Nikkiso caters to Asia with integrated solutions

Finding the right solutions for industries as diverse as oil and gas, medical and aviation across different markets around the world is all about keeping the customer process in focus. This ability to satisfy varying customer requirements, while adapting to local market needs, has catapulted Nikkiso into the top five global players in its highly specialised fields.

"The market that we're aiming for is very small and niche," says Toshihiko Kai, president and CEO of Nikkiso. "The only way that we're able to maintain the top position is by always catering to our clients' needs and developing new and original technologies."

Nikkiso's expertise started in fluid control technologies. It pioneered Japan's canned motor pumps and developed the country's first hemodialysis monitoring machines in the 1960s. It has acquired a global presence since then, accounting for about 30 per cent of the worldwide sales of canned motor pumps, which are instrumental to the chemical and process industries. With each pump customised according to specific customer requirements, Nikkiso has produced more than a billion varieties of its core product, including cryogenic pumps that are used extensively in the LNG business.

Meanwhile, the company's hemodialysis monitoring machines continue to enjoy brisk sales in Japan, where Nikkiso holds a 50-per-cent market share. New versions of the machines are fully automated, allowing hospitals to maintain safe renal procedures at lower labour costs.

Nikkiso is likewise established in the aviation industry. Becoming the world's first manufacturer to replace aluminium alloy with carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) in aircraft components, it helped pave the way for today's lightweight and fuel-efficient aircraft. Nikkiso's thrust reverser cascades are on most commercial aircraft, with the company holding a 90-per-cent share globally as an indispensable supplier for Boeing, Airbus and Bombardier. Sales of CFRP thrust reverser components and other main wing and engine components are also increasing.

"Since the launch of the Boeing 787, many industry players have asked us to develop CFRP material for the more complex equipment," Kai says. "We have been very busy developing new products."

Recognising Asia's growing prominence in the global market, Nikkiso heads into the future with a special focus on durable yet economical solutions for the oil and gas industry.