Corporate
Profile

[Company strength]
Most of our hose clamps are made-to-order products that have been delivered to the automobile industry for over 40 years. Our efforts in quality, delivery, and cost are highly valued by our customers. We deal with made-to-order products in many cases, so customers often consult us even in the design phase, and allow us to make prototypes. Production control and quality control are also our focus. We once received a commendation from Mazda Motor in the form of a testimonial praising our record in these fields. 

[Business description]
Our company manufactures and sells hose clamps that are mainly used on automobile air supply and exhaust hoses. We seamlessly handle all the related processes in-house, including molding, machining, die making, quality inspection and assurance, and logistics. This enables us to manufacture a wide range of products, from prototypes and trial development to mass-production products. We are also an R&D-oriented company, and we possess multiple patents on items we developed in-house. 

[Industry]
Metalworking manufacturing

[Strength of products/technologies]
[Comparison with other companies] 
Technology: This is not a simple manufacturing plant. Our company has human resources who can develop and make prototypes. This is a small company, but we possess 8 intellectual assets, including patents and utility models.
Quality: We have a tension test machine, endurance testing machine, hardness testing machine, and measurement device in-house so we can conduct prototype evaluation and mass-production quality tests on our own.
Logistics: Our company possesses 2 trucks to make on-time deliveries to Mazda Motor every day, which enables stable supply and flexible responses. 
Operations in general: We can seamlessly coordinate all processes from design to prototype manufacturing, production, quality control, and shipping. 


[Representative's message]
(1) In our operations in Japan we will focus on expanding sales of hose clamps, which are our main products. Currently 90% of sales come from automobiles, and 10% from other industries, but we intend to increase sales in non-automobile industries to 40%. The main focus will be on the market expansion of our patented splint band clamp product by absorbing demand from the Olympic Games, earthquake disaster reconstruction, and so on. (2) For overseas expansion we will accept trainees for the next 3 years so that we can start production or set up a sales branch in Thailand in 5 years. 

[Company structure for market development/overseas expansion]
Our goal is to lay a foundation for overseas expansion within 5 years. We assigned one of our sales representatives to the task of being a contact person for major companies and overseas companies. Last year we participated in Subcon Thailand 2014, and made connections with local material manufacturers. We are also proceeding with a plan to open up an overseas branch. We have started to accept Thai trainees (fluent in Japanese, English, and Thai) for 3-year training to create a foothold for the local branch in mid-2015. We will train domestic personnel during that those 3 years. 

[Market share/Ranking]
Mazda Motor (all vehicle types); Honda Motor (e.g., Fit, Fit Hybrid, City, Vezel); Suzuki Motor (certain models); Nissan Motor (certain models). 

[Awards and media coverage]
[Awards]
Chugoku Region Invention Competition, Invention Encouragement Award (2004).

[Media]
Nogyo Kyosai Shimbun (on our splint band clamp); Sankei Shimbun (corporate advertisement); San-in Chuo Shimpo (as an example of the business climate in the San’in region) 


[Authorization/Certification]
ISO 9001; ISO 14001; NETIS (our splint band clamp has been registered).

[Joint research and development]
Japanese Patent No. 4694404 (patent certificate), Fastening Torque Adjusting Method and Mechanism for Bolt Fastening Part; Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3193681, Fastening and Fixing Device; 5 other patents; 1 utility model registration; 2 registered designs. 

[Main Clients / Business History (domestic)]
Mazda Motor (hose clamps are delivered directly); Honda Motor, Nissan Motor, Suzuki Motor (hose clamps are delivered through a Tier 1 supplier).