YAZAKI KAKO

What YAZAKI KAKO does

Yazaki Kako Corporation (矢崎化工株式会社) is a privately held Japanese diversified manufacturer founded in 1953 and headquartered in Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture, operating across six business divisions: Industrial, Welfare/Care, Automotive Parts, Livingware/DIY, Commerce/Food Distribution, and Agriculture. The company's core technology is the proprietary Erector (イレクター) pipe-and-joint modular assembly system, complemented by a portfolio of specialized product platforms including ACROS all-terrain crawler/caster transport carts, Creform Placon wheel-flow systems, Freecure AGV drive units, Pokayoke pick-to-light controllers, and Tachi-Up standing-assistance devices for elderly and disabled users.

The company generates revenue primarily through B2B sales of custom-made industrial equipment — carts, workbenches, racks, AGV systems, hygiene/ESD systems, and flow racks — to food and pharmaceutical factories, logistics warehouses, and manufacturing facilities, supported by 11 nationwide sales branches in Japan providing on-site consultation and proposal-based selling. Secondary revenue streams include Erector materials sold through the company's own e-commerce site (yzk-shop.net), home center and DIY retail channels, and welfare/care products distributed via the kaigo-web.info platform. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the sales force is organized by business department (Industrial, Welfare, Automotive Parts, Living/DIY, Commerce, Agriculture).

Yazaki Kako's go-to-market is event-driven and sales-led, centered on annual participation in major Japanese trade shows (FOOMA JAPAN, Logis-Tech Tokyo, H.C.R., JAPAN DIY HOMECENTER SHOW, CareTEX, GPEC) and a portfolio of segment-specific websites. The company maintains ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 13485, and ISO 27001 certifications, has received the 2022 Good Design Award for ACROS, the 2024 EcoVadis Commitment Badge, and the 2017 METI Regional Future Leading Enterprise designation, and employs 501-1,000 people under President Yazaki Atsuhiko (矢崎敦彦). The customer base is diversified across manufacturing, welfare, automotive, logistics, retail, and agriculture end-markets, with named customers including Showa Gyosei, Value Books, Tora Shoko, a Nagano railway operator, and Shimizu S-Pulse.

Name

YAZAKI KAKO

Legal name

Yazaki Kako Corporation (矢崎化工株式会社)

Website

https://yazaki.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Yazaki Kako is a privately held Japanese diversified manufacturer founded in 1953, operating across six business divisions (industrial, welfare/care, automotive parts, DIY, commerce/food service, agriculture) and built around its proprietary Erector pipe-and-joint modular assembly system, supplying custom-made carts, AGVs, hygiene equipment, and welfare devices to B2B customers via 11 nationwide Japanese branches.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Material Handling and Modular Assembly Equipment

NAICS

Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers (444)

SIC

Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420)

akta.pro primary industry

Storage, Ladders & Material Handling Retail (Ladders, Carts, Shop Storage) (CRAIADAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Embedded, Maker Platforms & Development Kits Retail (CRACAKAI)

Keywords

• Industrial material handling
• Modular pipe assembly systems
• Automated guided vehicles
• Welfare care equipment
• Automotive interior plastics

Headquarters

HQ city

Shizuoka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Equipment and Carts: Manufacture and sale of custom-made industrial equipment including carts, workbenches, racks, and AGV systems primarily for food/pharmaceutical factories, logistics warehouses, and manufacturing facilities.
2. Erector Modular Materials: Sale of Erector pipe-and-joint assembly materials, sold both through the company's own e-commerce site (yzk-shop.net), the Diy-Life online store, and via home center retail channels.
3. Welfare and Nursing Care Products: Manufacture and sale of welfare equipment including standing assistance devices (Tachi-Up series), handrails, bathroom aids, and wheelchair soccer foot guards (Fun Guard) through the kaigo-web.info platform.
4. Custom/Order-Made Solutions: Bespoke product design and manufacturing services tailored to specific customer workplace needs, supported by a nationwide 11-branch sales network providing on-site consultation and proposal-based selling.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Yazaki Kako manufactures and sells industrial material-handling equipment, the proprietary Erector pipe-and-joint modular assembly material system, automated guided vehicles (AGVs / Freecure), welfare and nursing care equipment such as Tachi-Up standing assist devices and handrails, automotive interior plastic components, factory hygiene management equipment (clean carts, ESD systems), and agricultural facility/logistics products. Products are primarily custom-made to customer specifications and sold through a direct B2B sales network of 11 branches across Japan, supplemented by own e-commerce channels (yzk-shop.net, solutions-navi, kaigo-web, diy-life, agricone) for standardized and consumer offerings.

Product overview

YAZAKI KAKO is a diversified manufacturing company with a multi-product portfolio across six business divisions: Industry (industrial carts, racks, AGV systems), Welfare Care (standing assist devices, handrails, bathtub systems), Automotive Parts (interior plastic components), Livingware/DIY (Erector assembly materials), Commerce/Food Distribution (hygiene management equipment, material handling), and Agriculture (farm logistics equipment). The core Erector pipe-joint system underlies multiple product lines, combined with specialized systems like Creform flow systems, AGV/Free-Kuru automated guided vehicles, and Pokayoke pick-to-light systems. Major products include ACROS (terrain-crossing transport carts), Tachi Up standing assist devices, and comprehensive factory hygiene management solutions. The company operates through industry-specific websites including Solutions-navi for industry/food, kaigo-web for welfare, Diy-Life for DIY, and Agri Connector for agriculture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACROS (アクロス): Conveyor/transportation cart product line capable of traversing rough terrain, winner of 2022 Good Design Award.
• Erector (イレクター)
• Solutions-navi (ソリナビ)
• Kaigo-web (かいご-web)
• Diy-Life
• Agri Connector (agri cone)
• Tachi-up (たちあっぷ)

Products and services

• Erector (イレクター) Pipe-and-Joint Assembly System Modular pipe-and-joint assembly material system used to construct frames and structures for industrial facilities, DIY projects, event venues, security sites, and consumer home applications. Available in pipe sizes φ28, φ32, φ42 with custom color options; features lightweight, durable, rust-resistant, and hygienic properties. Sold through home center retailers, the company's own e-commerce site (yzk-shop.net), and Diy-Life online store.
• ACROS (アクロス) All-Terrain Transport Cart Innovative transport cart using crawler (caterpillar) tracks capable of traversing rough terrain including gravel, dirt, mud, snow, grass, sand, asphalt, and concrete. Available in crawler type (ACROS A) and lighter caster type (ACROS C, approximately half the weight). Features three handle modes. Winner of the 2022 Good Design Award. Deployed across industrial, agricultural, surveying, railway, and para-sport use cases.
• Creform Placon (クリフォームプラコン) Wheel Flow System Resin-based wheel flow system that enables items to flow down inclines for various shapes. Supports first-in-first-out (FIFO) inventory management. Reusable and recyclable. Operates with minimal slope inclination. Used in logistics warehouses and production facilities.
• Creform System Rack (クリフォームシステムラック) Adjustable height rack system using φ32 Erector pipes with shelf height adjustable in 20mm increments without tools in approximately 6 seconds. Customizable dimensions with multi-frame expandability for warehouses and production facilities.
• Polytener (ポリテナー) Industrial Container Industrial container product line with rich size and color variations and excellent durability. Widely used in production, transport, and storage applications across various industries.
• Freecure (フリークル) AGV Drive Unit Automated guided vehicle drive unit combining driving mechanism and control circuit into one integrated unit. Features course-search and anti-course-out functions for stable operation, with bolt-on mounting for easy cart fabrication. Supports flexible cart shape/size modifications and production system changes.
• Pokayoke / Pick-to-Light Parts Management System (parts60 / parts120) Pick-to-light system preventing picking mistakes through lamp indication. Available in simultaneous lighting and sequential lighting modes. Reduces errors and enables untrained workers to perform accurate picking in manufacturing and logistics operations.
• Tachi-Up (たちあっぷ) Standing Assist Device Series Standing assist device series for welfare and caregiving settings. Includes universal type (Tachi-Up II), knee support type (Hiza-tacchi), rotating C-type, and furniture-style portable handrail (Sum Ring). Various models developed jointly with Yokohama Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center address different care needs for elderly and disabled users.
• Yu-Raku-san (ゆ〜楽さん) Air Bathtub Air bathtub product line that inflates to fit the body and stabilize posture. Available in electric pump and foot pump versions for elderly care and rehabilitation use.
• ACROS for Agriculture (Agricultural ACROS) Variant of the ACROS transport cart adapted for agricultural applications, supporting labor-saving and automation in farming operations including seedling, cultivation, and shipping areas.
• Fun Guard (ファンガード) Wheelchair Soccer Foot Guard Attachable foot guard for wheelchair soccer developed to enable children with disabilities to easily try the sport. Co-developed with Yokohama Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center under the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare 'Disabled Person's Independent Support Equipment Development Promotion Project'.
• Erector Fence (イレクターフェンス) Custom Fence System Custom fence system using Erector pipes and joints. Available in custom colors, shapes, and sizes for event venues, setup sites, and security locations.
• FS Erector neo (FSイレクターneo) Sanitation Equipment Series Sanitation management equipment series for food factories featuring enhanced hygiene considerations with improved stainless steel materials and design.
• Static Electricity Elimination (除電) System Static electricity elimination system using static elimination curtains and mats to remove static from personnel and reduce foreign-matter (hair) contamination in food factories and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Erector Fence (イレクターフェンス) Custom fence system using Erector pipes and joints available in custom colors, shapes, and sizes for event venues, setup sites, and security locations.
• Clean Cart (クリーンカート) Cleaning Cart System Cleaning tool cart system enabling dry storage, visibility, and decentralized management of cleaning tools, with caster-mounted mobility and open-design tool identification.

Quantifiable outcome

• Picking errors drastically reduced through Pokayoke lamp indication systems
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Shizuoka Earthquake Prevention Center (静岡県地震防災センター)minorOthers · 1 November 2025ACROS (アクロス) is featured in the Shizuoka Earthquake Prevention Center's special exhibition 'Promoting Phase-Free' (フェーズフリーを進めよう！) from November 1 to December 7, 2025. The exhibition allows visitors to touch and experience the ACROS unit.
• Yokohama Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center (横浜市総合リハビリテーションセンター)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly developed the Fun Guard (ファンガード) wheelchair soccer foot guard under the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's 'Disabled Person's Independent Support Equipment Development Promotion Project'. Also partnered on Tachi-Up series welfare product development.
• Kyowa Clean Co., Ltd. (キョーワクリーン株式会社)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAt FOOMA JAPAN exhibitions, Yazaki Kako collaborated with Kyowa Clean to showcase Vaican Hygiene System cleaning tools paired with Yazaki Kako's Clean Cart products, providing a total hygiene management proposal for food/pharmaceutical factories.
• EcoVadisminorOthersEcoVadis conducted a sustainability assessment of Yazaki Kako across Environment, Labour & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement. Yazaki Kako received a Commitment Badge in 2024, with EcoVadis covering over 100,000 companies globally.
• FDHACCP Research Association (FDHACCP研究会)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAt FOOMA JAPAN 2010, Yazaki Kako products (Clean Cart, Roller Unit, Amemo Cart) were displayed in the FDHACCP Research Association's 'Hygienic Factory Experience Hall', which reproduced factory environments to demonstrate hygiene equipment and practices.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Inoac Corporation: Japanese manufacturer of plastic and polyurethane products including automotive interior components — directly comparable to Yazaki Kako's Automotive Parts Division in supplying plastic interior parts to Japanese vehicle manufacturers.
• France Bed Co., Ltd. Japanese manufacturer of beds, welfare equipment, and care products including handrails and mobility aids — competes with Yazaki Kako's welfare division in the elderly care and nursing home segment.
• Murata Machinery, Ltd. (Muratec): Japanese manufacturer of material handling systems, AGVs, and logistics equipment including automated storage and cleanroom transport — directly comparable to Yazaki Kako's Freecure AGV drive unit and Creform flow rack product lines.
• MISUMI Group Inc. Major Japanese manufacturer and e-commerce distributor of factory automation components, mechanical parts, and configurable frame/structural systems — directly competes with Yazaki Kako's Erector pipe-and-joint modular assembly materials in the B2B industrial components market.
• Creform Corporation: US-based manufacturer of modular flow rack systems, carts, and AGVs using a similar pipe-and-joint construction approach to Yazaki Kako's Creform Placon and Erector — a direct international counterpart in the modular material handling category.
• Mitsubishi Logisnext Co., Ltd. Japan-based material handling and forklift manufacturer (formed from merger of Nichiyu, Cat Lift Trucks, and others) — competes with Yazaki Kako's industrial cart and AGV product offerings in Japanese factories and warehouses.
• Trusco Nakayama Corporation: Japanese industrial supply distributor and manufacturer of tools, work equipment, and storage products via a comprehensive catalog channel — comparable in serving Japanese factory/workshop customers with material handling and storage solutions.
• Paramount Bed Holdings Co., Ltd. Leading Japanese manufacturer of medical beds, welfare equipment, and elderly care products — directly comparable to Yazaki Kako's Welfare Care Division (Tachi-Up, handrails, care equipment) in serving Japan's aging population market.

Broad incumbents

• Daifuku Co., Ltd. World's largest material handling systems integrator with a broad portfolio of conveyors, AS/RS, sortation, and AGV solutions. Competes with Yazaki Kako in factory carts, racks, and AGV sales, but operates at far greater scale and scope.
• Toyota Industries Corporation: Parent of Toyota Material Handling, the global lift truck leader, with broad exposure to material handling equipment, automotive components, and logistics systems — competes with Yazaki Kako's industrial division while serving overlapping Japanese factory and warehouse customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xyazaki.co.jp/2026/05/21/3727

Compliance4 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 YAZAKI KAKO