Imao

What Imao does

Imao Corporation (株式会社イマオコーポレーション) is a Japanese manufacturer of standardized mechanical components and jigs used in factory automation. Founded in 1935 and headquartered in Seki, Gifu, with 251–500 employees, the company produces an extensive catalog of standardized machine parts, including plungers, hinges, cam levers, ball lock pins, guide rollers, handles, and adjustable feet, alongside standardized jigs and fixtures. Its proprietary product families include the One-Touch Quick Change (ワンタッチ着脱) fastening components, Pullfix cylinder-shaped pull-in clamps (5μm reproducibility in 5-sided simultaneous machining), Slide Lock and Spin Lock positioning devices, Click Torque Knob and Torque Control Lever clamping aids, and the SMARTSHIFT Robot System for robot tool exchange. Distribution is primarily domestic, through direct field sales offices in Tokyo and Osaka, a corporate-website e-commerce shop launched in April 2024, free CAD data downloads, and presence at Japanese manufacturing trade shows such as JIMTOF, FOOMA JAPAN, Medtec, iREX, and Robot Technology Japan.

The company's technology base combines proprietary mechanical designs with a digital toolchain. Wireless factory-automation products (Signal Switch 2 with ~3,000 m radio range, Message Watch Type-N) provide machine status monitoring, while its Manufacturing Information Systems division resells third-party CAD/CAM software — Autodesk (AutoCAD, Inventor, VRED, Vault, Fusion), Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS, BricsCAD, and CGTech's Vericut — and develops proprietary CAD add-on applications IM-Tool/AC and IM-Tool/BC containing approximately 9,000 JIS-compliant mechanical component symbols. The infomax CAD Training Center in Kakamigahara operates as both an Autodesk Certified Training Center and a SOLIDWORKS Certified Training Center, serving as a demand-generation and customer-engagement touchpoint.

Imao's business model rests on three revenue streams: one-time sales of catalog mechanical components and jigs at publicly listed unit prices ranging from ¥190 to ¥28,200; one-time/perpetual-license sales of proprietary CAD software (¥198,000 new, ¥40,000–¥160,000 for version upgrades) plus Autodesk/SOLIDWORKS/Vericut software resale; and professional services revenue from CAD system consulting, implementation support, and training through the infomax center. Customers span automotive manufacturing (Toyota Motor Corporation's Kinuura Plant is a documented deployment), food processing, robotics, medical-device manufacturing, and general machinery — a horizontal segmentation approach delivered through direct sales rather than channel partners.

Name

Imao

Legal name

株式会社イマオコーポレーション

Website

https://imao.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Imao Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer of standardized mechanical components, jigs, and clamping devices for factory automation, founded in 1935 and headquartered in Seki, Gifu. The company also resells CAD/CAM software and develops proprietary CAD add-ons and wireless factory IoT systems for industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Standard Mechanical Components and Fixtures

NAICS

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

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Robot End-of-Arm Tooling (Grippers, Tool Changers, Welding/Cutting Heads) (IMAHAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial I/O, Signal Conditioning & Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) (IMAGABAD)

Keywords

• Standard machine components
• Industrial clamping fixtures
• Quick-change tooling
• Factory wireless equipment
• CAD design software

Headquarters

HQ city

Gifu

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Standard Mechanical Components and Fixtures: Sale of standard mechanical parts (standardized machine components, standard jigs/fixtures) and specialized clamping/positioning products. Products are sold directly via the corporate website, online shop, and catalog requests. Pricing is publicly disclosed per product on the website with unit prices ranging from ¥190 to ¥28,200 depending on the product category.
2. CAD Software Sales, Training, and Support: Sale of IM-Tool/AC and IM-Tool/BC proprietary CAD applications (¥198,000 new, ¥40,000–¥160,000 for version upgrades), plus Autodesk and SOLIDWORKS software resale, and CAD training services through the infomax training center.
3. Manufacturing Information Systems: CAD system consulting, implementation support, software/hardware evaluation and selection, and post-implementation support services for manufacturing customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Imao Corporation manufactures and sells standardized mechanical components (clamping, locking, positioning, and quick-change fastening devices such as Pullfix, Click Torque Knob, Slide Locks, and SMARTSHIFT), factory wireless equipment for machine status monitoring (Signal Switch 2, Message Watch Type-N), and provides manufacturing information systems including CAD software resale (Autodesk, SOLIDWORKS, BricsCAD, CGTech Vericut) and proprietary CAD add-ons (IM-Tool/AC, IM-Tool/BC) along with CAD training at the infomax center.

Product overview

Imao Corporation operates two core business divisions. The Manufacturing Equipment Division produces standardized mechanical components (標準機械部品) and standardized jigs/fixtures (標準治具), featuring quick-change systems (ワンタッチ着脱), pull clamps (プルフィックス), robot tool changers (SMARTSHIFT, ワンタッチツールチェンジャー), air control units (PneuvaQ, pneumagiQ), and precision clamping/locking devices (push clamper, torque control lever, slide locks, spin locks, linear stop motion). The Factory Wireless Equipment line (工場用無線機器) provides visual management and IoT solutions including Message Watch Type-N and Signal Switch 2 for machine status monitoring. The Manufacturing Information Systems Division (製造情報システム) resells Autodesk products (AutoCAD, Inventor, VRED, Vault, Fusion), SOLIDWORKS, BricsCAD, and Vericut, while also developing proprietary CAD add-on applications (IM-Tool/AC, IM-Tool/BC) with approximately 9,000 JIS-compliant mechanical symbols, complemented by infomax CAD training services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ワンタッチ着脱 (Quick Change Attachment): Quick-release clamping components that allow instant tool and attachment changes, optimizing setup improvement.
• プルフィックス (Pullfix)
• ワンタッチツールチェンジャー (Quick Change Tool Changer)
• ニューバキュ (New Vaky)
• SMARTSHIFT Robot System
• infomax (INFOMAX CAD Training Center)
• IM-Tool/AC
• IM-Tool/BC

Products and services

• One-Touch Quick Change (ワンタッチ着脱) Quick-change fastening components that replace bolts, enabling one-touch exchange of jigs and attachments for improved setup efficiency on manufacturing lines; targets manufacturing engineers and production managers seeking setup-time reduction (SMED).
• Pullfix (プルフィックス) Cylinder-shaped pull-in clamp with no tool interference, enabling 5-sided simultaneous machining with 5µm reproducibility; for precision machining operations.
• One-Touch Tool Changer (ワンタッチツールチェンジャー) Manual tool changer enabling one-touch lever operation for robot tool exchange; for automated manufacturing and robotics applications.
• PneuvaQ (ニューバキュ) / pneumagiQ (ニューマジック) Air control unit that controls both compressed air and vacuum air, eliminating need for complex air circuit design and fabrication; for manufacturing equipment.
• Push Clamper (プッシュクランンパー) Quick clamp device for one-touch fixation of flat bars and shafts with simple lever operation; for manufacturing clamping applications.
• One-Touch Slide Lock (ワンタッチスライドロック) Quick lock devices for slide adjustment parts including long-hole slides and angle steel slides; for position adjustment on manufacturing lines.
• Spin Lock (スピンロック) Spindle lock that securely fixes spindles and slide shafts with a light 90-degree knob rotation; for machining and motion applications.
• Linear Stop Motion (リニアストップモーション) Cam lever and spring-based manual clamping for linear guides, enabling one-touch quick fixation with spring-pressure clamping; for linear motion applications.
• Index Clamper (インデックスクランンパー) Positioning clamp using positioning holes for precise adjustments; for indexing and positioning applications.
• One-Touch Lock Knob (ワンタッチロックノブ)

Quantifiable outcome

• 5μm reproducibility achieved with Pullfix in 5-sided simultaneous machining
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Autodesk Corporation (オートデスク株式会社)coreTechnology or IntegrationImao Corporation is an authorized sales agent (販売代理店) for Autodesk Corporation, reselling and supporting AutoCAD, Inventor, VRED, Vault, and Fusion software. Additionally, the infomax CAD Training Center operates as an Autodesk Certified Training Center (ATC).
• Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS (SOLIDWORKS)coreTechnology or IntegrationImao Corporation is a SOLIDWORKS Solution Partner, reselling SOLIDWORKS CAD software. The infomax CAD Training Center is also a SOLIDWORKS Certified Training Center with CSWPCORE, CSWST, and CSWI certified instructors on staff.
• CGTech Co., Ltd. (株式会社CGTech)coreTechnology or IntegrationImao Corporation is a sales agent (販売代理店) for CGTech's Vericut CNC machining simulation software, which Imao recommends alongside its CAD systems for manufacturing process verification.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Destaco: US-based manufacturer of clamping, workholding, and robot tool-changing components for industrial automation; comparable product line and similar use cases to Imao's clamping/fixturing portfolio in factory automation.
• SCHUNK: German precision workholding and clamping specialist (chucks, vises, toolchanging systems, grippers); directly comparable to Imao's Pullfix clamping, tool changer, and Flex Gripper lines serving automated machining cells.
• MISUMI Group: MISUMI is the dominant Japanese catalog distributor of standard mechanical components, factory automation parts, jigs and fixtures — the closest competitive overlap to Imao's standard mechanical parts and standard jigs business, both serving Japanese manufacturing engineers via catalog/online channels.
• Kosmek: Japanese manufacturer of hydraulic/pneumatic clamps and workholding for automated machining; direct overlap with Imao's air shaft clamper, push clamper, and centering clamp product families.
• Kitagawa Corporation: Japanese maker of workholding chucks, clamps, and robotic tool changers; serves the same machining and automated cell customers as Imao, with overlapping quick-change and clamping technology.
• Hainbuch: German workholding specialist producing chucks, clamping devices, and quick-change systems; functionally comparable to Imao's one-touch clamping, spindle locking, and centering product lines.

Broad incumbents

• SMC Corporation: Global Japanese pneumatics and automation components leader; broader portfolio than Imao but competes in air control (vs. Imao's PneuvaQ/pneumagiQ), factory wireless sensors, and standard fixturing for manufacturing.
• Parker Hannifin: Diversified US industrial motion and control conglomerate with workholding/clamping/gripper product lines alongside pneumatic and electromechanical automation that overlap Imao's standard parts and clamping portfolio.
• Festo: Global German pneumatics and automation specialist whose clamps, grippers, and handling components overlap with Imao's pneumatic clamping, actuator units, and gripper offerings, while serving factory customers across geographies where Imao has limited reach.

Emerging players

• Tunkers (Apex Tool Group / Member of Tünkers): European clamping and workholding manufacturer focused on automated production lines; overlaps with Imao's pneumatic/hydraulic clamps and quick-change tooling for factory automation use cases.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/IMAOcorporation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Imao