Central Motor Wheel
Central Motor Wheel is a Japanese Tier 1 automotive parts supplier that designs and manufactures aluminum and steel wheels, tire-wheel module assemblies, and LPG containers for Japanese automotive OEMs, supplying approximately 90% of Toyota's steel wheels and 60% of its aluminum wheels across 8 countries and 20 factories.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1939
- HeadquartersAnjo, Japan
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Central Motor Wheel does
Central Motor Wheel Co., Ltd. (中央精機株式会社) is a Japanese Tier 1 automotive parts supplier founded in 1939 and headquartered in Anjo, Aichi Prefecture. The company manufactures aluminum and steel wheels for automotive OEMs, with proprietary technologies including the VAPC aluminum die-casting method, flow-formed unequal thickness steel rims, in-rim acoustic resonator noise reduction, and spatter chrome coating for Lexus (where it holds approximately 75% market share). It supplies approximately 90% of Toyota's steel wheels and 60% of its aluminum wheels, and also produces tire-and-wheel module assemblies at 23 global bases across 8 countries and 20 factories, alongside automotive LPG fuel containers including the JPN TAXI fuel tank developed jointly with Toyota. The company is majority-owned by Toyota Motor Corporation (52.90%) and Toyota Tsusho Corporation (20.37%), positioning it as a core supplier within the Toyota Group keiretsu.
The company's revenue model is B2B OEM hardware sales, with pricing negotiated directly with automotive manufacturers and not publicly disclosed. Cumulative global wheel production reached 1 billion units in June 2018 across roughly 76 years of operations. The 2017 ACE aluminum production line at Anjo raised capacity to 3 million wheels/year with 30% reductions in factory space and energy use. Beyond core wheel manufacturing, CMW operates global manufacturing and tire-module assembly subsidiaries in the USA (CMWA), Taiwan (CMWTW), Thailand (CMWT), Indonesia (CMWI), China (CMWG), and Mexico (CMWM), and in 2022 acquired Chinese aluminum smelter G-ZAST for vertical integration into raw material supply.
CMW has begun to extend beyond wheel manufacturing via the ONE-LOOP thermoacoustic cooling system developed with Tokai University, which converts 250°C factory waste heat into cooling down to -30°C without high-GWP refrigerants; the system was awarded the Japan Resilience Award Excellence Prize in April 2026 and exhibited at AXIA EXPO 2026. The company employs 1,386 people as of March 31, 2025, with executive changes scheduled at a June 17, 2026 shareholder meeting, and operates as a private company without public stock exchange listing.
Central Motor Wheel firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Central Motor Wheel
- Legal name
- 中央精機株式会社
- Website
- https://chuoseiki.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1939
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Central Motor Wheel is a Japanese Tier 1 automotive parts supplier that designs and manufactures aluminum and steel wheels, tire-wheel module assemblies, and LPG containers for Japanese automotive OEMs, supplying approximately 90% of Toyota's steel wheels and 60% of its aluminum wheels across 8 countries and 20 factories.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Central Motor Wheel industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automotive Wheels
- NAICS
- Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (3363), Other Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (336390)
- SIC
- Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wheels, Tires, Brakes & Suspension Components Manufacturing (IMACAOAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Chassis Modules & Corner Assemblies (Complete Corner/Chassis Module Integration) (IMACAIAH)
Keywords
Where Central Motor Wheel is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Anjo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices11 records
Markets served
Central Motor Wheel business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Automotive OEM Wheels (Aluminum and Steel): Revenue from designing, manufacturing, and supplying aluminum and steel wheels to automotive OEMs. Products are incorporated as genuine parts in new vehicles. Major customers include Toyota Group and other Japanese automakers.
- Tire Module Assembly: Wheel-and-tire assembly (module) production and supply to automotive manufacturers. Operations at 23 global bases serving various car manufacturers across continents.
- LPG Containers: Automotive LPG fuel tank manufacturing. Includes the ToyotaJPN TAXI dedicated LP gas hybrid system fuel tank developed jointly with Toyota. Top manufacturer of automotive LPG containers in Japan.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Central Motor Wheel product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Central Motor Wheel designs and manufactures aluminum and steel automotive wheels, tire-and-wheel module assemblies, and LPG fuel containers for OEMs, primarily serving Japanese automakers. The company operates as a Tier 1 supplier to Toyota Group companies, with products designed into vehicles at the OEM stage and delivered as genuine parts. It maintains manufacturing operations across eight countries with 23 global tire module assembly bases supporting just-in-time delivery to automotive assembly plants.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Aluminum Wheels (アルミホイール) Aluminum wheels manufactured for automotive OEMs using proprietary VAPC casting and other methods, designed into vehicles at the OEM stage and supplied as genuine parts. Targets major Japanese automakers, with ~60% of Toyota aluminum wheel volume supplied by CMW.
- Steel Wheels (スチールホイール) Steel wheels manufactured for automotive OEMs using pressing and welding, including unequal thickness rims with flow-forming加工 and noise reduction resonator designs. Supplied to major Japanese OEMs, with ~90% of Toyota steel wheel volume sourced from CMW.
- Tire Module Assembly (モジュール) Pre-assembled wheel-and-tire modules (tire-wheelpack) produced at customer production sites near automotive assembly plants, with flexible multi-specification production lines. Module operations span 23 global bases serving various car manufacturers across continents.
- Automotive LPG Containers (容器事業) Automotive LPG fuel containers produced for OEMs, including the co-developed Toyota JPN TAXI dedicated LP gas hybrid system fuel tank. CMW is the top manufacturer of automotive LPG containers in Japan.
- ONE-LOOP Thermoacoustic Cooling System (熱音響冷却システム) Thermoacoustic cooling system developed jointly with Tokai University that operates on 250°C factory waste heat to generate cooling down to -30°C without high global warming potential refrigerants. Has no moving parts in the energy conversion section, reducing maintenance requirements. Awarded the 12th Japan Resilience Award (Resilience Grand Prize) Excellence Award in 2026.
Quantifiable outcome
- Toyota steel wheel market share: ~90%; Toyota aluminum wheel market share: ~60%; Lexus spatter coating market share: ~75%
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Central Motor Wheel
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Central Motor Wheel technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Central Motor Wheel partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Tokai University (東海大学)coreJoint development partner for the ONE-LOOP thermoacoustic cooling system. Together developed a system capable of operating on 250°C factory waste heat to generate cooling down to -30°C. This is Japan's first implementation of a thermoacoustic cooling system on a production line.
- Guangzhou Automobile Group (広州汽車零部件有限公司)coreJoint venture partner for CMWG (Central Motor Wheel of Guangzhou Co., Ltd.) in China. CMWG produces aluminum wheels and steel wheels for the Chinese automotive market.
- Central Motor Wheel Group Subsidiaries (CMWA, CMWTW, CMWT, CMWI, CMWG, CMWM)coreConsolidated subsidiaries across 7 countries: CMWA (USA), CMWTW (Taiwan), CMWT (Thailand), CMWI (Indonesia), CMWG (China), G-ZAST (China, aluminum smelting, 100% owned), CMWM (Mexico). Collectively achieve 1 billion wheels produced globally and operate 23 tire module locations.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Central Motor Wheel competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Topy Industries, Limited: Japanese automotive wheel and steel products manufacturer producing OEM steel and aluminum wheels for Japanese and global automakers. Direct peer given similar product mix, Japanese OEM customer base, and competing for Toyota Group wheel supply contracts.
- Enkei Corporation: Japanese aluminum wheel manufacturer producing OEM and aftermarket wheels globally. Comparable in aluminum die-casting technology, customer overlap with Japanese OEMs, and global manufacturing footprint including North America and Asia.
- Superior Industries International, Inc. US-based aluminum wheel manufacturer producing OEM aluminum wheels primarily for North American and European OEMs. Comparable in aluminum wheel technology focus, OEM B2B sales model, and exposure to lightweighting trends.
- Ronal Group: European-based wheel manufacturer (Switzerland/Germany) producing aluminum and steel wheels for global OEMs. Comparable in proprietary casting technology, premium OEM customer positioning, and modular global manufacturing footprint.
- Borbet GmbH: German aluminum wheel manufacturer supplying European premium OEMs. Comparable in aluminum wheel manufacturing technology and tier-1 supplier position to premium automotive brands.
- Accuride Corporation: North American wheel manufacturer producing steel and aluminum wheels, primarily for commercial trucks and trailers. Comparable in OEM wheel supply model and steel wheel manufacturing expertise; weaker overlap in passenger car aluminum.
Broad incumbents
- Maxion Wheels: World's largest wheel manufacturer (formerly Hayes Lemmerz/Iochpe-Maxion), producing steel and aluminum wheels for passenger and commercial vehicles globally. Comparable as full-line wheel supplier serving multiple OEMs with similar tier-1 supply model.
- CITIC Dicastal Wheel Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Largest Chinese aluminum wheel manufacturer with global OEM customer base. Comparable in aluminum wheel scale, technology, and global manufacturing footprint; represents primary low-cost competitive threat to CMW in aluminum segment.
- Howmet Aerospace Inc. Formerly Alcoa, supplies aluminum products including wheels and castings to automotive and aerospace markets. Comparable in aluminum metallurgy, automotive OEM relationships, and vertical integration from smelting to finished wheel components.
Emerging players
- Wanfeng Auto Holding Group: Chinese auto parts group including aluminum wheel manufacturing, expanding globally via acquisitions. Comparable in aluminum wheel technology and emerging as a low-cost alternative to established Japanese/European wheel suppliers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Central Motor Wheel financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Central Motor Wheel leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Central Motor Wheel subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries8 records
Central Motor Wheel funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Central Motor Wheel 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 Central Motor Wheel
What does Central Motor Wheel do?
Central Motor Wheel designs and manufactures aluminum and steel automotive wheels, tire-and-wheel module assemblies, and LPG fuel containers for OEMs, primarily serving Japanese automakers. The company operates as a Tier 1 supplier to Toyota Group companies, with products designed into vehicles at the OEM stage and delivered as genuine parts. It maintains manufacturing operations across eight countries with 23 global tire module assembly bases supporting just-in-time delivery to automotive assembly plants.
Is Central Motor Wheel a public or private company?
Central Motor Wheel is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Central Motor Wheel founded?
Central Motor Wheel was founded in 1939. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Central Motor Wheel based?
Central Motor Wheel is headquartered in Anjo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Central Motor Wheel make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Automotive OEM Wheels (Aluminum and Steel) is the primary driver. The others are tire Module Assembly and LPG Containers.
Who are Central Motor Wheel's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Topy Industries, Limited, Enkei Corporation, Superior Industries International, Inc., Ronal Group, Borbet GmbH and Accuride Corporation. Broad incumbents are Maxion Wheels, CITIC Dicastal Wheel Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and Howmet Aerospace Inc.. Wanfeng Auto Holding Group is listed as an emerging player.
Does Central Motor Wheel have an API?
No public API is recorded for Central Motor Wheel.
What industry is Central Motor Wheel in?
Central Motor Wheel's product category is Automotive Wheels. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACAOAH, Wheels, Tires, Brakes & Suspension Components Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMACAIAH, Chassis Modules & Corner Assemblies (Complete Corner/Chassis Module Integration). Its NAICS code is 3363 and its SIC code is 3714.