The hidden champions of Japanese manufacturing
While Japan has faced stiff competition fromregional competitors in recent decades, Nippon
companies still dominate when it comes to highmix, low-volume B2B technologies. Working behind the scenes supporting larger companies with
their parts, components, materials and machinery,Japanese SME manufacturers are often referred
to as the “hidden champions” of the nation’s manufacturin industry, e cellin in niche fields here
they are reputed for their high-quality technologies
that cannot be replicated by regional peers.
“More than 90% of Japan’s business structure is SMEs. The Japanese government provides strong support to these companies andis dedicated to nurturing their growth. Our
founder came from Niigata prefecture, andour company has continued as a specialist in
fluid control de ices,” says oshinori a a ura,president of one such SME, Kaneko Sangyo, who
adds that “satisfying the needs of our clients
instead of purusin profit” has been ey to thecompany’s success over the past 100 years.
Yoshihiko Misugi, President of Toho Kasei,
which manufactures engineering plastics andwet processes equipment for the semiconductor manufacturing industry, also highlights theability of Japanese companies to respond toclient needs as a core competitive advantage.
“The strength of Japanese manufacturing lies
in its attitude of responding to customer needs
with its differentiated and strong technology.

Because we are trying to meet the diverse
needs of our customers with a wide variety
of technologies, we believe that high-mix, lowvolume production is inevitably necessary.”
Such customer- and market-focused development has enabled these companies to extend their technolo ies to any fields, as is thecase with Miyaki, which specializes in anodizing surface treatment for aluminum. “Firstand foremost, our company vision is to be an
indispensible partner to the global industry, andour core strength lies in our anodized aluminum
technology,” says CEO Kazuhiko Miyaki. “As weare capable of anodizing any type of aluminum
we can expand and apply our expertise to various
fields. he ain product of our co pany is thesurface treatment of aluminum using our own
technology mainly for the anodizing of many different types of automotive parts. But we want toopen ourselves up to the medical sector as well as
energy, aerospace, and next-generation vehicles.
Specialty chemicals, the domain of Toagosei,
is another niche area in which Japanese companies have remained ahead of the competition.
“Japanese chemical manufacturers are adept
at enhancing the functionality and constantly
improving their products. We are proud of ourcompany’s history and approach,” says Mikishi
Takamura, President of Toagosei, which is pioneerin de elop ent in the field of cellulose nanofi
ber. e intend to ro by e pandin our fieldwith new specialty chemical lines and chemical
products with high added value, and high-quality
functions and characteristics.”
A specialist in cemented carbide, Sanalloy isalso looking to expand the applications for its
products. “We are diversifying our products sothat they can be applied to a greater variety ofmaterials. We have a lot of customers in technicalfields such as for in and deep dra in . roducts
ith ery hard surfaces can be really difficult tocoat, which is why we developed the P series [ofcemented carbide],” says president Seiji Yamamoto. “Our customers are companies involvedin advanced industrial production that demanda high level of quality,” adds Mr. Yamamoto, forho quality co es before business profits.
Indeed, offering such high quality requires
strict quality control, as highlighted by Keiichi
Fujimoto, President of Kanemitsu Corporation,
which processes and sells special steel. Like hiscounterparts, r. u i oto fir ly belie es that
quality ust co e ahead of profit. ypical
processing companies aim to enhance theirprocessin speed to enerate ore profit.
For us, we lower the processing capacity tohave more time to conduct quality control.
We want to ensure our client’s satisfaction
by enhancing the quality of our materials,”
he says. “Our goal is to earn our client’s trust.
Quality control helps us provide high-quality
material and gain that trust.”

Toho Kasei: Turning customers’
visions into reality
Toho Kasei offers tailor-made solutions in engineering plastics and wet processes
equipment for electrical device and semiconductor equipment manufacturers.

“We are working tosolve problems in thecurrent semiconductor
manufacturing value
chain.”
Yoshihiko Misugi, President,
Toho Kasei Co., Ltd.
Established in 1956, Toho Kasei isa leading provider of engineered
plastic products and wafer cleaning
equipment. Consisting of two divisions – engineering plastics and wet
processes equipment – the company

serves world-leading Japanese semiconductor equipment and electricaldevice manufacturing companies.
Using reputed materials sourced
from its parent company, Daikin
Industries, Toho Kasei offers its
clients unmatched quality and performance, with the company now
looking to expand its internationalcustomer base through technologies
such as S-FORM and DUPRA.

DUPRA
Since clean room equipment
in Japan is aging, S-FORM offers
companies a chance to replace said
equipment without stopping production. “Our new equipment concept, SFORM, makes it possible to renovate

the entire wet equipment area simply
by findin a space of only about
x 2m in the clean room, and device
manufacturers have taken an interest in it,” says president Yoshihiko
Misugi, who highlights that S-FORM
is a direct response to demands “tomaximize the effective use of theextremely expensive semiconductor
manufacturing clean room space.”oho aseis perfluoro elasto er
o-ring “DUPRA”, meanwhile, is asealing material used in semiconductor equipment and an essential
component for maintenance. “Major
domestic equipment manufacturers
also sell equipment to overseas customers, which contain our DUPRA.
Most of the overseas customers
who have purchased the equipment want to continue to purchase
DUPRA as the same seal material
for maintenance. This represents agreat business opportunity for us as

S-FORMwell as a great opportunity for customers to better understand DUPRA’s strengths,” adds Mr. Misugi.
“By recognizing DUPRA’s
strengths, there is an increasing
number of cases where we are considering improvements in sealingmaterials used in other equipment.
Accurately grasping the customer’s
requests for a project; quickly developing and making proposals;
and implementing improvement
activities to solve the customer’s
problems leads to new business. We
believe that by focusing on improvement activities, we will see DUPRA
take a big leap in the future.”
www.toho-kasei.co.jp

CoreStaff responding to the diversifying needsof SMEs in the semiconductor industry
Going beyond the role of a supplier, as a distribution agency of semiconductors and electronic components,
CoreStaff exceeds expectations by passing useful information to its customers.
Founded in the year 2000, CoreStaff was born from a demand
gap in the semiconductor industry being identified and has
quickly grown to become aninternational player. “Japanesecustomers liked an interactive
connection, small portions andshort lead times, so when the big,traditional companies couldn’t
respond, we handled them one
by one,” explains president andfounder, Masaki Tozawa.
“Now, we offer this service
for the broader market, often tosmaller-sized companies, and to
customers from many different
areas of Japanese industry. We
are committed not to big customers, but to small to mediumsized customers.”
This support for the procurement needs of microbusinesses
and SMEs, which saw subsidiaries launched in Germany, China,
Thailand, Hong Kong and the
U.S.A., is a key aspect of CoreStaff ’s competitive advantage.
“We handle many suppliers ofvarying sizes and buy from many
distributors so if we sell just one
or two items to the customer,
we have several other items tooffer as a supplier, which is another of our strengths.

Masaki Tozawa with a “ThankYou” letter received fromJapan’s Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry (METI) in
December, 2020.
“It allows us to respond to
those small orders and needs of
the SMEs. Also, in those situations, being the catalog distributor is a major positive, giving us
the agility to supply those types

New Nagano logistics center“Our hybrid support
for both digital andanalogue devices is
unique in the industry.”
Masaki Tozawa,
President, CoreStaff Co., Ltd.
of smaller orders from smaller
companies.”
One challenge for the likesof CoreStaff is the competition
from counterfeit products being
pushed onto its customers.
“It’s a very big problem, but wehave an analytical facility which
does safety inspections to check
if it’s counterfeit,” Mr. Tozawa
highlights. “This is done at our
Nagano logistics center where
we have specialist equipment to
identify what cannot be done bysight alone. It’s not easy, but weha e a ood technique to find it,
and that’s a strong point of ours.”
Expansion out of Japan is aclear goal for the company andthe president is confident about
its uniqueness translating well
to overseas markets.
“Due to our original style, few
companies are competitive likeus, although there are many
traditional distributors who
we consider our rivals,” says
Mr. Tozawa. “We are, however,looking to expand beyond ourJapanese customer base, butthat remains our immediate
focus as the market has beenchanging rapidly following the
COVID-19 pandemic, creatinga big opportunity for us.

Core taff o erseas office locations
CoreStaff Japan“I am, of course, very interested
do estic office locationsin the global market because we“We recently launched in Taihave started some catalog distribution, offering 30 to 40 brands, wan as there are many suppliwith many people having contacted ers there but we couldn’t reachJapanese or other semiconductor them,” Mr. Tozawa explains. “Socomponent suppliers. Unlike others, far, we have six overseas branches, and I’m interested in Thaiwe have two aspects — asa distributor of theland, Vietnam and Southeast
Asia as being present
catalog products
and as a customlocally makes bothcontact and local
er-based service
solution services
provider — andso much easiour hybrid supe r. C u sto m e r s
port of both digihave been very
tal and analogue
pleased withis a unique style.
this approach so
And we havefar and I believeplans to build athere are many
bigger distribuProduct Image
situations aroundtion and logisthe world, which is the reason wetics center in the near future.
“We respond to high demands keep expanding.”
As the company continues
on a case-by-case basis, so after
several years we can match our on its ambitious path, Mr. Toclients’ own needs and style of zawa reminds his colleagues
service with ours by analyzing and and other young people thatreacting to the data we gather. trial and error is an important
Our latest objective is to solve the aspect of evolution.
“We lost 20 years on some isproblem of many Japanese companies struggling to meet orders sues, but we have to try to change.”
given the ongoing chip shortages.”
In terms of expansion, CoreStaff is already progressing a
https://corestaff.co.jp/cms/en/index.html
number of developments.

Chemistry: The science of future
inspirationnder ﬁve business lines ommodity hemicals, olymers Oligomers, Adhesive Materials, erformance hemicals andlastics the Toagosei roup has been recogni ed the world over for its technological strengths and value-added products.
Founded in 1944, Toagosei is known
for its production of instant adhesives for B2C applications worldwide. A company that has prided
itself on its ability to move with thetimes, it has traditionally focusedon three distinct pillars: manufacturing basic chemical products until
the 1960s; petrochemicals after
the 1960s; and functional products
to the present day.
Company president Mikishi Takamura is on hand to outline someof the group’s distinctive products.
“Toagosei manufactures high-purity
liquid hydrogen chloride, which isused in the production of semiconductor chips,” he explains, highlighting that the performance chemical
is currently exported not only to Japan, but also to Asia and the U.S.A.

Chemicals used in semiconductor
production processes
he fir s
series, ean hile,
is a coating material with enhanced
resistance to radiation and ultraviolet rays, which helps to extend theservice life of equipment, a notable
example being the hinomaru, or red
circle, on Japanese spacecraft.
With the global focus on the
U.N.’s Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), Toagosei has once
again shown its willingness toadapt, and is currently working
on a fourth pillar of products –mobility-related, energy-related
and healthcare-related products– that will enhance the company’senvironmental credentials.
Take the electric vehicle (EV)industry, for example. Toagosei
products used in EV batteries help
optimize not just the quality andMikishi Takamura, President, Toagosei Co., Ltd.

Toagosei Hydrogen Station Tokushima
the company’s instant adhesives
help i pro e or efficiency andreduce product weight, while emphasizing that they are also used ina variety of other industrial sectors
because of their ener y efficiency.
Away from the automotive sector, the blending of innovative newaterials such as cellulose nanofieriesber (CNF) into plastic-based prodfunction of the battery but also ucts means that manufacturers
minimize its environmental impact. will soon be able to use less plastic
But what about carbon neutrality in production. CNF may be in the
more generally, and the steps the early stages of development, butgroup is taking to make its processes Mr. Takamura is adamant that it
more environmentally-friendly?
represents the future. Not only
According to Mr. Takamura, the do the company’s CNF production
key word here is ‘process’. Toagosei methods use far less energy thanis not looking to directly support competitors, crucially, as matters
the production of, say, solar panels, stand, Toagosei remains the only
but to enable clients to develop fir
hich currently holds a patore efficient ethods of pro- ent for the process.
In addition to its CNF producduction. “What we are thinking
about,” he says, “is leveraging our tion, the fir has recently opened
strengths in chemical products to a hydrogen station, which is dihelp users reduce CO2 emissions rectly connected to the production and supply of hydrogen atin their manufacturing.”
Referring to the automotive in- a site adjacent to its Tokushima
dustry, Mr. Takamura explains how Plant, where hydrogen is pro-

duced. One of the company’s
stated aims is to work towards
realizing a hydrogen society.
Looking to the mid-term, a recent project with Toyota showsthat collaboration is a key partof business for Toagosei.
“We are looking for new partners and opportunities abroad,” Mr.
a a ura confir s, addin thatthe group prefers to partner withcompanies using cutting-edge materials such as batteries, semiconductors, and telecommunications
equipment to manufacture theirproducts. Co-creation partners, inother words, who know the needsof the market and can directly manufacture the products it demands.

Cellulose nanofiber C
When pressed on his legacy,
Mr. Takamura highlights the importance of expansion. Toagosei is already a hi hly profitablecompany, but only by expanding
the scale of its business can it
secure its market position given
the prevailing economic climate.
In this regard, the company’s‘fourth pillar’ of products takes on ane si nificance. ey focus in the
coming years will be the healthcare
industry, and the group has alreadydeveloped Cell Penetrating Peptide(CPP) as a drug delivery system
for specific parts of the bodysuch as the brain.
But as long as the group continues to e pand its field ith“new specialty chemical lines
and chemical products with highadded value, quality functions andcharacteristics”, growth, it would
appear, seems assured.

Canada
Japan

China

America

TaiwanThailandCentral andSouth America

Aron Alpha has the No. 1 market
share in Japan

www.toagosei.co.jp/english

Comprehensive solutions drawing on oversix decades of expertise
A company that specializes in electromagnetic
compatibility, Kitagawa Industries provides consulting services and products
focused on heat and noise
countermeasures.

ntifoulin feed spacer for
membrane modules
The Japanese company Kitagawa
Industries is a market-leading specialist in the field of electro a netic compatibility (EMC). Boastin o er
years of e pertise, it
provides consulting services andproducts that prevent electric/
electronic components and devices
fro interferin ith others in theirenvironment. Based in Inazawa
City, ichi refecture, ita a a
has anufacturin , sales, and otherfacilities across apan, as ell aso erseas bases in sia, the nitedStates and Europe.
ur ain focus is on consultin for
C counter easures,”says resident oshihiro ira a a.
here are any
C testin facilities around the world where
customers can bring in their products. The key advantage our EMC
center has over others is that ourconsulting service can provide solutions when customers’ products
fail anC test. here are any
companies that specialize in EMC
testin or
C related parts, but
we’re the only one in the worldthat offers a co prehensi e serice fro testin , to consultin , tothe i ple entation of solutions.
he inte ration approach firststarted with responding to therequire ents of our custo ers
in their product development.
They’re likely to visit us to evaluate whether their products comply
with various EMC standards rightbefore the ass production sta e.
Suppose a test shows non-compliance with EMC standards ande re the only co pany in the orld that offersa co prehensi e
C ser ice fro testin , toconsultin , to the i ple entation of solutions.”
Yoshihiro Hirakawa, resident, ita a a ndustries Co., td.

n oard contact forlee e ferrite cla ps for

Cool pro ide for ther al
management

CC

the production schedule cannot bedelayed; countermeasures must
be taken very quickly. Customers’
engineers are likely to have limited e perience inC. ur hi hly
qualified professionals can help
the to co ply ith standards.”
ita a a s ide portfolio of
solutions includes noise-sup-

EMC solutions services
pression, ther al ana e ent,
anti-vibration and sputter technology; while its products range
froirin cla ps and cableties to snap spacers designed
to secure components in place.
Kitagawa’s sights are also set on
developing a technique that canbe applied to customers’ prod-

ucts durin the desi n process,rather than being introduced asa fi
hen a proble occurs at
the anufacturin sta e.
This drive is in line with the ‘seeds’
principle, a branch of the fir s production development philosophy
that seeks to anticipate clients’needs. “We strive to predict changes
in society, infrastructure, technolo y and the future products of ourcustomers in order to be prepared
for those chan es,” r. ira a ae plains. n other ords, e nurture the seeds of ne business.”nother ey future focus in product development is the integrationof technolo ies that ita a a offers its clients for e a ple, noise
suppression and heat-reduction
systems can be combined. “Wehave the ability to propose solutions
for both at the sa e ti e,” r. irakawa says. “I think a combinationof noise and heat pre ention technologies will generate a synergetic
effect to pro ide ne alue.”
Kitagawa works with clientsin a ide ran e of sectors. ur
products are tar eted for use
in otor ehicles, ho e appliances, industrial equip ent, achine tools and semiconductor
anufacturin equip ent,” r.
ira a a says. nd e plan toe pand the business to include
medical and environmental energy
equip ent. n fact, inquiries andsales related to those fields ha ebeen increasin in recent years.”s ell as e pandin into ne
business areas, ita a a is also out
to boost its client base by increasing its international reach. “Ouroverseas business has developedin alignment with the growing
de ands of our custo ers thattransfer production o erseas,” r.
ira a a notes. herefore, ost of
our customers are Japanese companies operatin in China andcountries, ith the e ceptionof er any, the . . and ai an.
e ant to di ersify our custo erbase by capturin untapped forei ncusto ers, particularly in China,
the . . and uropean countries.”

www.kitagawa-ind.com/eng

Sanalloy’s cemented carbide thehidden linchpin of many industries

www.sanalloy.co.jp/en

Sanalloy is leveraging its expertise to develop next-generation cemented carbide products to meet the demandsof ever-changing industries.
tomers’ ever-evolving industries. For example, the rise ofelectric vehicles (EVs) in the automobile sector has prompted
the firm to develop its P Seriesof cemented carbides, which
are better suited to working
with the lighter materials used
to make EVs.

“We focus on quality
first, not business.”
Seiji Yamamoto, President,
Sanalloy Industry Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1963, initially as
the Sanyo Alloy Research Institute, the Japanese company
Sanalloy is a leading specialist
in the production of cemented
carbides – heavy metal alloys
whose hardness is second only
to that of diamonds. Cemented
carbides are the ideal material with which to create thecutting, drilling, molding andwelding tools used in a range ofmanufacturing industries, andSanalloy’s extensive portfolioof clients – both in Japan andabroad – includes automobile,
aircraft, electronic applianceand steel producers. “Our customers are companies involvedin advanced industrial production, and are all companies thatdemand a high level of quality,
both domestically and internationally,” says President Seiji
Yamamoto.

Based in Fukusaki, Hyogo
Prefecture, Sanalloy not only
adheres to a strict quality commitment – “it’s our highest priority,” Mr. Yamamoto says – butis also dedicated to remaining
at the cutting edge of its cus-

Coefficient of friction for copper
alloy“Copper and aluminum alloys,
which are lightweight new soft
materials, have problems suchas easy surface adhesion when
cemented carbide is used in the
manufacturing process, due totheir high affinity with cobalt
and nickel, the binding metalsof cemented carbide,” Mr. Yamamoto says. “The P Series hasa reduced coefficient of friction
without compromising conventional mechanical properties,
and has excellent resistance toseizure and wear against soft
materials. A lower coefficientof friction suppresses the frictional heat generated duringmachining, and thus suppresses
seizure.” He adds: “The P Series
is a hard material, yet resistant to chipping. Conventionally, when a material is hard,it cracks easily; the P Series
is a product that combines theproperties of being hard but
resistant to cracking.”

Working process of FSW(Friction Stir Welding)
Sanalloy’s dedication to innovation has also led it to create

the FSW7 cemented carbide,
which is specifically designed
for tools used in friction stir
welding, a ground-breaking
method of welding that harnesses friction to join two metalcomponents, rather than having
to melt them together. “Our
FSW7 cemented carbide for
friction stir welding tools has
excellent rigidity, wear resistance, oxidation resistance andseizure resistance at high temperatures,” Mr. Yamamoto says.
Another state-of-the-art Sanalloy product, TNE40, is an example of the company’s willingness to diversify from its corebusiness to meet customers’varied needs. A cermet rather
than a cemented carbide, it
provides particularly effective
heat resistance. “We conducteda test to measure the rate ofweight change before and after
leaving a tool at 900°C for one
hour,” Mr. Yamamoto says. “Theweight change rate of cemented carbide after the test was
111%, whereas that of TNE40
was 100%, showing almost no
oxidation. This indicates it’s analloy with excellent oxidation
resistance and is suitable forwear-resistant applications athigh temperatures.”

Comparison of corrosion weightloss of hydrofluoric acid aqueous
solution
The MBN alloy is also representative of Sanalloy’s ability
to branch out. “Plastic products
are used in various industrial
fields such as automobiles,
home appliances, office automation equipment and medi-

cal care, and many are massproduced by injection molding,”
Mr. Yamamoto explains. “Especially in the injection molding of fluoroplastics, resins
containing hard particles, etc.,
high corrosion and wear resistance are required for parts
used inside machines, but there
was a history of corrosion andwear progression even in ourNA20, which is one of the mostcorrosion-resistant cemented
carbides. To meet this demand,
we developed a new corrosion
and wear-resistant alloy, theMBN alloy, which is completely
different from cemented carbide, and succeeded in its mass
production.”
Despite Japan’s declining
population, Sanalloy’s domestic sales are rising, Mr. Yamamoto notes. Business is also
on the up internationally, andthe company is committed toan ongoing process of global
expansion. “We have overseas
sales and production bases in
Asian countries such as South
Korea, Thailand, Malaysia andChina,” Mr. Yamamoto says.
“Currently, policies linking the
economy and security of eachcountry are emerging, and weplan to expand our sales andproduction bases in accordancewith the policies of each country. As regions that we’ll placeparticular emphasis on in the
future, we’re focusing on North
America and India.”

Specialist auto parts maker geared
up for the future of mobility
Johoku’s wheel and component technology is focused on supporting the future of mobility, both in Japan andoverseas.

Current production of automotive parts (Turbo, FCV, EV)“We are eager to open
our doors and export
to companies all over
the world.”
Yoshihiro Kawakami,
President,
Johoku Industrial Co., Ltd.
Since its foundation in 1918,
Johoku Industrial has been one
the most trusted manufacturing
partners for Japan’s motorcycle
and wider automotive industry.
Of the company’s production volume, 70% is for motorcycles – its
main products being cast wheels
and spoke wheels among others– with the remaining 30% forautomobiles, where an increasing proportion of this is focusedon technologies considered thefuture of mobility, including parts
for the fuel cell vehicle (FCV) andelectric vehicle (EV) markets.

NEW DELHI“Our motorcycle production
volume is three times smaller
than it was 20 years ago,” says
Yoshihiro Kawakami, Presidentof Johoku Industrial. “But our
manufacturing costs have remained the same or less thanks
to the strengths of our value
production kaizen [continuous
business improvement] andmanufacturing philosophy.”

Trial parts for aircraft (Inconel),a future businessIndustrial engineering is anarea of speciality that is concerned with the optimization ofcomplex processes by developing, improving and implementing
integrated systems of people,
knowledge, information andequipment. “We are still in theprocess of implementing kaizen with our Theoretical Value
Production,”e x p l a i n s M r.
Kawakami.

BhopalMumbaiHyderabad

Chennai

JOHOKU MANUFACTURING PVT. LTD.
Plot No.7, SIPCOT Industrial Park.
Kancheepuram District, Tamilnadu. India

The company’s core technology the company setting up a facis machining that processes steel tory in Chennai, South India inand aluminium, whilst its second 2014. “India is a huge market,
focus of production is the paintingof alu inu parts, ith the final
part of its manufacturing process
being assembly. With its expertise in machining, Johoku wasappointed as a supplier on one of
the first C pro ects. nstead ofbeing powered by a combustion
engine, FCVs are powered by fuelead officecell stacks, which generate electricity from a reaction between particularly for motorcycles,
hydrogen and oxygen from the and we’ve recently establishedair. Not only do they offer a form a contract for a technical asof zero emission transport, as sistance agreement for mothey only emit water, but FCVs torcycle wheels with a large
are hi hly ener y efficient, and company there.”Not content with cracking one
the hydrogen used in them can be
manufactured from natural ener- of the world’s biggest countries
gies such as solar and wind.
with its core technologies,“Our product is a critiJohoku is also now setcal part that supports
ting its sights on thethe high-pressure
final frontier, space– or at least thehy d ro g e n t a n k s
aerospace sector
for the FCV car on
both ends,” says Mr.
– with its solutions.
“Aerospace is a
Kawakami. The company is also involved in
new frontier for us.
here is a oint as
the manufacture of
Current production ofsociation called SOEVs through parts
assy unit (motorcycle
LAE, with 14 comproduction for heatcast wheel and spoke
panies in Shizuoka
exchangers, whichwheel unit)
Prefecture being
are key components
for temperature reduction.
members of the association. Recently, we took
“We have alreadypart in an aerospace
manufactured these
exhibition in Tokyo,”parts for EV cars;
says Mr. Kawakami.
our direction is“We are working tot h e re fo re t o wa rd s
EVs, in line with thegether on how to assist
worldwide movement,”
the exciting developments
in aircraft manufacturing.”
explains Mr. Kawakami.
To capitalize on this opportunity, Johoku’s strategy is totarget both Japanese and In. oho u i yo.co. p en
dian car manufacturers, with

RASCO: The world’s top-leveltechnology in high-precision
air conditioning and humidity
control finds new applications
Kashima Coat on FOX Suspension

Miyaki: The anodizing
surface treatment specialists

Supporting major Japanese and worldwide brands with
its technology, Miyaki’s ability to anodize aluminum iswidely recognized and has become indispensable for its
global customers.

Kazuhiko Miyaki,
CEO, Miyaki Co., Ltd.
The value of aluminum is today being re-evaluated amidst heightening
ecological awareness due to climatechange. This treatment of the metal
has spread to encompass industrial
goods and components in line withgreater market demand for morefunctional and diverse products.
Light, strong, and easily recycled,
aluminum is on the verge of a newleap forward owing to the successful
development of leading-edge surface treatment technologies, such as
those developed by Japan’s Miyaki.
“Miyaki’s Kashima Coat treatment is an independently devel-

tructure of ashi a Coat fil
oped and applied key technology
for generating an excellent membrane on aluminum,” says Kazuhiko Miyaki, President of Miyaki.
Kashima Coat is a lubricated anodizing treatment developed by Miyaki Corporation by adding a lubricating function during the processof hard anodizing with the goal ofenhancing wear resistance. Frictionin the manufacturing process, which
commonly occurs due to a lack ofproper lubrication, can cause not
only issues for manufacturers, butalso environmental damage too. The
Kashima coat – which has produced
tremendous results protecting various aluminum parts from wear andtear is created by fillin the countless regularly aligned pores of thehard anodi in anodic o ide filgenerated via primary electrolysis
with the lubricating material, molybdenu disulfide.

Image of Kashima Coat
“Along with coating productswith a clean membrane, Miyaki’s
entire production process has been
made pollution-free. This corporate stance is highly appraisedwith the products we produce,”says Mr. Miyaki. “We now actively
promote the development of new
and original technologies amid
new recognition of our position
as a specialist manufacturer ofaluminum surface treatments. The
fusion of nature and chemicals
is something we believe to be avital keyword in the realm of 21st
century science and technology.”
www.kashima-coat.com

Building on its long-cultivated technology in environmental chambers, RASCO supports the improvement of semiconductor production processes.

“We are looking forpartners with unique
technologies for codevelopment in thesemiconductor industry.”
Kenichi Horino,
President, RASCO Co., Ltd.
As manufacturing experts, RASCO
has been supplying its customers
with special industry machinery
since its foundation in 1964. Witha vision of continued growth andthe potential to link up in newcollaborations, the company’s newpresident Kenichi Horino understands the importance of quality
being at the heart of everything.

“The source for our excellenceand high-quality standards not
only comes from inside our company but also from our many
valued customers, who makesophisticated requests,” he says.
“Monozukuri is not a one-sided
activity, and reaching the customer’s ultimate needs can only
be achieved by working together.
“From the design phase to assembly, after-sales and maintenanceservices, we aim to satisfy the customer beyond their expectations.”
Developing those partnerships
is a fir ob ecti e for r. orino,
something that is already happening in Taiwan and Korea, withtechnical benefits and incenti es
given to local Korean companies.
s a oint partner,
C hasshared our expertise with Korean

companies who are looking to
implement new technology for
Made-in-Korea products,” he says.
“With many companies worldwide making copycat products, wemust choose very carefully who toalign with to maintain our strict
standards and practices, with theintention of building a very solidand fruitful relationship.”With a growing consciousness about the environmental
impact of these manufacturingmachines in the semiconductor
sector, RASCO is well aware of
its own responsibility.

“Lowering electricity consumption and applying corporate carbon neutrality measures and SDG
principles is key,” explains Mr.
Horino, “and our products help
customers comply, improving theworking environment and extending the life cycle of their products.
“Our key goal is to continue doing business at the highest standard possible to secure the longterm future of the company, while
creating a happy and satisfying
environment for our employees.”.

C .co. p en

Nippon Oil Pump seeks to strengthen its global presence“In Japan and in the
global market, quality
co es first and fore ost
for our company; weare always striving to
improve.”

With an already diverse
product line-up, demands
for climate action haveseen the group explore new
possibilities with a view
to increasing its overseas
sales ratio.
First established more than acentury ago, Nippon Oil Pump Co.,
Ltd. (NOP) has built a reputation
as a supplier of reliable, innovative products which are crucial tothe machine tool industry.
While most firms follow the
mantra QCD (quality, cost,delivery), for NOP, delivery
comes before cost. Indeed,a c c o rd i n g t o O s a m u A b e ,Pre s i d e n t of N O P, q u a l i t yand delivery are the reasons
why the company is able tocompete in the global market.
With established core products such as its Trochoid pumps
and hydraulic pumps, a strong
global presence appears morethan possible, not least in thewake of COP 26 and the grow-ing expectation that companies
deliver on climate action.
But it is arguably
NOP’s latest line ofproducts that offer
the most potential
in this regard.
Take the newly
d eve l o p e d N O P
filter pumps, forexample, whose
all-in-one func-

NOP® Filter
Pump

TNC

Osamu Abe, President,
Nippon Oil Pump Co., Ltd.
tionality not only improves
production efficiency but also
reduces maintenance costs.
With a unique double-cyclone
system that removes both large
debris and small particles, leading to the supplyof filtered coolant fluid, thete c h n o l o g y i s
an aggregationof the multiple
components ofa standard coolant unit. Thismeans companies cansave not just on maintenance costs but also
floor space. And coming soon: a high-pressure

model to match its low-pressurecounterpart.
Working alongside the NOP
filter pumps is the TNC coolant
unit, a system which prevents
the build-up of sludge deposits,by suctioning, separating andfiltering them with a cyclone
pump, ensuring any dirty liquid is captured in a wire-meshbucket. By providing clean fluidfor machining tools, the unit
reduces the likelihood of machines becoming defective or
their pipes becoming clogged.
Though a relatively new product category, Osamu Abe is anticipating that the NOP filter
pumps will become a “core product” in the company’s line-up in
the foreseeable future, making
the prospect of increasing its
overseas sales ratio to 50% fromthe current 30% a genuine possibility. Above all, the president
states that his mission is to “leadNOP to sustainable growth”.
www.nopgroup.com/english

Silent technology creating a better and safer world
The ideological roots of any company can have a signiﬁcant bearing on its success and longevity, something illustrated
perfectly by Japanese SME Kaneko Sangyo, whose discreet innovation has been satisfying customers for over 100 years.
small issues before they besatisfying the needs of our clicome a major problem. Preents instead of pursuing
dicting and preventing
profit,” says president
issues in advance inYoshinori Nakamura.
volves analyzing big
This ideology is key
data using AI.”for Kaneko Sangyo“ M a j o r f i re r i s k sand is best demoncan be mitigated using ourstrated by the eight-year
breather valve and flame ardevelopment of its new
APOSA (Auto Pro Operation byrester safety devices,”
IoT product, APOSA
Smart Application)(Auto Pro Operation Keeper Breather he adds, “including theuse of renewable energy
Founded 104 years ago, Kaneko by Smart Application).
sources such as hydrogen.”
Sangyo is expanding its business“ H av i n g a m a i n te Collaboration is inoverseas with a group thatnance-free environcreasingly important forincludes STK ENG and Vietment throughout thethe future for the Japanam Kaneko in Vietnam,
year is ideal and APOnese SME, along with
Shanghai Kaneko AutoSA was designed
continuous improvement,
instrument in China andfor preventive
as the president explains.
maintenance,”
Korea Kaneko in Korea,“We are actively seeking
says Mr. Nakawith its long-held ideology
partners, domestic andmura. “Like inleading to the tagline,
Flame Arrester
overseas, who alreadyhealth check-ups,‘silent technology’. As
where they give recommenda- employ AI and digital techa specialist in fluid
tions according to one’s results, nologies to create a connected
control devices, the
APOSA monitors what industry. We must discuss ourcompany has survived this long by Breather valve with happens in the fluid con- partnerships further to harmo“concentrating on Flame Arrester trol system and addresses niously grow together.

“Customer satisfaction
is embedded in ourcompany’s DNA.”
Yoshinori Nakamura,President &Representative Director,
Kaneko Sangyo Co., Ltd.

www.kaneko.co.jp/eng

Jujo Chemical: At the forefront ofinnovation in inks and coating agents
eeply committed to, Ju o hemical has developed products such as its
inks, which emit signiﬁcantly less
CO2 than conventional inks, while supplying key industries, including automotive.
Since it was founded back in
1957, screen ink manufacturer
Jujo Chemical has been offering innovative products to its
customers across various industries including electronic devices, medical care, cosmetics
and fashion. Thanks to diligence,steadfastness and a clear plan,
continued success at home andoverseas is expected.
“Our capacity to continuously
and stably create high-quality
products is one of our corestrengths,” says company president Hiroshi Koyama. “However,
if we carry on production only locally in Japan, the costs are going
to be higher. Therefore, as seen
with other Japanese companies,
by transferring our monozukuri
methodology overseas, creating and selling our products in
those markets, we can reduce
our overall costs.”“Taking our expertise abroad
also allows us to leverage lower
labor costs, which major Japanese companies are good at doing,” he adds.
With the screen ink market
being a competitive one, it’s in
UV ink where Jujo Chemical has
an advantage.
“There are quite a lot of competitors in the screen ink market,
so I believe that our strengthlies in our UV ink, which is of
the highest quality,” explains Mr.

that use biomaterials. We arealso developing conductive layers with our inks for Perovskite
solar cells, which will spread in
the near future. This is the second pillar of our R&D strategy.”www.jujo-chemical.co.jp/j“Since 2021, 100% of the electricity used at ourplants comes from renewable energy generated byhydro-electric sources. This accounts for more thanof the total electricity that e use as a fir .”Hiroshi Koyama, President, Jujo Chemical Co., Ltd.

Conductive ink as substitute forwire harnesses
This approach leads us backto the focus on international
collaboration.
“Right now, we do not have a
deep partnership with anothercompany, but we are certainly
open to that. Due to the development challenges in our area of
focus, collaborating with the rightcompanies would enhance both the
speed and quality of development.
“Based on the current population of the regions, as well as the
expected growth of these markets,
our target is China and Southeast
Asia. We already have locations in
Taiwan, Thailand, China and India,
and they will be our future concentration points. A characteristic of
our overseas business is that there
are no Japanese people and all
employees are local, allowing us
to serve and support the mindset
and needs of those customers.”

Ink production by three-roll mill

UV ink surface decoration
Koyama. “This has led to us being
highly valued by our customers,
and a lot of our sales come fromour UV ink. Our functionality ink,such as the ink used for conductivity and insulation, also has avery high reputation.”
And when it comes to innovation, the company knows how

important new ideas are to a auto obiles, specifically conductive inks as substitutes for wire
constantly changing landscape.
“The market for the screen print- harnesses and laminate materials
ing industry, which we are in, will for EV batteries. The second theme
shrink,” believes Mr. Koyama. “For is our response to the environment.
“We believe that these twothat reason, we are concentrating
our efforts on new product de- areas require drastic change,
and this posesvelopment
its own chaland eager
lenges, includto achieve
ing coming up
innovawith new entions. We
vironmentally
have twofriendly prodimportant
ucts, potenthemes intially waterour R&D.
based or thosehe first is
Lamination machine

Conductive ink for textiles
Mr. Koyama is driven towards
establishing a lively working environment in which his employees
feel motivated and where they set
targets for themselves, aligned tothe company objective to deliver
unique and innovative productsthat enhance human life.
“The greater amount of our products that the customers gladly purchase, the better we can contributeto society,” the president concludes.

Special steel fit for any purpose
Kanemitsu Corporation, which processes and sells special steel, has earned the trust of its customers throughits consistent commercial distribution, from the procuring and storing of base materials of blast furnacesteelmakers, to the processing of those materials.

Keiichi Fujimoto, President& Representative Director,
Kanemitsu Corporation
As a company specializing inspecial steel, high quality control is a prerequisite due to thetrust gained from consistency.
In this regard, Kanemitsu Corporation has built on its own
quality control system since its
establishment in 1957.
Despite the company’s modest
size of approximately 50 employees, Kanemitsu Corporation
prides itself on carrying out allof its processes in-house, from

Headquarters in Hyogo, Japanvariety of applications such asseat belts, clutches and springs.
Many of these uses involve protecting human life, showing thetrust the company has gained
from its customers through its
strict quality control.

receiving steel coils to processing them and then directly supplyin the finished product toits clients. This holistic approachallows the company to keep astrict eye on quality and modify
the processes according to eachcustomer’s needs.
Company president Keiichi Fujimoto explains: “The front andback of the coils are inspected by
employees, therefore even small
defects that cannot be detectedby machines are not overlooked.”
Kanemitsu Corporation’s main
customer base comes from theautomotive industry, with its
special steels being used in a

Slitting machine
Kanemitsu Corporation has expanded its business since opening
a processing factory in Thailand,and plans to build new domestic
facilities to meet growing needsin the Japanese market. As theautomotive industry begins its
shift towards electric vehicles,
the company is well-placed toKanemitsu (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Kanemitsu Slit (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
provide the steel for the safety
features of the future. Mr. Fujimoto understands the need to
be fle ible ith its strate y in a
rapidly-changing market, adding:“We will continue to listen to
our customers’ needs and makeproactive preparations so that
we can respond to any situation.”

www.kanemitsu-s.com

Sankin: High-performance steel supporting key industries
A manufacturer and trader, Sankin Corporation is a major steel provider for manyindustries, including the automotive sector.
A company with over 77 yearsof experience, Sankin is a leading
Japanese producer of cold-drawn
steel pipes and stainless steel pipes,
chiefly supplyin
anufacturers
in the automotive, industrial machinery, construction machinery,
shipbuilding and water supply industries, among others.

“We supply our products mainly
for safety-critical automotive
parts – for example, handles,
brakes or the suspension,
which are closely related tohuman safety.”
Takaharu Den, President,
Sankin Corporation

PROSANKIN factory, Mexico
www.prosankin.com
The firm also operates as atrader and wholesaler for othersteel pipe producers in Japan. If
there is a request from customers,
Sankin always delivers on time inaccordance with their needs.
Sankin’s steel pipes guarantee thehigh performance their customers
depend on. “We supply our products
mainly for safety-critical automo-

tive parts,” says president Takaharu
Den. “For example, handles, brakes
or the suspension, which are closely
related to human safety. Making an
automobile requires very strict quality standards – and Sankin meets
those requirements.”
Mr. Den adds: “We also havea steel equipment division
manufacturing
various steel
products sucha s s t o ra g eunits, multistory parking

facilities, greenhouses, stairs, etc.
Since we have two big pillars of
the business, one can compensate
for the other in uncertain times.”
Having previously bolstered its
network of steel production sites
with overseas plants in Indonesia
and Thailand, Sankin has now also
set up a Mexican venture,
PROSANKIN,
a state-ofthe-art manufacturer ofcold-drawn
mechanical

SANKIN produces various
steel products
tubing, specializing in DOM, Cold
Drawn Seamless, and SAE J525
products. PROSANKIN has ahighly focused goal of being the“Go-To” manufacturer for clients
across North America.
“Currently, our international focus is PROSANKIN,” Mr. Den says.
“We’ve just started the business
and we’re committed to taking theri ht path to benefit our custo ers. As we continue to make progress in having a world-class andfully operational facility in Mexico,
expansion into the North American
market becomes attainable.”www.sankin.co.jp

Hanshin Metallics: The hub thatconnects steelmakers and customers
Speed and cost are crucial factors in the manufacturing industry and, as a special steel trading company, Hanshin
Metallics delivers proposals that ensure superior results at all times.

“We have special
materials in Japan, andwe are currently looking
for companies in Europe
and the U.S.A. thatgenuinely need them.”
Toshihiko Kawai,
President & CEO,Hanshin Metallics Corp.
First established in 1956, Hanshin
Metallics has been supplying materials and parts to manufacturers
in the industrial machinery sector
for the better part of 70 years.
Currently, the company supplies round-shaped parts for
all kinds of industries, such as
hydraulic parts for construction
machinery, spindles and housings;
al e rods and flan es for achine tools; and shafts and sleeves
for pumps. Through its external
supply chain, meanwhile, clients
can access services such as heat
treatment, surface treatment andother required processes.

Automated production line
More than just a special steel
trading company, Hanshin Metallics is a one-stop solution provider for customers, providing

Extensive inventory of special steel with automated storage system
machining services in addition toits stock service.
As company president Toshihikoa ai e plains, if production flo
is a river, then Hanshin “acts as a
hub to cater to different needs
and to a i i e efficiency hen
it comes to the transportation ofmaterials, consolidating materials,
processing, heat treatment andlogistics for a premium service.”
Unlike many other companies,
Hanshin Metallics, with seven basesin the Kansai region, emerged fromthe COVID-19 pandemic relatively
unscathed and, in fact, has achieved
record performance. This, says Mr.
a ai, is due to the fir s illin ness to expand into new areas andcultivate new clients.
“One of the new areas we havebegun to focus on is the aerospaceindustry and we have acquired JIS
Q9100. Since the establishment of
our Aerospace Division in 2014,
we have developed direct business
relationships not only with domestic steelmakers but also withsteelmakers in the United States,
the U.K., Taiwan, Italy and eight
other countries in order to supply
special materials to domestic aircraft parts manufacturers. Now,
we are one of the stockists withthe largest inventory of 15-5PH
in East Asia and have suppliedthem for not only to the domestic
market in Japan, but also Westernand Asian countries.”

anshins ability to procure aterials such as titanium alloys andmachine them in-house gives the
fir a si nificant ad anta e o er
competitors, with a 20 MPa ultrahigh-pressure coolant allowing it
to cut materials at higher speeds
and lower costs than other market leaders. The company continues to evolve and in recent
years has supplied final products
by offering surface treatments
such as thermal spraying, overlay
and plating, achieving customer
satisfaction at home and abroad.

In-house machining service
Elsewhere the rapid depreciation of the yen does not necessarily spell doom for Japanesesuppliers. Mr. Kawai says: “Wesee the exchange rate situation as
an advantage, and an opportunity
to increase exports of machinedparts to other areas such as the
U.S.A. and Europe.” Japanese suppliers, already highly regarded forthe quality of their output, standto operate at a si nificant cost advantage for their overseas clients.

By way of example, a 100,000-yen
product that cost around $910 in
2020, would now be available for$690, a reduction of almost 25%
even though the quality of the
product remains the same.
Looking to the future, Mr. Kawai
has identified the ind po er andgreen technology sectors as presenting opportunities to move into
the U.S. and European markets.
he shortcut to the co pany s
overall prosperity, however, lies in
the growth of local staff throughself reliance.
e don t ant one
CEO to control the entire company,”
Mr. Kawai says. “Instead, we want
all employees to think as a CEO
thinks, and to increase sales and theco pany s potential on their o n.
By letting them think for themselves, they grow by themselves.”

Abundant stock of 15-5PH(AMS5659 TYPE 1)
Soundraw Inc, meanwhile,
an affiliated co pany, offers asubscription-based service thatallows customers to create anddownload their own music, andis ainin si nificant attention
in the United States. Employees
who think independently cancreate such new trends in completely different areas.
Mr. Kawai stresses thatspreading joy is one of the coretenets of his philosophy. “I believe that life is about seeing
how many people we can makehappy. And in the next four years
I will be striving to make as many
people happy as possible.”www.hanshinmetalics.co.jp/enPromoting shared value through rubbercompounding technology
Since its establishment in 1972, Yamato Chemical has evolved into a premiere provider
of rubber products for a wide range of industries.
growth across the board, bringing
major changes to world markets.
Having accumulated rubber compounding technology and production know-how since its founding
Medical products“Our goal is to establish a
structure that offers highquality rubber products
at low prices mainlyin the ASEAN market,
which is undergoingremarkable growth.”
Hidehiro Nakamura, President,
a ato Che ical Co., td.
While Japan’s industrial sector looks
to strengthen its position overseas,
the developing economies in the
ASEAN region are achieving rapid

a atos products
years a o, a ato Che ical istoday striving to boost domestic
sales within Japan while further
expanding its sales in overseas markets, particularly in ASEAN.
“By reinforcing the management our three overseas subsidiaries in Thailand and Vietnam,
includina ato Che icals
hailand, a ato oly er, anda ato ubber ietna , ourgoal is to establish a structurethat offers high-quality rubber
products at low prices mainlyin the Southeast Asian market,
which is undergoing remarkable
growth,” says Hidehiro Nakamura,resident of a ato Che ical.
With this strategy to regionalize and to open factories abroad,the company is on a mission toensure that its high level of quality
remains standardized and equal
across its production sites – anethos at the core of a ato Che ical’s business philosophy.

“No matter how advanced yourtechnology, and how great yourproducts are, you must have thesame set of values, as if operating inJapan,” explains Mr. Nakamura. “Thelocal companies must have the same
vision and goals as the mother com-

Automotive productspany. This is the core foundational
principle when a Japanese company
starts local production abroad.”yamato-chemical.co.jp/en-home

Global parts supplier connecting the world
with its Soft Press technology
Accumulating know-how and expertise over the last 67 years, Chiyoda Integre has proven ability to process soft
materials with high precision, serving both the electronic component and automobile industries.

Ohio factory in the U.S.A.

“We are looking to
expand our bases inadvanced nations suchas the U.S. and Europe.”
Mitsuaki Koike, President,
Chiyoda Integre Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1955, Chiyoda Integre
has carved out its soft material
processing business through expertise and with an appreciationof how to engage with overseas

markets, not pushing Japanese
ways but instead respecting thecountry where it is investing.
“We need to comply with local
rules and regulations,” says company president Mitsuaki Koike.
“We also need to adapt to the
local environment. That is one of
our strengths.”
A decision for any company targeting business abroad is whether
to go it alone or collaborate withothers, something carefully considered at Chiyoda Integre.
“We chose to enter overseas
markets on our own, without any
partnerships,” says Mr. Koike. “An-other characteristic of our business
policy when we go abroad is that
we do not belong to any group. We
remain fully independent.”
One of the differentiating factors for the company is its uniqueprocessing technology, as thepresident explains.

Factory environment“Our Soft Press technology allows us to process and cut soft materials with high precision, which isuch ore difficult than ith hardmaterials such as stainless-steel
plates. Without our technology to

Clean Roomachie e this, our custo ers final
products would not work as well.
e ha esales offices andfactories in 15 countries aroundthe world. And we are dealing with,inds of products,ofwhich are designed according tocusto er specifications.”
With vast global experience anda policy of only hiring top international talent, Mr. Koike is targeting
expansion into the U.S. and Europe.

www.chiyoda-i.co.jp/en

Japan’s No. 1 chain supporting everythingfrom motorcycles to industrial products
Since its establishment in 1941, Enuma Chain, a comprehensive manufacturer of chains, has supported
industry with a series of developments to meet the needs of an age of diversiﬁcation and complexity.

Industrial silent chain
Enuma Chain is a pioneeringdeveloper of the sealed chain,
where grease is encapsulated ina seal ring to improve service life.
Continuous improvements haveresulted in a service life that is

now 10 to 20 times longer than beauty, coupled with its color, set it
apart from other ordinary chains.
that of conventional chains.
Worldwide, Enuma Chain is the
Sealed chains are used not only
for large motorcycles, but also sole manufacturer of the roundhave several industrial applica- pin-type industrial silent chain.
tions, demonstrating high abrasion With this silent chain, there isresistance to abrasive elements no risk of snapping as with belts,
and the structure of overlapping
such as dust, dirt, and sand.
The wide variety of colors avail- plates allows for a variety of chain
able for motorcycle chains has been widths, making it possible notwell received by customers as a way only to transmit power, but also
to enhance the appearance of their to transport objects. In addition,
beloved vehicles. The “ThreeD” is a the round pin allows for downsizthree-dimensional shape made by ing and free bending angles of thehigh-precision forging machinery sprocket, and its high versatility
in Japan to reduce weight without means it can be used in a variety ofindustries, includcompromising coin washinging strength,
processes, creatand has been
ing high-temperaadopted byture forgings that
Kawasaki Moform automobile
torcycle Co.
parts, and driving
Its superior
turbines in therperformanceand functional
Special-sealed industrial chain mal power plants.

Motorcycle ThreeD chain
EK will continue to strive for development that meets the needs of ourcustomers. Please contact Enuma
Chain for consultations on special
products and new speciﬁcations.

www.enuma.co.jp/enSky’s the limit for Nagano Industry
Nagano Industry is reaching new heights in aerial
work platform solutions as it expands its activities in
Europe by building a strong distributor network.

“Always consider thecustomer’s point of view,
and provide creative
products and services thatare safe and easy to use.”
Yasuhisa Tsukamoto,
Representative Director,
Nagano Industry Co., Ltd.
Designed and manufactured in Japan, Nagano Industry has a long
history and extensive technical expertise in crawler tracked boom
lifts. These machines have beendeveloped through empirical observations on worksites as well as
feedback from customers who workin challenging conditions on building
sites across the world.

office in he etherlands“Our innovative power is basedon knowledge built up over a halfa century of production and distribution of construction equipment, radio controlled systems
and electronic manufacturingservices. Using state-of-theart technologies, we arebuilding on this experience
for the future,” says Yasuhisa Tsukamoto, Representative Director of
Nagano Industry.
Established in 1968,
Nagano’s control devices and software 15TJC

have been developed in-houseover decades, with its machinesdesigned to deliver an exceptionally smooth driving experience,even on rough terrain surfaces.
“At Nagano, where we try toembody the spirit of monozukuri,
we are pursuing high quality in
manufacturing and high customer
satisfaction regardless of whateverdifficulties e encoun
ter in the process,”says Mr. Tsukamoto.
“Alongside our steadfast commitment to innovation, thesafety of our machines is of theutmost priority to us.”
Carrying this philosophy forward,
Nagano is now making a serious
commitment to becoming a longterm European supplier by producing machines specially made for
the European market, such asits 12TC and 15TJC models.
“After a year of preparation and organization, we

Reaching new heights with safety
are now ready to launch Nagano
urope. ur uropean office illhave a substantial number of machines in stock available for testingand direct delivery, also we are able
to offer i
ediate and efficientsales support and quality service,”says the Nagano Representative
Director. “The company’s strategy
for success is to give professional
European services and respondpromptly with parts supply, as
well as to keep on innovating anddeveloping. Also, in order to meetthe increasing needs and inquiries
from Asia in recent years, we haveestablished dealers in Korea andTaiwan, and are building a sales
network in other parts of Asia.”

www.nagano-i.jp/
www.nagano-access.com