In rebuilding the country following the ravages of the Second World War, Japan saw a resurgence of industries that supported this massive task. Among the companies that led this industrial revival were power and industrial system manufacturers and electrical appliance makers.
Since 1948, the Japan Electrical Manufacturers’ Association (JEMA) has overseen the development of those industries and sectors in close coordination with relevant government ministries and agencies, making sure that its stakeholders and members meet the ever-changing needs of the global market.
“New trends are not limited to the electrical machinery industry, but include the significant changes in the manufacturing industry that will change the lifestyle of the people,” says JEMA President Kiyoshi Ebizuka.
ELIIY Power, inspired by breakthroughs in the electric car, has developed environment-friendly electricity storage systems and lithium-ion batteries since 2006. Prioritizing product safety, the company has since met global standards and earned an growing customer base.
“The most important thing for us is safety – controlling the system and battery’s energy. Focusing on safety is very important for the future of our company and the energy industry as a whole,” stresses ELIIY Power President Hiroichi Yoshida.
Another company benefitting from the growth of renewable energy and power transmission the past few decades is Tamura Corp., which makes innovative electronic components, systems and materials suitable for various industries. Because of the very wide applications and coverage of its products, Tamura is tapping a broad spectrum of industries and hopes to soon become the go-to brand in those sectors.
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“Our founder aimed for quality products and not big sales. His philosophy centers on supplying the finest products rather than being the biggest company. And this made us one of the oldest companies in Japan’s electric market,” says Tamura Corp. President Naoki Tamura.
Meanwhile, NF Corp. has grown in parallel with the power and energy industries in Japan. Since 1959, the company has made power test and powers supply products. In developing its products, NF Corp. fully adopted the use of high-precision negative feedback control technology when it was not widely used in the country.
Today, NF Corp.’s proprietary technology has a wide array of applications, including clean energy, satellite or aerospace technologies and rockets.
As the Japanese market develops further, NF Corp. is looking to develop long-term international partnerships that will allow them to develop new business applications, create new business segments and enter new industries.
“We have a lot of global and local competitors. But we believe that we have a niche, unique and original technology, so we are trying to expand this category in the U.S. and other countries,” NF Corp. President Tsuneo Takahashi says.
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While the abovementioned companies focused on energy and power, NASCO Nakamura built new machinery and technology that dramatically altered the lifestyle of Japanese consumers forever.
Observing a huge increase in the consumption of meat among seafood-loving Japanese after WWII, the founder of NASCO imported meat processing and packaging machinery from German in 1960. Today, the company is very visible, courtesy of the packaging of ready-to-eat food and processed meat products found in the country’s supermarkets.
“We would say that my father contributed to the growth of the ham and sausage movement in the Japanese market,” says NASCO President Gotaro Nakamura
To appeal to Japanese meticulousness about packaging, NASCO adapted machinery that features some traditional design elements and techniques in its process.
“We are adding Japanese oriented elements in our packaging and through this, we hope to show our identity internationally and lead other Asian markets in these techniques because they will also experience the aging population in the near future,” explains Managing Director Hidemune Nakamura.
SOC Corp.,which makes low voltage fuses, continues to innovate and expand its customer basesince its early days as a manufacturer of fuses for TVs. Now, the company is
targeting the automotive industry as a source of more revenue.
Selling to clients at home and across Asia, the U.S. and the E.U., SOC Corp. continues to grow as it develops new products in order to survive a fast-changing, demanding environment. Its drive for constant improvement focuses on quality and finding clients whose problems they can solve.
At the same time, safety and environmentally friendly practices remain priorities in this pursuit for growth.
“As a last line of safety defense for different applications, the fuse is a very important component. Our responsibility is big and we always try to meet the technical difficulties of customers as this is also our chance to grow and expand,” says SOC Corp. Kayoko Arikawa.
