ALU

What ALU does

ALU (アル株式会社, also known as ALU Corporation) is a Tokyo-based technical trading company (技術商社) founded in 1990 that supplies parts, materials, and equipment to Japan's semiconductor and LCD manufacturing sector. The company holds exclusive Japan distribution rights for foreign equipment makers including CHA Industries (sputtering vacuum deposition), Thermionics (UHV components), GAVISH (sapphire substrates), and Johnson Matthey (hydrogen purification), and maintains a San Diego office (established 1994) that anchors a global partner network for sourcing used equipment and hard-to-find spares.

ALU's core technology competencies lie in thin-film processing, wafer fabrication equipment parts, high-purity fluid handling using fluoropolymers and PEEK, and precision manufacturing of customized parts from quartz, silicon, ceramic, sapphire, and aluminum. The company operates a vertically integrated technical services portfolio spanning front-end wafer processing through back-end assembly, including PCB board repair with IC/LSI surface-mount capability, RF generator and laser repair, PLC/motor controller refurbishment, KLA-Tencor/ADE metrology service, industrial camera repair, and CIP (Continuous Improvement Process) solutions for MOCVD chambers. Proprietary product lines include the Heat Beam Cylinder (>900°C steam generation) and rotary seal units via partner SEALINK.

Revenue is generated through one-time parts and equipment sales alongside professional services (repair, refurbishment, maintenance, inspection, calibration with NIST traceability, and used-equipment resale). The customer base is anchored by major Japanese semiconductor manufacturers and OEMs/end-users of semiconductor and LCD fabrication equipment, serviced through direct sales (phone, email, website inquiry) and a worldwide partner network that collectively covers 150+ equipment manufacturer brands. The company is privately held with 11 employees, registered capital of 25 million JPY, and operating status active; no parent company or institutional investors are identified.

Name

ALU

Legal name

アル株式会社

Website

https://alu-c.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ALU (アル株式会社) is a Tokyo-based technical trading company founded in 1990 that distributes semiconductor and LCD manufacturing equipment, customized high-purity spare parts, and aftermarket repair, refurbishment, and maintenance services to major Japanese semiconductor manufacturers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Higashi-shinagawa

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Technical Trading - Parts and Materials Sales: Sale of compatible/spare parts and materials for wafer process equipment including lasers, vacuum gauges, power supplies, bearings, motors, O-rings, fittings, and customized parts using high-purity materials such as quartz, silicon, ceramic, sapphire, and aluminum.
2. Equipment Import and Sales: Import and sale of sputtering vacuum deposition equipment (CHA Industries), UHV components (Thermionics), sapphire substrates (GAVISH), high-purity hydrogen purification equipment (Johnson Matthey), and used/surplus semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
3. Repair, Refurbishment, and Maintenance Services: Comprehensive repair services for semiconductor/LCD manufacturing equipment including PCB boards, RF generators, power supplies, lasers, PLC/motor controllers, cameras, and mechanical units. Refurbishment services for plasma process electrodes and surface treatment. Maintenance services through partnership with Gilbert Technical Services.
4. Gold Plating and Surface Treatment: High-quality plating and surface treatment services (via GTS, USA) for aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, and other metals, serving semiconductor, epi, annealing, laser, and high-reflectivity ellipsometry applications.
5. Customized Parts Manufacturing: Custom mechanical parts manufacturing from material selection through design, processing, and surface treatment, including wafer process customization and high-purity fluid handling parts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

ALU is a Japanese technical trading company (技術商社) founded in 1990 that supplies semiconductor and LCD manufacturing equipment, compatible spare parts, customized high-purity components, and comprehensive repair/refurbishment/maintenance services. The company holds exclusive Japan distribution rights for sputtering systems (CHA Industries), UHV components (Thermionics), sapphire substrates (GAVISH), and hydrogen purification equipment (Johnson Matthey), while also providing PCB repair, laser regeneration, PLC upgrades, gold plating, and refurbishment services for legacy and current fab equipment.

Product overview

ALU is a technical trading company (技術商社) established in 1990, specializing in semiconductor and LCD manufacturing equipment, parts, and services. The company operates a multi-faceted business model combining imported equipment products, proprietary spare parts, and comprehensive maintenance/repair services. Core equipment products include CHA Industries sputtering/vacuum deposition systems (for which ALU holds exclusive Japan distribution rights), Thermionics UHV components, GAVISH sapphire substrates, SEALINK rotary seal units, and Filtec heat beam cylinders. ALU also provides gold plating services through GTS (USA) and PLC upgrade services for FSI Mercury MP. The spare parts portfolio covers post-process components (dicing blades, bonding capillaries), high-purity customized parts (quartz, silicon, ceramic, sapphire), compatible spares (lasers, vacuum components, motors, pumps), industrial light sources, fluid handling parts, and Canon parts. Services span the entire semiconductor manufacturing value chain: front-end to back-end repair (semiconductor equipment, industrial cameras, KLA-Tencor ADE metrology, PLC/motor controllers, lasers, drives, computers), maintenance, refurbish, inspection, calibration, CIP solutions, and data recovery. The company also sells used equipment including ASM Plasma CVD, Axcelis/Fusion exposure systems, and KLA/Tencor metrology tools. ALU maintains global reach through US office in San Diego and worldwide supplier networks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sputtering Vacuum Deposition Systems

Quantifiable outcome

• Supports over 150 semiconductor equipment manufacturer brands for repair and maintenance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Johnson Matthey (ジョンソンマッセイ社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 October 2003Exclusive Japan distributor agreement (総代理店契約) established October 2003 for high-purity hydrogen purification equipment.
• GAVISH (米国GAVISH社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 October 2002Exclusive Japan distributor agreement (総代理店契約) established October 2002 for sapphire substrates and sapphire processed components for semiconductor and LCD manufacturing equipment (viewports, microwave tubes, lift pins).
• WCQ (米国WCQ社)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 June 2000Agency agreement established June 2000 for additional product lines.
• CHA Industries (米国CHAインダストリーズ社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 1995Exclusive Japan distributor agreement (日本総代理店契約) established September 1995 for CHA Industries sputtering vacuum deposition equipment, including FPD roll coaters, optical thin film systems, electronic component thin film systems, and E-beam guns.
• Thermionics Laboratory (サーミオニクス社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive distributor for UHV (ultra-high vacuum) components including ion pumps, manipulators/transfers, E-Guns, controllers, gearboxes, and PLD systems for R&D applications.
• SEALINK (シールリンク社)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness partnership for rotary seal unit development and manufacturing. SEALINK products (rotary feedthroughs, rotary unions, rotary and linear feedthroughs) provide superior vacuum and pressure sealing compared to mechanical and magnetic fluid methods, serving semiconductor, LCD, OLED, petrochemical, and precision chemical industries.
• Filtec (フィルテック社)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapan distribution partner for Filtec Heat Beam Cylinder (high-efficiency small gas heater) and superheated steam generators, applicable in heating, cleaning, drying, bio-environmental energy, and waste treatment.
• Ariens Service Engineering (ASE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for FSI Mercury MP PLC control upgrade services for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, providing PLC control replacement, field service upgrade kits, direct drive motors, and 24-bit 12" true-color touch screen control systems.
• TSL (tsl社)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical partnership for laser module repair and refurbishment (overhaul) services. TSL provides worldwide repair, regeneration, and development of laser components used in semiconductor industry, including lithography scanner and stepper laser parts at competitive pricing.
• TEKSOLI (テプソリ社)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for KLA-Tencor/ADE metrology equipment repair, quality assurance, and delivery services. TEKSOLI provides spare parts supply (new and refurbished), maintenance training, and technical support with over 10 years of experience in OEM manufacturing.
• Gilbert Technical Services (ギルバートテクニカルサービス社)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for worldwide design and maintenance services for semiconductor/LCD manufacturing equipment units. Supports over 150 semiconductor equipment manufacturer brands with flexible delivery and quality assurance.
• VDK (vdK社)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorldwide partnership for industrial camera repair and service. VDK provides R&D services for medical and industrial imaging, machine vision camera and recorder repair, projector and LCD monitor repair, and security camera services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Marubun Corporation: Japanese semiconductor and electronic components trading company (商社) listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Highly comparable to ALU as a domestic technical trading company serving semiconductor manufacturers with parts distribution, imported equipment sales, and value-added services, though significantly larger in scale.
• Ryosan Company: Japanese semiconductor and electronic device distribution company listed on TSE. Directly comparable business model to ALU — distributes imported semiconductors and electronic components to Japanese manufacturers — but operates at a much larger scale with broader product portfolio.
• Tokyo Electron Device: Subsidiary of Tokyo Electron specializing in semiconductor and electronic components distribution plus design-in services and used equipment resale. Closely comparable to ALU's combination of parts distribution and value-added services for Japanese semiconductor customers, though much larger and a captive of TEL.
• Restar Corporation: Japanese semiconductor-focused trading company providing electronic components, equipment, and services to semiconductor manufacturers in Japan. Highly comparable to ALU's customer base and business model of distributing imported products to Japanese semiconductor manufacturers.
• KAGA ELECTRONICS: Japanese electronic components trading company serving industrial, automotive, and semiconductor customers. Comparable to ALU in operating a technical trading model distributing imported components to Japanese manufacturers, though at materially larger scale and broader end-market exposure.
• Gilbert Technical Services: US-based semiconductor and LCD manufacturing equipment service company that is ALU's core worldwide maintenance partner (covering 150+ equipment brands). Directly comparable business model as a third-party equipment service provider; ALU's primary US-based peer and an extension of ALU's own service capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• Macnica Holdings: Major Japanese semiconductor and electronic components distribution company with global operations. Comparable to ALU's import/distribution model but serves a broader set of end markets beyond semiconductor manufacturing equipment and operates at significantly larger scale.
• Arrow Electronics: Global semiconductor and electronic components distributor with extensive semiconductor manufacturer relationships. Comparable to ALU's import/distribution business but at vastly larger scale with broad product portfolio serving multiple end markets globally.
• Nagase & Co. Japanese general trading company (sogo shosha) with semiconductor-related distribution business including specialty chemicals and electronic materials. Loosely comparable to ALU's chemical/material handling expertise (high-purity fluid parts) but operates a much broader chemicals/electronics trading portfolio.
• Avnet: Global semiconductor and electronic components distributor serving industrial and OEM customers. Comparable to ALU's distribution model at vastly larger scale with comprehensive global logistics and broad supplier portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ALU