Kaneko
Kaneko Corporation is a Japanese privately-held construction equipment rental company founded in 1975 in Ota City, Gunma Prefecture. Operating 81+ branch offices across 13 prefectures, it rents heavy machinery, aerial work platforms, compaction equipment, and unit houses to general contractors and specialty trades.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersOta, Japan
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Kaneko does
Kaneko Corporation (株式会社カネコ・コーポレーション) is a privately-held Japanese construction equipment rental company headquartered in Ota City, Gunma Prefecture, and founded in September 1975. The company has grown from a ¥5M-capital local firm into a multi-business rental platform operating 81+ branch offices plus 2 dedicated logistics centers (Kaneko Logistics Center in Ota and Niigata) across 13 prefectures spanning the Kanto, Chubu, Hokuriku, and Kyushu regions. Its customers are primarily Japanese general contractors and specialty trades — including Shimizu, Kajima, Obayashi, Takenaka, Taisei (implied), Daiwa House, Toda, Penta-Ocean, Maeda, Nishimatsu, Fujita, Kumagai Gumi, Ando, Nippo, and Sumitomo Mitsui Construction — supplemented by automotive (Toyota, SUBARU), electronics (Tokyo Electron), food (Kameda Seika), railway (JR East), government (Kumamoto Castle restoration), and defense customers. The group structure includes Rentashop Kaneko (unit houses, portable toilets, OA equipment) and Antree (interior design, garden, architecture, corporate gifts/uniforms), with Zest Holdings established in 2012 as the parent holding company.
The company operates a diversified fleet spanning hydraulic excavators, bulldozers, motor graders, compaction rollers, aerial work platforms (boom lifts, scissor lifts, crawler stages), truck cranes, dump trucks, generators, welding machines, lighting, compressors, and pumps. It offers informationized construction (i-Construction) services using 3D-MC GNSS and total-station machine control systems on its earthmoving fleet for automated, high-precision earthwork, with several products registered under the government's NETIS (New Technology Information System) database for public-works procurement scoring advantages. Kaneko has also developed in-house proprietary safety products — K-EYEPRO collision mitigation system on 0.7-class excavators, the Mi Hari Gumi worker alert sensing system, the Hasama-Ren-Bo 360° aerial work safety device, and emergency-brake retrofits on rollers — plus a March 2025 launch of an aerial work vehicle management system that adds a telematics layer to its core rental offering.
The revenue model is anchored on short-term and medium-to-long-term equipment rental subscriptions, with quote-based pricing dependent on equipment class, duration, and delivery location; the company does not publish public price lists and customers contact branches directly. Equipment sales (new/used) and maintenance/repair services add incremental revenue, while the Antree subsidiary contributes transaction-fee-based interior coordination, import furniture, and corporate uniform/gift revenue. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales through the branch network, augmented by on-site delivery via an in-house logistics fleet and branch-pickup. Insurance/compensation systems are bundled with rentals, and the company advertises seasonal sales campaigns and radio CM across regional markets (FM Tochigi, FM Ishikawa, FM Nagano, Nack5, RADIO BERRY). Registered capital stands at ¥120,000,000; the company is led by President Yoshiyuki Kaneko (in office since September 2012) and has no disclosed private equity, venture, or public-market ownership.
Kaneko firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kaneko
- Legal name
- 株式会社カネコ・コーポレーション
- Website
- https://kaneko.ne.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Kaneko Corporation is a Japanese privately-held construction equipment rental company founded in 1975 in Ota City, Gunma Prefecture. Operating 81+ branch offices across 13 prefectures, it rents heavy machinery, aerial work platforms, compaction equipment, and unit houses to general contractors and specialty trades.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kaneko industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Construction Equipment Rental
- NAICS
- Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (532412), Construction, Transportation, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (53241)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Earthmoving & Excavation Equipment Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Site Services & Temporary Infrastructure Rental/Leasing (Portable Toilets, Fencing, Storage Containers) (TLABAFAH), Cranes & Heavy Lifting Equipment Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAD), Surface Preparation & Compaction Equipment Rental/Leasing (Compactors, Rollers, Grinders) (TLABAFAJ)
Keywords
Where Kaneko is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ota
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices16 records
Markets served
Kaneko business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Construction Equipment Rental: Short-term rental of construction machinery and equipment. Customers rent equipment for specific project periods. Core revenue driver, with rental terms ranging from daily to monthly. Services include delivery, pickup, maintenance, and insurance support. The company manages approximately 84 nationwide locations to serve customers across Japan.
- Unit House and Office Equipment Rental: Through subsidiary Rentashop Kaneko, provides rental of temporary housing units, portable toilets, desks, chairs, OA equipment and other office supplies for construction sites.
- Equipment and Vehicle Sales: Sale of construction machinery, vehicles, unit houses, and related products, including repair and maintenance services.
- Garden, Interior & Architecture (Antree): Through subsidiary Antree: interior coordination products, import furniture, artificial flowers, home decor, building design/construction, and corporate gift/uniform sales.
- Lease Services: Medium-to-long-term leasing of construction equipment as an alternative to rental, positioned alongside the core rental business.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Short-term construction equipment rental — quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Kaneko product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kaneko Corporation rents construction machinery (hydraulic excavators, bulldozers, aerial work platforms, dump trucks, rollers, cranes, generators, welding machines) and temporary site facilities (unit houses, portable toilets, office/OA equipment) on short-term and medium-to-long-term basis to construction companies across Japan via an 81+-branch network. It also sells construction machinery and vehicles, performs repairs and maintenance, and provides informatized construction (i-Construction) services using 3D-MC GNSS and total station machine control technology.
Product overview
Kaneko Corporation operates as a comprehensive construction equipment rental company offering a broad portfolio of heavy machinery and services. The core offerings include hydraulic excavators, bulldozers, aerial work platforms (boom lifts, scissor lifts, crawler-mounted stages), dump trucks, cranes, generators, welding machines, and compaction equipment (rollers, plates, rammers). The company provides unit houses, portable toilets, and office equipment rental through its Rentashop Kaneko subsidiary. Safety-focused products include proprietary systems like the K-EYEPRO collision mitigation system on excavators, the 'Miharigumi' worker alert system, and the 'Hasamarenbou' aerial work safety device. The company offers informatized construction (情報化施工) services utilizing 3D-MC GNSS and total station systems for precision construction. Supporting infrastructure includes two logistics centers (Kaneko Logistics Centers) for equipment maintenance and distribution across their nationwide branch network of 84 locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Construction Equipment Rental (建設機械レンタル) Short-term and long-term rental of construction machinery and equipment — including hydraulic excavators, bulldozers, aerial work platforms, dump trucks, cranes, rollers, generators, welding machines, compressors, breakers, concrete-related tools, and small tools — for Japanese construction companies and project sites via 81+ branch offices.
- Unit House, Portable Toilet, and Office Equipment Rental (ユニットハウス・トイレ・事務機器・OA機器レンタル) Rental of temporary unit houses, portable toilets, desks, chairs, and office/OA equipment for construction site welfare facilities and offices, delivered through Rentashop Kaneko's six regional centers (Saitama Higashi-Matsuyama, Ise-Sasaki, Tochigi, Niigata-Nagaoka, Hokuriku Nanto, Kyushu Asakura).
- Informatized Construction Service (情報化施工サービス) Service delivering high-efficiency, high-precision construction operations using 3D-MC GNSS and total station machine control on bulldozers, motor graders, and tire rollers with compaction management systems, helping customers meet i-Construction requirements and qualify for NETIS public-works scoring.
- Construction Machinery, Vehicle, and Unit House Sales (建設機械・車両・ユニットハウス販売) Sale (and related repair/maintenance) of construction machinery, vehicles, unit houses, and related products for construction sites, supplementing the rental business with purchase transactions and seasonal sales campaigns.
- Equipment Repair and Maintenance Services (修理サービス) Repair and maintenance services for rented and customer-owned construction machinery, delivered through the company's branch network and Logistics Centers in Ota and Niigata.
- Construction Equipment Lease Services (リースサービス) Medium-to-long-term leasing of construction equipment as an alternative to short-term rental, positioned alongside the core rental business for customers needing longer asset access without outright purchase.
- Rental Insurance and Compensation Coverage (補償制度) Insurance and compensation programs for rental vehicles and self-propelled construction equipment covering personal liability, property damage, and occupant injury, integrated into the rental contract.
- Architecture, Interior, Garden, and Corporate Gifting Services (Antree / ガーデンカンパニー&アーキテクツ) Custom residential and commercial architectural design and construction, garden and exterior design, import furniture, artificial flowers, home decor, and corporate gift and uniform sales, delivered through Antree / Garden Company & Architects.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to +4 points on public construction performance evaluations when using NETIS-registered products (e.g., compaction sensors, GNSS machine control)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Kaneko
Customer profileNamed customers25 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kaneko technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Kaneko partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Zest Holdings Co., Ltd. (株式会社ゼストホールディングス)coreEstablished June 2012 as the holding company for the Kaneko Group. Holds shares in Kaneko Corporation, Rentashop Kaneko Co., Ltd., and Antree Co., Ltd. Created to maximize group synergy effects, develop growth strategies, and cultivate next-generation management talent. The holding structure enables shared services, unified branding, and cross-selling across group companies.
- Rentashop Kaneko Co., Ltd. (レンタショップカネコ株式会社)coreSubsidiary specializing in unit house, portable toilet, office equipment, and OA equipment rental for construction sites. Founded 1984. Absorbed Rental One (株式会社レンタルワン) in 2011 through merger. Operates 6 regional centers across Japan (Saitama Higashi-Matsuyama, Ise-Sasaki, Tochigi, Niigata-Nagaoka, Hokuriku Nanto, Kyushu Asakura). Also handles ceremonial/event planning including groundbreaking and completion ceremonies.
- Antree Co., Ltd. / Garden Company & Architects (株式会社アントレ / ガーデンカンパニー＆アーキテクツ)coreSubsidiary providing: (1) Architectural design and construction services from new builds to renovation; (2) Import furniture, artificial flowers, home decor sales; (3) Corporate gift and uniform sales. Originally established as Resort Life (株式会社リゾートライフ) in 1989, renamed to Antree in 1995, Garden Division opened 1998 as part of Antree. Website: gardencompany.co.jp.
- ICI Tsuchi Kiki Co., Ltd. (伊藤忠TC建機株式会社)minorTrading company and equipment dealer listed as a key supplier and business partner, involved in procurement and distribution of construction equipment.
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (国土交通省) — NETIS SystemminorThe Ministry operates the NETIS (New Technology Information System) database. Kaneko's products registered in NETIS enable construction companies using Kaneko equipment to earn additional points on public works construction performance evaluations. This creates a mutually beneficial relationship where government policy drives demand for Kaneko's technology-equipped equipment.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kaneko competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kanamoto Co., Ltd. Japan's largest construction equipment rental company, directly competing with Kaneko across excavators, aerial platforms, and general contractors. Same customer base (top Japanese GCs) and same product portfolio make it the closest public-comp benchmark for Kaneko's rental economics.
- Aktio Corporation: Japan-focused construction and industrial equipment rental company (formerly INTEC/Hokuetsu). Directly competes with Kaneko in the same rental categories (excavation, aerial, material handling) and serves similar Japanese contractor customers.
- Nishio Rent All Co., Ltd. Major Japanese construction equipment and general equipment rental company. Closely comparable to Kaneko in product breadth (heavy machinery, aerial platforms, temp facilities) and customer segment (construction industry).
- Nikken Lease Industry Co., Ltd. Japanese construction equipment rental and leasing specialist serving contractors with similar product categories (earthmoving, aerial, compaction) and overlapping customer base in regional Japan.
Broad incumbents
- Ashtead Group plc (Sunbelt Rentals): UK-listed equipment rental giant with North American Sunbelt Rentals platform. Comparable to Kaneko in fleet-management scale, multi-category coverage (earthmoving, aerial, site services), and contractor-customer focus, though at much larger scale and broader geography.
- United Rentals, Inc. Largest US and global construction and industrial equipment rental company. International public-comp benchmark for fleet utilization, branch economics, and pricing power — relevant for Kaneko's branch model even though US market dynamics differ from Japan.
- Herc Holdings Inc. North American heavy equipment and aerial platform rental company publicly traded as a smaller-scale peer to United Rentals and Ashtead. Relevant comparable for Kaneko's branch-driven rental economics and fleet-capex profile.
- Caterpillar Inc. (Cat Rental Store network): Global construction equipment OEM with a substantial owned/affiliated rental network (Cat Rental Store). Relevant as a supplier (Kaneko rents Cat-family equipment) and as a competitor in OEM-backed rental services.
Emerging players
- Aggreko plc: Global specialist in temporary power generation, temperature control, and event/rental services. Overlaps with Kaneko's power-generation and lighting-rental fleet and its temp-infrastructure/temporary-facilities offering via Rentashop Kaneko.
- BrandSafway: Global industrial services and access/scaffolding/scaffolding rental provider with overlap to Kaneko's site-services and temporary-infrastructure rentals (unit houses, portable toilets) via Rentashop Kaneko.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kaneko social profiles
Digital presenceKaneko financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kaneko leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Kaneko subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Kaneko funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kaneko M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kaneko
What does Kaneko do?
Kaneko Corporation rents construction machinery (hydraulic excavators, bulldozers, aerial work platforms, dump trucks, rollers, cranes, generators, welding machines) and temporary site facilities (unit houses, portable toilets, office/OA equipment) on short-term and medium-to-long-term basis to construction companies across Japan via an 81+-branch network. It also sells construction machinery and vehicles, performs repairs and maintenance, and provides informatized construction (i-Construction) services using 3D-MC GNSS and total station machine control technology.
Is Kaneko a public or private company?
Kaneko is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Kaneko founded?
Kaneko was founded in 1975. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Kaneko based?
Kaneko is headquartered in Ota, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Kaneko make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Construction Equipment Rental is the primary driver. The others are unit House and Office Equipment Rental, equipment and Vehicle Sales, garden, Interior & Architecture (Antree) and lease Services.
Who are Kaneko's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kanamoto Co., Ltd., Aktio Corporation, Nishio Rent All Co., Ltd. and Nikken Lease Industry Co., Ltd.. Broad incumbents are Ashtead Group plc (Sunbelt Rentals), United Rentals, Inc., Herc Holdings Inc. and Caterpillar Inc. (Cat Rental Store network). Emerging players are Aggreko plc and BrandSafway.
Does Kaneko have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kaneko.
What industry is Kaneko in?
Kaneko's product category is Construction Equipment Rental. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLABAFAA, Earthmoving & Excavation Equipment Rental/Leasing, with a secondary code of TLABAFAH, Site Services & Temporary Infrastructure Rental/Leasing (Portable Toilets, Fencing, Storage Containers). Its NAICS code is 532412 and its SIC code is 7350.