What NICHIRYO does

NICHIRYO Co., Ltd. (株式会社ニチリョー) is a privately held Japanese manufacturer of precision liquid-handling laboratory instruments, headquartered in Koshigaya, Japan, and founded in 1946. The company designs and manufactures mechanical micropipettes (Nichipet series including flagship Nichipet EX₃ and Nichipet Air lines), repetitive and electronic dispensers (Nichimate Stepper, MODEL 8100, DISPET EX₂, Pipette Mate NEO), automated liquid-handling systems (NichiMart family, HPV-Prep/MultiPrep, NSP-7000R), bench-top accessories (mixers, dry baths, aspirators, autoclaves), and a consumables line (NichimateAqua™ tips, tubes, cryovials, reservoirs). Core technical differentiators include the Hyper Blower System for low-volume (2µL/10µL) dispensing accuracy, non-grease seal designs, UV-resistant construction, full autoclavability at 121°C for 20 minutes, and stroke-load reduction of up to 70% on the Nichipet Premium LT.

The company sells primarily through a two-tier distribution model: in Japan, more than 80 authorized dealers organized by region (Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto/Koshinetsu, Chubu, Hokuriku, Kansai, Chugoku/Shikoku, Kyushu); internationally, a network of country-level distributors across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East/Africa, supplemented in the United States by institutional catalogs at VWR International, Fisher Scientific (Thermo Fisher), Cole-Parmer, and direct operations via Nichiryo America. Primary customer segments are university and academic research laboratories (e.g., University of Tokyo, Kyoto University/CiRA, Kindai University, Shokei Gakuin), pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, clinical/medical laboratories, and OEM/custom-manufacturing partners. Revenue is generated predominantly through instrument hardware sales complemented by recurring consumables (NichimateAqua), custom-made and OEM product manufacturing, and ongoing service/validation support. Notable provenance includes the 2013 placement of NICHIRYO Nichipet EX pipettes used by Nobel laureate Dr. Shinya Yamanaka in the Nobel Museum in Stockholm, and the company's celebration of its 80th anniversary in 2026.

Name

NICHIRYO

Legal name

Nichiryo Co., Ltd.

Website

https://nichiryo.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

NICHIRYO (株式会社ニチリョー) is a privately held Japanese manufacturer founded in 1946 that designs and sells precision liquid-handling instruments — micropipettes, dispensers, automated dispensing robots, and bench-top laboratory equipment — serving academic, pharmaceutical, clinical, and OEM customers globally through 80+ Japanese dealers and international lab-supply distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Laboratory Liquid Handling Equipment

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Measuring, Dispensing, and Other Pumping Equipment Manufacturing (333914), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561)

akta.pro primary industry

Liquid Handling & Laboratory Automation (Pipettes, Robots, Workstations) (HLAGAIAD)

Keywords

• Precision liquid handling
• Laboratory micropipettes
• Laboratory dispensers
• Automated dispensing systems
• Lab consumables

Headquarters

HQ city

Koshigaya

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Laboratory Equipment Sales: NICHIRYO generates primary revenue from the sale of precision liquid handling instruments including micropipettes (Nichipet series), dispensers, and automatic dispensers. Products range from basic models to advanced premium versions with enhanced features.
2. Consumables and Accessories: Revenue from recurring sales of consumable products including pipette tips (NichimateAqua series), filter tips, centrifuge tubes, reservoirs, and other disposable laboratory supplies that complement the instrument business.
3. Custom Made & OEM Products: Custom-designed and OEM pipettes and dispensers manufactured to customer specifications, providing specialized solutions for unique laboratory requirements.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NICHIRYO designs, manufactures, and sells precision liquid handling instruments for laboratory use, centered on the Nichipet series of micropipettes, the Nichimate line of repetitive and electronic dispensers, and the NichiMart family of automated liquid handling systems. The portfolio is complemented by bench-top equipment (mixers, dry baths, aspirators, autoclaves), the NichimateAqua consumables brand (tips, tubes, reservoirs), and custom/OEM pipette manufacturing, with all products assembled in Japan.

Product overview

NICHIRYO is a Japanese laboratory equipment manufacturer specializing in liquid handling solutions. Their product portfolio centers on micropipettes and dispensers, complemented by automated dispensing systems, bench-top laboratory equipment, and consumables. The core product lines include the Nichipet series micropipettes (Nichipet EXⅢ, Nichipet Air, Nichipet Premium, Nichipet EX Plus Ⅱ, Nichipet EXⅡ, and multi-channel variants), the Nichimate series of dispensers (Nichimate Stepper, MODEL 8100/8800, DISPET), and automated liquid handling systems (NichiMart, HPV-Prep/MultiPrep). Supporting these are the NichimateAqua™ consumables brand offering tips, tubes, reservoirs, and specialty items, plus custom/OEM capabilities for specialized pipette solutions. All products are manufactured and assembled in Japan to ensure quality and reliability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nichipet: Product line of micropipettes including Nichipet EXⅢ, Nichipet Air, Nichipet Premium, Nichipet EX PlusⅡ, and multi-channel variants
• Nichimate
• NichiMart
• Dream Bank

Products and services

• Nichipet EX III Latest-generation flagship single-channel micropipette in the Nichipet series, offering high-precision variable volume liquid handling for laboratory and research use.
• Nichipet Air Ultra-lightweight single-channel micropipette designed for ergonomic, fatigue-reduced precision liquid handling in laboratory workflows.
• Nichipet Air Multi Channel Multi-channel version of the Nichipet Air lightweight micropipette, designed for simultaneous dispensing across 96-well microplates and other multi-well formats.
• Nichipet Premium Premium-tier single-channel micropipette offering advanced ergonomic and durability features including stroke load reduction, full autoclavability, UV resistance, and a 5-year warranty.
• Nichipet Premium LT Premium lightweight micropipette variant with stroke load reduction, full autoclavability, UV resistance, glass counter window, and a 5-year warranty.
• Nichipet EX Plus II Chemical-resistant single-channel micropipette in the Nichipet line, designed for handling aggressive solvents in laboratory applications.
• Nichipet EX II Best-selling fully autoclavable single-channel micropipette with enhanced UV resistance for routine precision liquid handling.
• NICHIRYO Le Entry-level single-channel micropipette offering basic precision liquid handling for routine laboratory use.
• Nichipet F II & V II Fixed-volume and variable-volume single-channel micropipettes for routine laboratory liquid handling.
• Premium Filter Tip High-quality filter pipette tips that prevent cross-contamination during pipetting operations.
• Nichimate Stepper Repetitive positive-displacement pipette designed for consistent multi-dispensing of liquids, including viscous reagents, across a range of volumes.
• MODEL 8100 Variable repetitive syringe dispenser offering up to 35 volume settings, suitable for handling viscous liquids in laboratory workflows.
• DISPET EX II Repetitive pipette dispenser providing consistent multi-dispensing of liquids for laboratory use.
• Pipette Mate NEO Electronic pipette controller that automates aspiration and dispensing for single-channel pipettes, reducing user fatigue.
• NichiMart Automated liquid handling workstation for programmed multi-sample dispensing and reagent preparation across laboratory workflows.
• NichiMart CUBE Compact automated liquid handling system for space-constrained laboratory settings.
• NichiMart CUBE-mini Compact automated liquid handling system engineered for installation inside biosafety cabinets for sterile and contained sample handling.
• HPV-Prep / MultiPrep Automated liquid handling robot for HPV gene testing sample preparation and other clinical and research sample preparation workflows.
• Nichimate Mixer Bench-top vortex mixer for laboratory sample mixing applications.
• Nichimate Dry Bath Bench-top dry bath / thermal block for controlled-temperature sample incubation and reactions in laboratory workflows.
• NichimateAqua Consumables Line NichimateAqua is the consumables brand offering disposable laboratory supplies including standard tips, low retention tips, filter tips, centrifuge tubes, cryovials, reservoirs, and serological pipettes for use with Nichiryo and other pipetting systems.
• Custom Made Pipettes (OEM) Bespoke OEM micropipettes and dispensers designed and manufactured to customer specifications for integration into specialized laboratory equipment or branded product lines.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nichipet Premium LT reduces stroke load by up to 70% compared to previous models, significantly reducing user fatigue
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, core, notable and regional.

• VWR International (US Distribution)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVWR International, a major laboratory supplies distributor, carries NICHIRYO products as part of their portfolio, providing nationwide distribution coverage in the United States.
• Fisher Scientific (US and Canada Distribution)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFisher Scientific, part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, distributes NICHIRYO products throughout the United States and Canada, leveraging their extensive laboratory equipment distribution network.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (Canada Distribution)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThermo Fisher Scientific distributes NICHIRYO products in Canada through Fisher Scientific Canada and Mandel, providing comprehensive market coverage.
• Cole-Parmer (US Distribution)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCole-Parmer, a leading laboratory equipment and supplies distributor, offers NICHIRYO pipettes and dispensers to customers in Illinois and nationally.
• Kyoto University CiRA (Research Partnership)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerNICHIRYO donated to the iPS Cell Research Institute at Kyoto University. Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, director of CiRA and Nobel Prize laureate, used NICHIRYO pipettes for his groundbreaking iPS cell research.
• Shimadzu (China Distribution)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShimadzu (Shanghai) distributes NICHIRYO products in China, leveraging their established laboratory equipment distribution network in the Chinese market.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Gilson: French/Belgian manufacturer of PIPETMAN manual pipettes, repetitive dispensers, and liquid handling instrumentation. Highly comparable on product overlap (manual pipettes and dispensers) and on serving academic/pharma customers globally.
• Integra Biosciences: Swiss manufacturer of manual pipettes, electronic pipettes (PIPETBOY), and benchtop automation (ASSIST, VIAFLO). Highly comparable as a similar-sized specialty liquid handling company competing in the same academic and pharma channels.
• Socorex Isba: Swiss precision manufacturer of manual micropipettes (Calibra, Acura) and repetitive dispensers. Closely comparable niche specialty peer with similar product mix, mid-size scale, and channel-based global distribution.
• Drummond Scientific: US manufacturer of microcaps, capillary tubes, and the Drummond Pipet-Aid electronic pipette controller. Comparable as a specialty liquid handling company serving clinical and research labs with similar product categories to NICHIRYO.
• Hamilton Company: US precision manufacturer of syringes, pipettes, and automated liquid handling workstations. Directly comparable in precision liquid handling instruments and in the automated-dispensing niche where NICHIRYO's NichiMart competes.
• Brand GmbH + Co. KG: German manufacturer of Transferpette manual pipettes, dispensers, and liquid handling consumables (BRANDplates, tips). Directly comparable specialty peer competing in the same premium manual pipette and consumables categories.
• Eppendorf: German-headquartered global leader in liquid handling (Eppendorf Research plus, Reference, pipettes) and consumables. Directly comparable as the premium benchmark in manual micropipettes that NICHIRYO competes against across academic and pharma segments.

Broad incumbents

• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Largest life-science tools company; both a NICHIRYO distribution partner (Fisher Scientific, Canada) and a broad incumbent competing across the lab workflow including its own Finn pipette line and automation platforms.
• Mettler-Toledo (Rainin): Mettler-Toledo's Rainin brand is a leading premium micropipette line complemented by a broad lab/industrial weighing and analytical instrument portfolio. Comparable because Rainin competes head-on with Nichipet, while Mettler-Toledo's broader scope reflects an incumbent larger than NICHIRYO.
• Sartorius: German bioprocessing and lab products company offering pipettes, pipette tips, and a large workflow portfolio in biopharma. Comparable as a broader incumbent addressing the same pharma/biotech customers and competing on consumables quality.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NICHIRYO_JP
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NICHIRYO_JP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nichiryo-co-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/nichiryo_global

Compliance3 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 NICHIRYO