Nikken Lease Kogyo has reimagined scaffolding, designing intelligently for safety, ease of use and suitability for the myriad of challenges brought to bear by modern construction.
By Daniel de Bomford and Cian O’Neill
Each day, when a construction worker comes home, their family breathes a little sigh of relief. Construction is hard work and can be dangerous, especially at heights, where one wrong step can be catastrophic.
Nikken Lease Kogyo addresses construction safety challenges with a catalog of innovative scaffolding, shoring, and site offices, supported by cutting-edge digital tools. Whether on a high-rise construction site in Japan, a factory in Vietnam or a subway in the Philippines, every worker deserves to return safely to their families each evening.
Building on Strong Foundations
From humble beginnings as a scaffolding service provider, Nikken Lease Kogyo has grown into a full-service provider of scaffolding and shoring for the construction industry. When Tadakatsu Sekiyama looked at the construction industry, the scaffolding wasn’t meeting the broad variety of challenges modern projects were up against. Safety, ease of use, and weight ratings were not always suitable for their intended purpose.
He took the company in a new direction, from buying standard scaffolding and leasing it on project sites, to designing and manufacturing a new generation of scaffolding systems ready to overcome any challenge.
Almost immediately, Nikken Lease Kogyo saw its advances in scaffolding sought after by job sites. The company’s DARWIN system, for example, which dramatically improves safety by incorporating a preinstalled safety rail, reduces the risk for workers by eliminating the need to install one high above the ground.
Nikken Lease Kogyo’s scaffolding systems are designed for a broad variety of jobs. Every system has a verified structural basis, enabling precise planning and preventing unnecessary material transportation.
Safety Without Borders
As Japan’s population continues to contract, Sekiyama sees growth opportunities abroad, especially in the fast-growing Southeast Asian region. Over the past two decades, Nikken Lease Kogyo has expanded into local markets, starting with Vietnam in 2007 and Thailand the following year.
Today, over 80 percent of the company’s clients in Vietnam are local construction companies. “Our products are superior in both design and safety compared to many regional alternatives,” Sekiyama says. “But more importantly, we also export know-how. We provide training and technical guidance on proper use and safe practices.”
In 2014, Nikken Lease Kogyo began operating in Myanmar and the Philippines. The company expanded into Taiwan in 2021, Bangladesh in 2024 and Indonesia in 2025.
Safety is of paramount importance to Sekiyama and Nikken Lease Kogyo. In Southeast Asia, the prevalence of cheap labor, high turnover among migrant workers and weak protections for workers are impacting safety. Nikken Lease Kogyo’s systems are directly contributing to efforts to improve the safety of construction workers in the region.
Nikken Lease Kogyo also works with local governments. “In Taiwan, we are collaborating with the Labor Bureau to help shape legal frameworks for construction site safety,” Sekiyama says.
Falsework for a concrete bridge
Designing the Future Through Digital Tools
Through digital transformation tools, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Nikken Lease Kogyo can accurately prepare jobsites and provide 3D visualizations. Its proprietary software platform, Nikken Connect, allows clients to view scaffolding models, material requirements and place orders, removing the need for manual calculations.
By enhancing transparency through technology and safety in design, Nikken Lease Kogyo ensures that workers get home safely. The company is helping build a world where safety isn’t a hope, but a promise.
To hear more from President Tadakatsu Sekiyama of Nikken Lease Kogyo, check out this interview with him.
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