Aichi Industry Co.

What Aichi Industry Co. does

Aichi Industry Co. (愛知産業株式会社, Aichi Sangyo Co., Ltd.) is a privately held Japanese engineering trading company founded in 1937 and headquartered in Tokyo, with 150 employees across eight domestic offices including a Sagamihara-based Engineering Division. The company imports, sells, and services world-leading industrial machinery — metal additive manufacturing systems (Nikon SLM Solutions powder bed fusion, Sciaky EBAM, Trumpf LMD, WAAM3D wire-arc, LPW metal powders, 3D Lab atomizers, CADS AM-Studio software), 5-axis machining centers and clamping systems (Hermle, Lang), arc and resistance welding systems (Fronius TPS/i, ARO, Lincoln Electric VRTEX training, Grenzebach FSW), cutting equipment (Linsinger, Hypertherm, Wachs, Climax), factory automation tools (Magswitch, PushCorp), and specialty metal melting furnaces (Retech) — for large Japanese manufacturers in automotive, shipbuilding, nuclear power, and general industrial sectors.

The company augments its import-distribution model with proprietary in-house engineering, including the patented MIAB (Magnetically Impelled Arc Butt) rotating arc welding technology developed with FY2013 METI Strategic Base Technology Advancement Support, the AK Grinder automated welding bead grinding system (co-developed with 3M Japan since 2018), an AI visual inspection system, the Orbima TIG 500II automated circumferential welder, and the WCM-4 welding parameter monitor. It also operates metal AM contract manufacturing services (introduced December 2023 using WAAM3D's RoboWAAM Advance) and an e-commerce platform (aichi-sangyo.com) for consumables.

The business model is enterprise B2B: direct sales through four regional offices (Nagoya, Kansai/Kobe, Hiroshima, Kyushu/Fukuoka) plus the Tokyo headquarters and Sagamihara Engineering Division, with revenue generated from one-time capital equipment sales, proprietary hardware, contract AM services, and consumables. The firm holds ISO 9001 certification, was awarded the 18th Laser Society of Japan Industrial Award (Contribution Award) in 2026, and is family-controlled under President Inoue Hirotaka following the June 2024 passing of Chairman Inoue Hiroyuki. Two wholly-owned subsidiaries (Jex Corporation for heat treatment and Aiyuto Co., Ltd. for machinery distribution) round out the corporate structure.

Name

Aichi Industry Co.

Legal name

愛知産業株式会社 (Aichi Sangyo Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://aichi-sangyo.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aichi Industry Co. (founded 1937, Tokyo) is a Japanese engineering trading company that imports, sells, and services advanced industrial machinery — including metal 3D printers, welding systems, 5-axis machining centers, and cutting equipment — for large Japanese manufacturers in automotive, shipbuilding, nuclear, and general industrial sectors, complemented by proprietary products and metal AM contract services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Machinery and Welding Equipment Distribution

NAICS

Machinery Manufacturing (333), All Other Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (333248)

SIC

Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Machinery & Heavy Equipment (Production AM Parts) (IMAAAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Factory Automation & Control Systems (PLC/SCADA/DCS) (IMAIAMAA), Industrial & Process Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAF)

Keywords

• Industrial machinery trading
• Metal additive manufacturing
• Welding equipment supply
• 5-axis machining solutions
• Factory automation systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Imported Industrial Machinery Sales: Revenue primarily from importing and reselling world-leading industrial machinery and welding equipment from overseas manufacturers including Fronius (welding), ARO (resistance welding), Hermle (5-axis machining centers), Lang (clamping systems), Nikon SLM Solutions (metal 3D printers), Trumpf (LMD), Sciaky (EBAM), Linsinger (high-speed cutting), Hypertherm (plasma cutting), Magswitch (magnetic tools), Retech (metal melting furnaces), and others.
2. In-house Developed Product Sales: Sales of proprietary products developed in-house at the Engineering Division, including the AK Grinder automated grinding system, automatic TIG welding systems, and AI image inspection systems.
3. Metal AM Contract Manufacturing Services: Additive manufacturing contract services using in-house equipment for wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM).
4. E-commerce / Direct Parts Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of consumables, welding peripheral equipment, and industrial markers through the company's e-commerce platform aichi-sangyo.com.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aichi Industry Co. is a Japanese engineering trading company that imports, sells, and integrates world-leading industrial machinery — including metal 3D printers (powder bed fusion, electron beam, laser metal deposition, wire-arc), welding systems (arc, resistance, friction stir), 5-axis machining centers, clamping systems, metal melting furnaces, and high-speed cutting machines. The company also develops proprietary in-house products (AK Grinder automated grinding system, MIAB magnetically-driven arc welding system, AI visual inspection) and provides metal additive manufacturing contract services.

Product overview

Aichi Industry Co. is a technology trading company that imports and sells world's most advanced industrial equipment while developing its own proprietary products. The core product portfolio centers on metal additive manufacturing (metal 3D printing) systems including Nikon SLM Solutions powder bed fusion printers, Sciaky electron beam wire AM systems, Trumpf LMD systems, LPW Technology metal powders, 3D Lab atomizers, WAAM3D wire-arc systems, and CADS Additive AM-Studio software. Supporting these are precision machining solutions including Hermle 5-axis machining centers and Lang clamping/automation systems, welding systems from Fronius (TPS/i with CMT process) and ARO resistance welding, factory automation products like Magswitch magnetic grippers and PushCorp compliance controllers, high-speed cutting equipment from Linsinger and Hypertherm, metal melting furnaces from Retech (vacuum induction, EBM, plasma, VAR, VIM), and specialty industrial materials including Sterling Fiber fibrillated acrylic fibers and Nachmann PTFE powders. The company also develops proprietary products including the AK Grinder automatic grinding system, AI visual inspection systems, the WCM-4 welding management monitor, and the MIAB magnetically-driven rotating arc welding system (recipient of the Japan Welding Association's Welding Notable Invention Award). Services include metal AM contract manufacturing and engineering solutions. The company operates as a total solutions provider combining imported world-leading technologies with its own R&D capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Nikon SLM Solutions Metal 3D Printers Powder bed fusion metal additive manufacturing systems including SLM125 (R&D), SLM280 (R&D to production), and SLM500 (mass production). Supports up to 4 fiber lasers for simultaneous processing. Targeted at manufacturers in aerospace, automotive, medical, and R&D sectors.
• Sciaky Electron Beam Wire Additive Manufacturing Systems Electron beam wire additive manufacturing (EBAM) systems operating under vacuum. Enables additive manufacturing of large parts exceeding 1 meter using commercial solid wire. Targeted at large-scale aerospace, defense, and heavy industrial manufacturers.
• WAAM3D Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing Systems (RoboWAAM Advance) Wire-arc additive manufacturing systems applying arc welding technology for large-scale metal part buildup. Enables additive manufacturing of large metal structures. Targeted at manufacturers seeking large-format metal AM.
• LPW Technology Metal Powders for Additive Manufacturing High-quality metal powders specifically designed for additive manufacturing applications across aerospace, general industry, and R&D. Includes powder lifecycle management system with traceability. Targeted at metal AM users requiring certified powder supply.
• 3D Lab Small Ultrasonic Atomizers Small atomizers for laboratory and research-scale use. ATO Lab Plus (stainless steel, Inconel, aluminum compatible) and ATO Noble (precious metals). Supports small-batch production under 1kg. Targeted at research institutions and AM powder development.
• CADS Additive AM-Studio Software Metal AM-specific CAM software for build orientation optimization, support design, and slice data processing. Modules include Additive.Optimo (orientation optimization), Additive.Support (support design), and Additive.Core (slice data computation). Targeted at metal AM machine operators.
• Hermle 5-Axis Machining Centers German-made 5-axis machining centers including C400 and C42 models with simultaneous 5-axis control for high-precision machining. Marketed to aerospace, automotive, and mold-making industries. Aichi Sangyo has been the Japan sales and after-sales service partner since 2004 (20th anniversary in 2024).
• Lang Clamping Systems German-made 5-axis machining clamping systems including MacroGrip, vise, zero-point plate, and RoboTrex automation system. Features Lang's patented Form Closure technology separating stamping and clamping functions for high grip force with low clamping force and only 3mm grip allowance. Targeted at 5-axis machining users.
• Fronius Intelligent Digital Welding Systems TPS/i World's first fully digital welding power source with CMT (Cold Metal Transfer) process for low heat input and low spatter welding. TPS/i CMT is also applicable to metal 3D printing. Targeted at industrial welding operations including automotive and general manufacturing. Aichi Sangyo is a certified CFR (Customer Focused Region) Japan general distributor.
• ARO Resistance Welding Systems US-made resistance welding systems including robot 3G guns, manual guns, portable resistance welders, control units, and iBox quality management software. Targeted at automotive and sheet metal manufacturing.
• Magswitch Magnetic Grippers for Industrial Robots US-made industrial robot magnetic grippers with smart-function electric magnetic grippers for reliable workpiece gripping. J Series and other variants available. Targeted at factory automation and robotic handling integrators. Aichi Sangyo is the Japan general distributor since 2013.
• Linsinger High-Speed Milling and Cutting Machines Austrian-made high-speed cutting and milling machines including vertical pipe cutting machines (KSA), inclined bed pipe cutting machines (KSS), pipe cutting machines (MULTICUT), and edge milling systems. Uses Linsinger's proprietary LINCUT cutting tool technology with 3x tool life vs. conventional brazed carbide saws. Targeted at pipe mills and structural steel processors. Aichi Sangyo is the Japan general distributor since 2013.
• Hypertherm Plasma Cutting Systems US-made plasma cutting systems including Powermax series (30 XP, 45 XP, SYNC) and MAXPRO200. Supports metal cutting, gouging, and marking. Targeted at metal fabrication and structural steel manufacturers.
• Retech Metal Melting Furnaces (CWI, EBM, PAM, VAR, VIM) Special metal melting furnace systems including vacuum induction skull melting (CWI), electron beam melting (EBM), plasma arc melting (PAM), vacuum arc remelting (VAR), and vacuum precision investment casting (VIM) furnaces. Targeted at specialty alloy producers, titanium/nickel/superalloy manufacturers, and aerospace material suppliers.
• AK Grinder Automated Bead Grinding System In-house developed and manufactured automated grinding equipment for removing welding beads. Integrates with robots for automated grinding operations. Aichi Sangyo co-developed automated grinding solutions with 3M Japan. Targeted at welding production lines and fabrication shops.
• AI Visual Inspection System In-house developed AI image inspection system for quality management and inspection processes in factory automation and heightening applications. Targeted at manufacturers seeking automated quality control.
• ORBIMA TIG 500II Automatic TIG Welding System In-house developed and manufactured automatic TIG welding system using MIAB (Magnetically Impelled Arc Butt) welding technology for high-efficiency automatic circumferential welding. Targeted at pipe and tube manufacturers.
• MIAB Magnetically-Driven Rotating Arc Welding System In-house developed magnetically-driven rotating arc welding system for high-efficiency pipe circumferential welding. Achieves 10-50x productivity improvement over conventional TIG welding. Patent No. 6511302. Developed under METI 2013 Strategic Base Technology Advancement Support Program with Osaka University. Targeted at pipe manufacturers.
• Metal Additive Manufacturing Contract Services Job-shop additive manufacturing services using in-house equipment for prototyping and small-batch production via metal 3D printing. Targeted at manufacturers requiring prototype development or low-volume AM production without capital investment.
• DAVI Bending Rollers Bending rollers including MCE series e-POWER 4-roll plate rolling machines from Italy-based DAVI. Targeted at metal forming and fabrication manufacturers.
• Engineering Solutions and Field Construction Services Custom engineering services including design, system integration, and on-site construction work for industrial machinery installations. Includes various field construction (各種現地工事) services. Targeted at manufacturers requiring turnkey installation support.

Quantifiable outcome

• MIAB welding achieves 10–50x productivity improvement over conventional TIG welding for pipe circumferential joints, reducing weld time from 2.0 min/joint to 0.3 min/joint and cost from 563 yen/joint to 49 yen/joint.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.

• Nikon SLM Solutions (Nikon SLM Solutions社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapan general distributor for Nikon SLM Solutions' powder bed fusion metal 3D printers (SLM series). Aichi Sangyo has been distributing SLM Solutions products since around 2014 and serves as a key channel partner in the Japanese market for metal additive manufacturing.
• Sciaky (サイアキ社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapan sales rights holder for Sciaky's electron beam wire additive manufacturing (EBAM) systems. Sciaky is a US-based aerospace welding company, and Aichi Sangyo obtained Japan sales rights in March 2016.
• Trumpf (トルンプ社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for Trumpf's laser metal deposition (LMD) systems including disk laser oscillators, powder feeders, and processing heads. Trumpf LMD enables cladding, repair, and additive manufacturing with precise powder flow and laser control.
• Fronius (フロニウス社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapan general distributor for Fronius welding systems. Certified as a CFR (Customer Focused Region) distributor representing world top-level service quality. Products include TPS/i digital welding power supplies, CMT (Cold Metal Transfer) process systems, and automated welding solutions.
• Hermle (ハームレ社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales, technical support, and after-sales service for Hermle 5-axis machining centers in Japan since 2004. 20th anniversary of Hermle 5-axis sales celebrated in 2024.
• Lang (ラング社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales and promotion partner for Lang's clamping systems and automation systems in Japan. Lang's Form Closure technology is positioned as optimal 5-axis machining clamping solutions alongside Hermle machines.
• Linsinger (リンジンガー社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapan general distributor since 2013 for Linsinger's high-speed milling and cutting machines including KSA/KSS sawing machines, BFMK pipe beveling systems, and LINCUT proprietary cutting tool technology. Major installations at Japanese pipe mills.
• Magswitch (マグスイッチ社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapan general distributor since 2013 for Magswitch's magnetic tools including welding earth clamps, magnetic fixing jigs, lifting magnets, and robot-mounted magnetic grippers for industrial automation.
• Retech (リテック社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for Retech's special metal melting furnace systems including vacuum induction skull melting (CWI), electron beam melting (EBM), plasma arc melting (PAM), vacuum arc remelting (VAR), and vacuum precision investment casting (VIM) furnaces.
• LPW Technology (LPWテクノロジー社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for LPW Technology's high-quality metal powder specifically designed for additive manufacturing. LPW received the UK's prestigious Queen's Award for Excellence. Aichi Sangyo began handling LPW products in December 2013.
• ARO (アロー社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for ARO's resistance welding systems including robot 3G guns, manual guns, portable resistance welders, and control units. First ARO technical seminar held in Japan in January 2017 with technical director from France.
• Hypertherm (ハイパーサーム社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for Hypertherm's plasma cutting systems including Powermax series and MAXPRO200. Hypertherm has over 50 years of experience as a global plasma cutting technology leader.
• 3D Lab (3Dラボ社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for 3D Lab's small ultrasonic atomizer systems (ATO Lab Plus and ATO Noble) for producing metal powder for additive manufacturing. 3D Lab received the 'Innovative Technologies of the Future' award.
• WAAM3D (WAAM3D社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for WAAM3D's RoboWAAM Advance wire-arc additive manufacturing system. Aichi Sangyo introduced RoboWAAM Advance in December 2023 and began offering arc additive manufacturing services.
• DAVI (ダヴィ社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for DAVI's bending rollers (MCE series e-POWER, 4-roll plate rolling machines).
• TRITONE Technologies (トライトンテクノロジー社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapan general distributor for TRITONE's mold jet metal additive manufacturing systems. Distribution agreement signed in July 2021.
• PushCorp (プッシュコープ社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for PushCorp's active compliance controllers for robot arm end tooling for automated grinding and surface finishing applications.
• CADS Additive (CADSアディティブ社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for CADS Additive's AM-Studio metal additive manufacturing software, which provides build orientation optimization, support design, and slice data processing for metal AM.
• 3M Japan (スリーエムジャパン)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness partnership since December 2018 for automated grinding solutions. Aichi Sangyo and 3M Japan co-exhibit at industry events including Robot Technology Japan. Jointly develop automated welding bead grinding systems combining 3M abrasives with Aichi Sangyo's AK Grinder.
• Osaka University (大阪大学)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for the development of the MIAB (Magnetically Impelled Arc Butt) welding technology. The university provided technical guidance during the 2013-2014 METI Strategic Base Technology Advancement Support Program project.
• METI / Government of Japan (経済産業省)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerAichi Sangyo was selected for the FY2013 Strategic Base Technology Advancement Support Program (戦略的基盤技術高度化支援事業), a METI-led initiative supporting development of innovative manufacturing technologies. The program supported MIAB welding technology development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Yamazen Corporation: Japanese trading company specializing in machine tools, industrial equipment, and factory automation distribution. Closely comparable business model to Aichi Sangyo as a domestic distributor of imported industrial machinery for Japanese manufacturers, with overlapping product categories in machining, automation, and tooling.
• Iwatani Corporation: Japanese industrial gas and energy company with a significant additive manufacturing materials business (metal powders, gases) and 3D printing services. Comparable as a Japan-based AM ecosystem participant serving the same manufacturing customers with both materials and AM services.
• NaIchin Co., Ltd. Japanese machine tool and industrial equipment trading company importing and selling machine tools and related equipment to Japanese manufacturers. Directly comparable as a mid-sized Japanese importer/distributor serving the same industrial customer base with overlapping product categories.

Broad incumbents

• Lincoln Electric Holdings: Global leader in welding, cutting, and joining products, including the VRTEX virtual welding training system that Aichi Sangyo distributes in Japan. Comparable in serving the same welding and fabrication end-markets with arc welding, resistance welding, and automation equipment, but as a global manufacturer rather than Japanese distributor.
• EOS GmbH: Global market leader in industrial metal and polymer additive manufacturing systems (Direct Metal Laser Sintering). Comparable to the metal AM portion of Aichi Sangyo's business as a manufacturer of competing powder bed fusion systems, competing for the same Japanese industrial AM customers.
• Okuma Corporation: Japanese machine tool manufacturer producing CNC lathes, machining centers, and factory automation systems for industrial customers worldwide. Comparable in serving Japanese automotive, aerospace, and general manufacturing customers, with overlapping presence in 5-axis machining that competes with products Aichi Sangyo distributes.
• DMG Mori Co., Ltd. Global machine tool leader combining German (Deckel Maho Gildemeister) and Japanese (Mori Seiki) heritage, producing 5-axis machining centers, turning centers, and additive manufacturing systems. Comparable to Aichi Sangyo in serving the same Japanese manufacturing customers with machining and AM equipment, but as a manufacturer rather than distributor.
• Sodick Co., Ltd. Japanese machine tool and EDM manufacturer producing electrical discharge machines (EDM), machining centers, and metal 3D printers. Comparable as a Japanese manufacturer with overlapping customers in precision machining, EDM, and now metal AM — directly competing in some of the same end-use applications Aichi Sangyo serves.
• Kanematsu Corporation: Large Japanese general trading company (sogo shosha) with a significant industrial machinery division distributing machine tools, electronics, and industrial equipment globally. Comparable in business model (industrial machinery distribution) but at much larger scale and broader geographic reach than Aichi Sangyo.

Emerging players

• Velo3D, Inc. US-based metal additive manufacturing company specializing in large-format powder bed fusion systems for aerospace, defense, and industrial customers. Comparable in serving similar end-markets (aerospace, heavy industry) with metal AM technology, representing an emerging OEM competitor to some of the systems Aichi Sangyo distributes in Japan.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance1 record

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 Aichi Industry Co.