As Japanese infrastructure ages, the construction industry turns to SMEs like Waquo to lower risk and cut costs with its highly specific valve and plant maintenance expertise.
By Daniel De Bomford, Cian O Neill and Paul Mannion
A titan of the 20th century, it was Japanese construction which built Tokyo and Osaka into what it is today - never-sleeping concrete jungles rising skyward, engineered to endure the region’s volatile seismic forces. As the decades passed, Japanese construction companies found themselves geared towards a new mission, maintaining the many impressive structures to ensure their longevity into the future. The result is what we see today: a highly specialized maintenance sector where everything—from the foundations to the smallest valves—demands precise, technical expertise.
Waquo is a leading SME in the construction industry, specializing in valve and plant maintenance. With aging infrastructure and the development of new valves for future industrial plants, Waquo is proving to be indispensable. President Kazuhito Wada explains that as new, foreign valves enter the Japanese market, many firms lack the expertise to maintain them. “This is where we stand out—we have the technical capabilities and experience to provide the necessary maintenance for a wide range of valve types, giving us a strong competitive edge in this growing field,” Wada says.
By collaborating with foreign firms, Wada says that the company gains access to new technologies and continues to build its expertise. At the same time, its partners can expand their presence in Japan and benefit from Waquo’s manufacturing guarantees and specialized maintenance services. “Recently, we have been asked to become an agent or a certified repair shop for a number of companies, regardless of their country of origin,” he says, adding, "In the past few years, we have become an agent or a licensed factory for several overseas companies.” The company is experiencing increasing demand from its overseas customers due to its ability to perform maintenance on all types of valves. In the past, companies buying large numbers of valves had to work with multiple maintenance providers because most providers only specialized in one type of valve.
Valves Undergoing Inspection During Customer’s Plant Shutdown
Wada says that while large companies dominate the industry, SMEs like Waquo play a crucial role, particularly in infrastructure maintenance. “Today, issues such as water leakage and structural deterioration require far more repair work than in previous decades, making maintenance a growing area of demand,” he says. Waquo’s employees have onsite experience cultivating valuable expertise, while larger firms are often staffed with white-collar workers primarily occupied with administrative tasks. Large companies rely on the specialized skills of SMEs like Waquo for cost-cutting and risk avoidance. Wada says this has allowed the company to carve out its niche in the construction sector and develop unparalleled expertise.
One of the key reasons Wada says companies partner with Waquo is its strict adherence to Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) for valves and piping operating under high gas pressure. “We are able to demonstrate our technical credibility and build a strong track record, making us a trusted partner in the industry,” he says. Furthermore, valve maintenance is a highly specialized field. The professionals working in the space possess deep technical knowledge as valve systems operate under extreme pressure and must be managed with strict protocols and techniques. “This level of expertise is why industrial partners recognize the value of working with us,” he explains.
Wada says there are opportunities for the company abroad, but the domestic market provides the most significant potential as he believes Waquo’s skills are more urgently needed in Japan. Buildings constructed during the economic boom were made to last, but as they age, the demand for maintenance rapidly increases. He explains, “The industry is shifting its focus to ensure that buildings and infrastructure can be repaired and remain in use for longer.”
With sustainability challenges and the shrinking population, Japan's construction industry prioritizes maintaining its engineering marvels, not just as an economic decision but also as an environmental one. Wada believes that with new energy sources like ammonia and hydrogen being developed and a global shift to maintenance, Waquo can become Japan's number-one maintenance company. “I am confident that with ambition, innovation, and a commitment to quality, we will reach this goal in the years ahead.”
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