but products contributing toautomation and labor saving remainpriority development targets.”
Testament to the company’s commitment to innovation and productdevelopment is its new factory set
to open in Fukushima. Designed byrenowned architect Kengo Kuma
(best known for designing the Tokyo
Olympic Stadium), the new Fukushima plant will incorporate the latest
cutting-edge technology, along withautomation, AI, and other laborsaving technologies. “At this plant,
we can raise the standard of theproducts we make to the next level,”the president proudly declares.
Meanwhile, outside Japan, Mr.
Ogata reveals that Nitto Kohki’s basic
strategy is “to increase brand recogOJUJPOBOEUPDPMMBCPSBUFXJUIJOnV
ential partners in target markets.
As well as actively participating inhydrogen-related trade shows overseas, we are exploring partnerships
with companies of good standing.”

www.nitto-kohki.co.jp/e