Connecting vision and precision: a trusted source for industrial machinery, components and protective equipment

“We would like to continue to take advantage of our key main competencies; manufacturing and trading, in both Europe and America.”

Kozo Okamoto, President, Nishinihon Shoko Co., Ltd.

Established in 1962, Nishinihon Shoko is a leading provider of machines, tools and industrial components, with its main focus being the automobile industry. The company’s history is as a trading company. However, in more recent times, it has developed its capabilities as a manufacturer. And it is the combination of skills as both a trading house and manufacturing company that set it apart on the global stage, where it continues to expand its presence by providing niche market solutions.

“Nishinihon Shoko has maintained a powerful presence in niche markets, especially B2B manufacturing. I believe that the history of the Japanese industry as a whole is very similar to the history of our company,” says company president Kozo Okamoto. “We started off as a trader selling machines and tools and our main customers were automotive makers. Over time we developed our manufacturing capabilities supplying tools for glass makers that were producing glass for automobiles. We supplied connectors such as electric terminals and wire harnesses. That market was quite niche and we worked together with glassmakers to understand their requirements. As a result, we’ve accumulated the technology required to attach glass to the connectors.”

Dedicated to providing high value-added product and solutions developed to the highest Japanese quality standards, Nishinihon Shoko’s business is separated into four divisions: the machine tool division, which supplies industrial machines and tools, mainly for the automobile industry; the manufacturing product division, which manufactures electronic components used in automobile glass, as well as automatic assembly equipment; safety protective equipment, which sells all kinds of work protective equipment used at manufacturing sites; and the welding tip division, the most recently established division that provides robotic welding tips for automobile assembly.

When it comes to product development, the company president stresses that the emphasis is on listening carefully to its customers and grasping the needs of the market firmly. “Looking at the needs of different markets, as you can imagine, the needs coming from China are slightly different from those coming from Japan or the U.S. It is very difficult to provide the same product or technology to all the different markets. By providing core specifications to everybody we can then add something else that is based on the customer’s request or preference. In order to achieve this variance, the experience and know-how that we’ve accumulated are very key.”

Speaking of recent developments, Mr. Okamoto says that Nishinihon Shoko is trying to be more eco-friendly in its manufacturing processes. “Lead-free is something that we are trying to achieve in our materials as well as our soldering processes,” he says. “By upgrading these processes we believe that we can not only cut costs but also enhance our quality too.”

After taking the helm of the company from his father (the company founder), second-generation president Kozo Okamoto put his focus on expanding Nishinihon Shoko’s international presence. The company had traditionally catered to domestic clients, but today international sales make up a sizable and growing part of the business.

Nishinihon Shoko initially entered the Chinese market with a U.S. partner, with whom it collaborated for three years before deciding to go it alone there. Following its successful establishment in China, Nishinihon Shoko established another company in the U.S., as well as a manufacturing base in Mexico, from which it is serving customers in North, Central, and South America.

The company has also established a 100% subsidiary in Indonesia, which is responsible for distribution in Southeast Asia, another priority market. “Going forward I see Indonesia taking the number two position in terms of global sales within Southeast Asian and Asian countries. We have a plan in place to start manufacturing in Indonesia before the end of 2023,” explains Mr. Okamoto, although Europe and the Americas remains his main goal in the long term.

“I would like to resume our project to enter the European market and the other key goal is expanding our business in the Americas. We would like to continue to take advantage of our key main competencies; manufacturing and trading, in both Europe and America.”