Corporate
Profile

[Company strength]
We supply many kinds of mica products that offer properties of electrical insulation, heat resistance, and combustion resistance, as well as excellent water resistance, chemical resistance, and cost performance. We have accumulated technologies for creating insulator members in a plate shape or tape shape or as parts to be installed by customers, by becoming involved in all processes including direct purchasing of mica ore, pulverization, papermaking, pressing, lamination, impregnation, etc., and we have used our own expertise to automate such processes. We can conduct material design of blank materials and component design of electrical parts as well as production with high quality and high efficiency. In addition, we have analysis and evaluation equipment for various uses. We have been conducting Japanese Monozukuri based on outstanding management quality that has been established since our foundation in 1932, following our philosophy of rapidly undertaking high-mix low-volume production.

[Business description]
Our company focuses on mica, which is a natural, nonflammable, and electrically nonconductive mineral. We design, manufacture and form mica as a composite material in accordance with the needs of customers. We supply our products to a wide range of domestic and overseas companies including major electric and electronic manufacturers that require insulation and heat resistance for heavy electrical machinery, home electric appliances, fire-resistant cables, etc. In particular, our products are widely used in mica tapes for the insulating parts of heavy electrical machinery and fire-resistant cables, and in mica sheets (plates) which are indispensable in household electrical appliances for insulation and heat resistance. We collaborate with customers on specific matters to design and develop functional parts to be installed in systems, if necessary. Recently, we are expanding the applications of our products to building materials, for example.



[Industry]
Manufacturing of electrical machinery and appliances

[Strength of products/technologies]
The insulating characteristic of mica confers high voltage resistance, high temperature resistance, and long life. Our mica products used in heavy electrical machinery, when subjected to long endurance tests, show especially high reliability in, for example, one million kW class power generators and high-voltage insulators able to withstand more than 100 kV. Our mica plate for electrical heaters was the world’s first to be approved as satisfying the thermal index of UL 746B. We developed a fireproof tape for forming the fireproof layer in fireproof electric cables approved by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Our heat dissipation insulating sheets are used as heat dissipation insulators of power transistors and electromagnetic shields. A discharging electrode made of metallic foil formed into an electrode shape from a laminated sheet of the metallic foil and a mica sheet is a typical example in which we provide customers with design and commercialization services according to their needs.

[Representative's message]
Since 1932 the desire of the founder of the company was “To dedicate everything to delivering a better product more quickly, to satisfy our customers”; this management philosophy has been handed down to all of us. Working with “brightness, cheer and pleasure” may be the key condition for working better and living longer. We will continue to serve as an energetic company that has “Monozukuri Craftsmanship” to develop novel technology together with customers. We hope to contribute to safety and security of the global environment by creating higher quality through relationships of mutual trust with domestic and overseas customers.

[Company structure for market development/overseas expansion]
Our company structure is able to respond to needs directly captured from customers through trust by sales staff in domestic offices (Fukuoka, Tokyo and Osaka) who work with engineers in technology and development departments, to provide technical support all over Japan.
We are enhancing our system to handle overseas inquiries from India, etc. in addition to current transactions with China, Taiwan, Singapore, Europe, etc.


[Market share/Ranking]
We have the leading market share in Japan of more than 40% for mica-related products, which are our specialty.

[Awards and media coverage]
[Awards]
Kyushu and Yamaguchi Regional Economy Contributor Praising Foundation: Excellent Manager Award
General Electric: Best Vendors of the Year
Philips: Excellent Supplier Award
Other Excellent Supplier Awards

[Media]
Nikkei Shimbun: “100 Medium-sized Enterprises in Kyushu”
Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun: “Selected Managers”
Shokoken: “Katsuryoku Keiei no Hiketsu”


[Authorization/Certification]
We acquired ISO 9001 certification in 1999, and ISO 14001 certification in 2004.



[Joint research and development]
Kindai University: Kido-Sensor
Kitakyushu National College of Technology: “Method of Evaluating the Dispersibility of Carbon Filler”
AIST/Kyushu University/Saga University: Discharge electrode
and many others


[Intellectual property]
JP 2011-238575 A: “Power supply device of surface creep discharge type ion generating device”
JP 2009-41199 A: “Fireproof building material, its manufacturing method, and fireproof door”
JP 2008-192585 A: “Multilayer laminated mica tape”
and many other applications




[Main Clients / Business History (domestic)]
We usually deal directly with the major electric manufacturers including Mitsubishi Electric, Toshiba, Hitachi, Fuji Electric, ASMO, Sony, Yaskawa Electric, and so on. The engineers in the design and technology departments of those companies directly ask us to develop even better products.

[Main Clients / Business History (overseas)]
We deal directly with many overseas companies, for example, Philips (heater elements of travel irons) and a major Taiwanese electric cable manufacturer (mica tapes for fire-resistant cables). We also have many indirect transactions via trading companies.