What Tanaka Scale Works does

Tanaka Scale Works (株式会社田中衡機工業所) is a 120+ year-old Japanese industrial weighing-equipment manufacturer founded in 1903 and headquartered in Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture. The company designs, manufactures, and services a comprehensive portfolio of industrial weighing systems built around proprietary digital load cell technology, including truck scales (flagship PDX Power Truck Scale with self-diagnostics and 7-year warranty), platform and floor scales, livestock and agricultural scales, intrinsically safe explosion-proof systems for hazardous areas, maritime scales with vibration correction, crane scales, belt scales, calibration weights, and supporting indicators and load cells. Underlying capabilities include proprietary load-cell design, vibration-correction algorithms for marine weighing (Patent filed 2018), IP68K/IP69K waterproof construction, and IoT-integrated measurement systems such as the eco CUBE waste-management platform. The company holds Designated Manufacturer status under Japan's Metrology Act (only one in Niigata Prefecture) and operates a JCSS-accredited calibration laboratory (No. 0191), enabling self-certification and internationally traceable calibration certificates.

The business model combines one-time hardware sales of custom and OEM weighing systems with a recurring aftermarket stream of periodic mandatory inspections (代替検査), JCSS calibration, maintenance contracts, repair/overhaul, and consumables (ink ribbons, roll paper, IC cards). Tanaka operates an enterprise direct-sales motion through eight domestic branch/service offices plus a wholly-owned Vietnam subsidiary, supported by a nationwide partner service network for installation, maintenance, and repair coverage across Japan. An online storefront (TANAKANSHOP) handles consumables and smaller equipment. Customer segments span logistics, agriculture, livestock, food processing and fisheries, chemical/process industries, manufacturing, and government/public infrastructure — with notable international projects including a JICA-funded Weigh-in-Motion system deployed for Vietnam's Ministry of Transport.

The company employs approximately 160 people across all domestic and overseas offices, is privately held (led by President Yasuyuki Tanaka as representative director), and has registered capital of ¥45M. Strategic positioning emphasizes 'correct, long-lasting, user-friendly' precision weighing, regulatory compliance leadership, nationwide service coverage, and an articulated IoT- and AI-enabled transformation agenda under current leadership.

Name

Tanaka Scale Works

Legal name

株式会社田中衡機工業所

Website

https://tanaka-scale.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1903

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Tanaka Scale Works is a 120+ year-old Japanese industrial weighing-equipment manufacturer producing truck scales, platform scales, livestock, agricultural, explosion-proof, and marine weighing systems, serving enterprise and government customers in logistics, agriculture, fisheries, chemical, and waste industries across Japan and Southeast Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Weighing Equipment

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)

akta.pro primary industry

Weighing & Force Measurement (Load cells, scales, torque, strain measurement) (IMAGAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Calibration Services & Standards (Calibration labs, reference standards, traceability services) (IMAGAFAH), Weighing Systems / Onboard Scales Calibration & Certification (TLAKANAN), Fixed Weigh Stations (Static Scales) Operations (TLAJAKAA)

Keywords

• Industrial weighing equipment
• Truck scales
• Load cells
• Explosion-proof scales
• Calibration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sanjo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Weighing Equipment Sales: Manufacture and sale of industrial weighing equipment including truck scales, floor scales, livestock scales, agricultural scales, crane scales, belt scales, and specialized/OEM weighing systems. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales, with customization and engineering services included for OEM products.
2. Aftermarket Services, Maintenance & Calibration: Recurring revenue from periodic inspection services (代検査), maintenance contracts, repair/overhaul services, and JCSS calibration of weights and scales. The company operates a nationwide service network and offers annual maintenance inspections and 2-4 year overhaul cycles.
3. Replacement Parts and Consumables: Sale of replacement parts, ink ribbons, roll paper, IC cards, and other consumables for weighing equipment through the online shop (TANAKANSHOP).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tanaka Scale Works is a Japanese industrial weighing equipment manufacturer that designs, produces, and services a comprehensive range of digital and mechanical scales — including truck scales, floor/platform scales, livestock scales, agricultural scales, crane scales, belt scales, and maritime scales — together with proprietary load cells, weighing indicators, and intrinsically safe explosion-proof systems. Beyond hardware, it delivers JCSS-accredited calibration services, periodic metrology inspections, and IoT-integrated measurement solutions for logistics, agriculture, livestock, food processing, chemical, and government infrastructure customers.

Product overview

Tanaka Scale Works (株式会社田中衡機工業所) is a 120+ year-old Japanese industrial weighing solutions company headquartered in Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture, with a subsidiary in Vietnam. The product portfolio spans a comprehensive range of industrial and commercial weighing systems built around digital load cell technology, organized across multiple specialized platforms: truck scales (PDX power series, LA/LB/LV/FTS pit and surface types, TT-TA compact), digital platform/floor scales (TT/TTL/TT-SUS series, UTTⅡ thin stainless steel), agricultural scales (FSDⅡ flexcon scales, フレコンくん, ゆうじくん, 分太Ⅲ sorting), livestock scales (DIGITON auto-sorting DT series, DG/DGM pig scales, DGII cattle scale, DRS running scale), intrinsically safe explosion-proof scales (HD-100bX system with TT-bX/TT-SbX/UTTⅡ-SbX variants, DPS-X), maritime scales (DOC-1000 デジタフオーシャン with sway correction), crane scales (CASTON), belt scales (C50/CW970), waterproof scales (FIS2 デジタフNEO), bench scales (PF10, ツインコネクト), and specialty mechanical scales. Core sub-products include a full range of indicators (HD-2000C/CD, TCP-250Ⅲ, HD-904D, HD-402C, FIS2), weighing load cells (CB/C2T/C3B/HLC/CS/CC/LCC series) and load cell units (TLU series), calibration weights (分銅), and data management terminals (ATS-100, ATS-1200-E). An IoT/software layer is provided through eco CUBE (waste management) and remote monitoring via the PDX's self-diagnostic system. The company holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, JCSS calibration laboratory accreditation, and designated manufacturer status (指定製造事業者 No. 021501), backed by a nationwide service network across Japan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PDX Power Truck Scale (パワートラックスケールPDX) Power truck scale with newly developed load cell technology, IP68K/IP69K waterproof construction, self-diagnostic monitoring (Patent No. 5172136), and 7–10-year warranty. Targets logistics, trucking, and infrastructure operators needing durable, low-downtime weighing.
• eco CUBE Waste Measurement Management System (エコキューブ) Waste weighing management system using IC card authentication and 2-touch input for waste tracking. Supports ISO 14001, Eco Action 21, and food recycling law documentation with CSV data output. Targets waste disposal companies and industrial facilities.
• UTTⅡ Ultra-Thin Stainless Floor Scale (UTTⅡ型) Ultra-thin 35–40mm stainless steel floor scale with IP68 load cell, pitless design, and optional casters for mobile use. Targets hygienic environments and facilities where pit excavation is not feasible.
• DIGITON DT Auto-Sorting Livestock Scale System (デジトンDT) Auto-sorting livestock scale system that automates shipment management and body weight tracking. Reduces labor through automated sorting and data-driven estimation. Targets livestock farmers managing cattle and pigs.
• DIGIPARE DPS Hand Pallet Scale (デジパレ) Hand pallet scale combining transport and weighing in one unit, with digital display and optional stainless steel washable and intrinsically safe explosion-proof variants. Targets warehouses, factories, and hazardous areas.
• HD-100bX Intrinsically Safe Explosion-Proof Weighing System (本質安全防爆計量システム) Intrinsically safe explosion-proof weighing system (Ex ib IIB T4, labor certification TC20564) for hazardous Class 1 and Class 2 areas. Configurable with TT-bX, TT-SbX, and UTTⅡ-SbX platforms. Targets chemical plants, refineries, and pharmaceutical facilities.
• ATS-1200-E Truck Scale Data Management Terminal Touch-panel truck scale data management terminal running Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, supporting large-scale weighing records (up to 500,000 entries), multi-item tally reports, and SSD backup. Targets logistics operations.
• DOC-1000 DigitaF Ocean Maritime Scale (デジタフオーシャン) Maritime digital scale with proprietary sway correction system enabling stable weighing on rocking vessels (±3% accuracy), IP68 stainless steel construction, and ~35-hour battery life. Targets fisheries organizations and fishing vessel operators.
• ATS-100 Truck Scale Data Management System Truck scale weighing data management system supporting both new and existing truck scale installations, with punch card, IC card auto-weighing, and multi-format reporting. Targets logistics weigh stations.
• HD-2000C / HD-2000CD Weighing Indicators Standard weighing indicator with IP67 stainless steel housing, 35mm character height fluorescent display, comparator and hold functions. Available in analog (HD-2000C) and digital (HD-2000CD) load cell versions. Targets industrial weighing integration.
• TCP-250Ⅲ Printer-Equipped Weighing Indicator Printer-equipped weighing indicator for truck scales and platform scales, supporting 1-weigh and 2-weigh operations with ticket printing. Targets logistics and platform-scale operations needing on-site printouts.
• HD-904D Weighing Indicator Simple weighing indicator with HI/OK/LO comparator, green fluorescent display at 22mm character height, and optional RS-232C, RS-422/485, relay, BCD, or 4–20mA output. List price ¥120,000 (Jan 2026, excl. tax). Targets industrial scale integration.
• HD-402C High-Speed Precision Indicator High-speed, high-precision indicator with 100 readings/second A/D conversion and comprehensive control I/O. Optimized for automatic weighing machines such as hopper scales and checkweighers. Targets automated production lines.
• TSW Load Cells and Load Cell Units Comprehensive load cell lineup (CB004/005, C2T1, C3B1, HLC, CS002, CC002, LCC11 series) with capacities from 10kgf to 30tf, including explosion-proof variants. TLU series load cell units available in stainless and iron. Targets OEM integrators.
• Calibration Weights / Standard Masses (分銅) OIML standard, stainless pillow-type, cast-iron pillow-type, and cast-iron table-type weights supporting JCSS calibration services. Targets laboratories, manufacturers, and customers needing traceable calibration.
• Furecon-kun (フレコンくん) 1t Flex Container Scale 1-ton flexible container (flexcon) weighing scale with 100mm low-profile design, forklift-movable, standard resin pallet, compatible with HD-904D or HD-2000C indicators. List price ¥540,000 (printerless, Jan 2026, excl. tax). Targets agricultural and industrial bagging operations.
• Yuji-kun UJK-1.5 1.5t Flex Container Scale (ゆうじくん) 1.5t capacity flexible container weighing scale, 45kg lightweight body, vertical storage option, casters, flexcon holder option, compatible with HD-904D indicator. List price ¥510,000 (printerless, Jan 2026, excl. tax). Targets agricultural flex container filling.
• Bunta III Fruit and Vegetable Sorting Scale (分太Ⅲ) Fruit and vegetable sorting scale with up to 20 ranks, voice announcements, optional Bluetooth smartphone pairing, LED indicators, and automatic sorting by weight setting. Targets agricultural produce sorting operations.
• CASTON Crane Scale Crane-hung weighing scale available in CASTON I (lightweight, IP65, 40hr battery) and CASTON Ⅱ (swappable battery, wireless remote). Targets overhead weighing of large or irregularly shaped loads in manufacturing and heavy industry.
• C50 / CW970 Belt Conveyor Weighing System (ベルトスケール) Belt conveyor weighing system with C50 compact unit (1 or 2 roller) integrated into conveyor frame without modification, and CW970 controller with digital calibration and belt speed measurement. Targets material flow and throughput control in manufacturing.
• Truck Scale Full Line (トラックスケール) Full line of truck scales including PDX power series, embedded/pit (LA/LV), surface/ground-level (LB/LV), thin VTS/FTS types, and compact vehicle TT-TA types, covering 6–60t capacities with various installation requirements. Also available for rental. Targets logistics and transportation infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• WIM system accuracy within 5% error in Vietnam overweight vehicle enforcement project
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and flagship.

• 小倉染色図案工房 (Ogura Senshoku Zuan Kobo)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Ogura Senshoku Zuan Kobo designs and manufactures branded hand towels (手ぬぐい) for Tanaka Scale Works. Multiple designs have been released, including a new colorful/pop design concept developed in collaboration with Tanaka's PR staff.
• 国立研究開発法人水産研究・教育機構 (Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnered with Tanaka Scale Works during the prototype testing phase of the onboard ship scale project. Their research vessel was used to conduct real-world data collection in offshore ocean conditions to evaluate and refine the marine weighing technology.
• Nagaoka University of Technology (長岡技術科学大学)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017During the Vietnam WIM project, Tanaka organized study tours in Japan for Vietnamese road administration officials, including visits to Nagaoka University of Technology for technical exchange with road engineering researchers.
• 半田度量衡株式会社 (Handa Doryoko Co., Ltd.)minorOthers · 1 August 2016A long-established weighing company based in Handa City, Aichi Prefecture, that became a group company of Tanaka Scale Works in August 2016. The acquisition expanded Tanaka's regional presence and strengthened its capabilities in the Chubu region of central Japan.
• Vietnam Ministry of Transport / Road AdministrationflagshipOthers · 1 January 2011Tanaka Scale Vietnam was contracted to develop and deploy Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) systems for overweight vehicle enforcement on Vietnamese national highways. The project, supported by JICA ODA funding, required clearing multiple accuracy tests and certifications.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Minebea Mitsumi Inc. Large Japanese electronics and precision components group with load cell and weighing sensor capabilities via acquired measurement businesses. Comparable on the load cell technology layer, though operating as a much larger diversified component manufacturer.
• Shimadzu Corporation: Major Japanese precision instrument manufacturer with a weighing/balance division serving laboratory and industrial markets. Comparable as a long-established Japanese instrument firm with precision measurement heritage, though operating across a much broader analytical instrument portfolio.
• Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Global market leader in precision weighing instruments and laboratory/industrial balances. Comparable in industrial platform scales and truck scales, but operates globally at much larger scale with extensive software/digital integration.

Direct peers

• Ishida Co., Ltd. Global Japanese manufacturer of multihead weighers, checkweighers, and integrated packaging/weighing systems serving food and logistics. Comparable in truck/floor scale and food-industry weighing applications, with stronger international presence.
• CAS Corporation: Korean weighing equipment manufacturer offering industrial scales, truck scales, retail scales, and load cells with strong Asian market presence. Comparable on truck scale and platform scale product categories with active price competition.
• Yamato Scale Co., Ltd. Japanese industrial weighing specialist competing directly with Tanaka across checkweighers, combination weighers, and platform scales for food processing, logistics, and agricultural applications. Closest head-to-head competitor in the Japanese weighing market.
• A&D Company, Limited: Japanese manufacturer of weighing equipment, electronic balances, and measurement instruments with overlapping industrial scale, laboratory balance, and load cell product lines. Most direct Japanese competitor; Tanaka even merged with former A&D Instruments subsidiary in 2009.

Emerging players

• Bilwinco A/S: Danish specialist in multihead weighers and combination weighing systems for food industry. Comparable as a niche industrial weighing specialist serving food/fisheries customers; relevant overlap with Tanaka's food processing and fisheries segments.

Regional players

• Bilanciai S.r.l. Italian industrial weighing specialist focused on truck scales, weighbridges, and industrial weighing systems. Comparable in fixed weigh station and industrial truck scale applications but concentrated in European markets.
• Cardinal Scale Manufacturing Company: US-based industrial weighing manufacturer specializing in truck scales, railroad scales, and floor scales. Comparable product portfolio but focused on the North American market; serves as a useful international benchmark rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Tanaka Scale Works