Antrex Co

What Antrex Co does

Antrex Co (株式会社アントレックス, headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo) is a privately held Japanese lifestyle products company founded in 1986 (originally as Redworks International). It operates as a multi-brand importer, distributor, retailer, and OEM manufacturer, curating and marketing 50+ overseas and proprietary brands across kitchen appliances (Vitamix, BUYDEEM), cake decorating (Wilton), plush toys (NICI), cosmetics (AIDA OEM, Baxter of California, LAITIER, HIGHER DOSE), home and design goods (SELETTI, Umbra, koziol, BUILT, Rollink, AREAWARE), food (Dr. Oetker, ZENFOOD, NICHEN, VITAFOOD), and air purification technology (Ionic Breeze, no-SIDE, Anemoi Air, UVC Virus Killer, Ozone Generator).

The company monetizes through eight distinct streams: B2B wholesale distribution to Japanese retailers; five directly managed lifestyle retail stores (VIDA, entre vida, VICEVERSA, Rainbow SPECTRUM); direct e-commerce via entresquare.com; cosmetics OEM manufacturing through ISO 22716-certified AIDA Inc. (3 facilities in Miyagi Prefecture producing 1,000+ SKUs annually); micro-fragrance diffusion systems under exclusive Japan rights from Prolitec Inc. (over 13,000 units deployed in Japan); recurring air-purification rentals (no-SIDE and Anemoi Air); custom hotel amenities; and a SWAT publishing division. Proprietary technology includes the Ionic Breeze ion-dust-collection platform (5.55M+ global units), Philips Sterilamp-based UVC sterilization (3,550 L/min airflow), chlorine-dioxide/humidification integrated service, and patent-backed FULVO POWER fulvic-acid agricultural technology (recipient of a Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award).

The customer base spans individual lifestyle and wellness consumers, hotel operators, cosmetic brand clients (startup through major manufacturers), medical and nursing-care facilities, and enterprise retail partners such as KALDI. Headcount stands at 243 (August 2025) and consolidated revenue declined to ¥7,789 million for FY August 2025, down approximately 38% from the ¥12.66 billion FY August 2021 peak, reflecting a multi-year contraction that prompted a group-wide restructuring in 2023.

Name

Antrex Co

Legal name

株式会社アントレックス (Kabushiki Kaisha Entrex)

Website

https://entrex.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Antrex Co is a privately held Japanese multi-brand lifestyle distributor and retailer, importing 50+ overseas brands (Vitamix, Wilton, NICI, SELETTI) and operating cosmetics OEM manufacturing, owned retail stores, e-commerce, and air purification services across Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Lifestyle Brand Distribution and Retail

NAICS

Health and Personal Care Retailers (456), Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (45612), Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Appliance Retailers (449)

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040), Retail-Auto & Home Supply Stores (5531)

akta.pro primary industry

International Specialty Ingredients & Import Markets (CRAHAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nonfood Grocery & HBC Wholesale (Paper, Cleaning, Personal Care) (AFAIABAL), Pastry, Cakes & Desserts Wholesale (AFAIAFAB)

Keywords

• Lifestyle brand distribution
• Cosmetics OEM manufacturing
• Air purification rental
• Wholesale import trading
• Lifestyle retail stores

Headquarters

HQ city

Shinjuku

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale / Import Distribution: Importing, marketing, branding, and distributing overseas brand products (Vitamix, Wilton, NICI, Stadler Form, Umbra, SELETTI, Dr. Oetker, etc.) to retailers and business partners in Japan on a B2B basis.
2. Direct Retail Stores: Operating owned retail stores (VIDA, entre vida, VICEVERSA, Rainbow SPECTRUM) selling curated lifestyle products including own brands and distributed international brands. 5 directly managed stores as of September 2025.
3. E-commerce / Online Sales: Direct online sales through entresquare.com, the company's owned e-commerce platform offering a wide range of imported lifestyle products and own brands.
4. Micro Fragrance / Brand Scent Marketing: Japan exclusive import agency for Prolitec Inc. U.S. products. Provides nano-particle fragrance diffusion systems and scent marketing services to commercial clients (hotels, retail, offices, car dealers). Rental and service contract model.
5. Publishing (SWAT Division):
6. Cosmetics OEM Manufacturing (AIDA): Contract manufacturing of cosmetics (makeup, skincare, hair care) for professional and commercial clients, as well as own brand '舞台屋' (Butaikoya) for film, theater, kabuki, and TV productions. Also handles OEM for external brands.
7. Rental Air Purification Services (no-SIDE, Anemoi): Monthly rental model for air purification devices. no-SIDE service includes regular reagent delivery. Anemoi rental includes scheduled dust unit exchange and cleaning.
8. Hotel Amenity Custom Manufacturing: Custom-made bath amenities and dry amenities for hotels, supporting hotel branding through customized design and fragrance. B2B model targeting hospitality industry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Antrex Co imports, distributes and retails a diversified portfolio of international lifestyle brands across kitchen appliances, air purification, cosmetics, home goods, plush toys, fashion accessories and hotel amenities in Japan, while operating the AIDA ISO 22716 certified cosmetics OEM manufacturing business and providing air purification rental services (no-SIDE, Anemoi). The company sells through five directly managed retail stores, the entresquare.com e-commerce platform, B2B wholesale channels and major online marketplaces.

Product overview

Antrex Co (株式会社アントレックス) is a Japanese lifestyle products distributor and retailer operating multiple brands across diverse categories including electric/appliances (Vitamix, Stadler Form, Ionic Breeze), kitchen/tableware (koziol, SELETTI), health & beauty (AIDA Cosmetic OEM, Baxter of California, NICI), hobby/craft (Wilton), food & beverage (Dr. Oetker, ZENFOOD), and fashion accessories. The company operates as a brand portfolio company with wholesale, retail store, marketing, and publishing business divisions. Core brands include Vitamix (high-power blenders), NICI (plush toys), AIDA (cosmetics manufacturing), and Wilton (cake decorating). The company distributes products through directly managed stores (VIDA, entre vida, VICEVERSA, Rainbow SPECTRUM), the online platform entre square, and wholesale channels to retailers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VIDA: Lifestyle shop focused on food, health and beauty, featuring Vitamix and curated kitchen tools, cosmetics, and kids/baby items.
• entre vida
• VICEVERSA
• Rainbow SPECTRUM
• entre square
• entresquare
• NICI
• Wilton
• Vitamix
• BUYDEEM
• Stadler Form
• Ionic Breeze
• Umbra
• SELETTI
• Dr. Oetker
• Rollink
• AIDA Cosmetic OEM
• Biolaundress
• LAITIER
• Front Cover
• HIGHER DOSE
• b.c.l
• 585
• BUILT
• koziol
• yonanas
• OTOTO
• sparoom
• Micro Fragrance
• HOTEL AMENITY
• PRIDE+GROOM
• full circle
• Rayen
• am/Get Clean
• スキ間シャワー
• FULVO POWER
• ZENFOOD
• Earths Botanics
• APOTHECARY
• the chefs
• Baxter of California
• J.R. WATKINS
• VITAFOOD
• NICHEN
• no-SIDE
• UVC VIRUS KILLER
• anemoi air
• OZONE GENERATOR
• ENTRE VEHICLE
• AREAWARE
• Humble
• ZOKU
• Dreamfarm
• Sukima Shower

Products and services

• Vitamix Distribution (Vitamix / バイタミックス) Exclusive Japan distribution and marketing of Vitamix high-power blenders and whole food machines for B2C retail (entresquare.com and physical stores) and B2B wholesale channels. Vitamix is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio and sells in 140+ countries.
• Wilton Cake Decorating Distribution (Wilton / ウィルトン) Japan general distribution of Wilton cake decorating products, bakeware, cookie and wedding cake supplies, plus Wilton Method cake decorating classes held at department stores and specialty shops for hobbyists and professionals. Wilton was founded in 1929 in Illinois, USA, and sells in 75+ countries.
• NICI Plush Toy and Character Brand Distribution (NICI / ニキ) Japan distribution of NICI German plush toys, gift items and licensed character products (including Sesame Workshop, Warner Bros., Walt Disney Japan license agreements). NICI was founded in 1986 and is sold in 60+ countries worldwide.
• AIDA Cosmetic OEM/ODM Manufacturing Services (アイーダ / Butaikoya 舞台屋 own brand) ISO 22716 GMP-certified full-service cosmetics contract manufacturing for makeup, skincare and hair care at three Miyagi Prefecture facilities. Handles over 1,000 SKUs annually for clients ranging from startup cosmetic brands to major domestic and international manufacturers. Also operates the own brand 'Butaikoya' (舞台屋) for film, theater, kabuki and TV production professionals.
• Ionic Breeze Electronic Air Purifier (イオニックブリーズ) Proprietary electronic dust collection air purifier using ion technology with no fan or motor, near-silent operation, sold globally with 5.55 million+ units cumulative worldwide. Distributed in Japan by Entrex under Ionic Breeze trademark.
• no-SIDE Air Purification Rental Service (ノーサイド) Rental service combining evapo-transpirational humidification with chlorine dioxide gas space sterilization using Stadler Form George as the diffusion base. Covers up to 60 tatami (approximately 100 m²) with monthly reagent delivery included.
• Anemoi Air Electronic Air Purifier Rental (アネモイ エアー) Rental-only next-generation Ionic Breeze-based air purifier with enhanced dust collection capacity and easy dust unit replacement. Produces trace ozone for deodorization, operates at 10W power consumption with sub-10 dB noise. Periodic dust unit exchange and cleaning provided by Entrex.
• UVC VIRUS KILLER Air Sterilization Device (UVCウイルスキラー装置) High-output UVC lamp (254 nm) sterilization device using Philips Sterilamp technology. Filterless design processes 3,550 liters of air per minute and covers spaces up to 42 tatami. Used by medical institutions and nursing care facilities for infection prevention.
• OZONE GENERATOR Space Sterilization Device (オゾンジェネレーター) Ozone-based space disinfection device with 20,000 mg/h ozone output for deodorization and infection prevention. Priced at ¥13,200 including tax with 1-year warranty for commercial and residential users.
• Hotel Amenity Custom Manufacturing Service (コラボ BYRD / SHOLAYERED) B2B custom design and manufacturing of bath amenities and dry amenities for hotels, enabling branding through customized design and fragrance. Targets hotel operators seeking differentiated guest experience.
• Micro Fragrance Nano-Particle Scent Marketing Service (Prolitec Japan exclusive agency) Entrex is the Japan-exclusive import agent for Prolitec Inc. (U.S.) nano-particle fragrance diffusion systems. Provides rental and service contract scent marketing to commercial clients including hotels, retail, offices, car dealers, restaurants and factories. Over 13,000 units deployed in Japan; 150,000+ units globally across 90+ countries.
• entresquare E-commerce Platform (エントレ スクエア) Direct online shopping site operated by Entrex, offering lifestyle products from the company's distributed brands and select entrepreneur products. Functions as the company's owned D2C e-commerce channel.
• Directly Managed Lifestyle Retail Stores (VIDA / entre vida / VICEVERSA / Rainbow SPECTRUM) Curated lifestyle retail chains (5 directly managed stores as of September 2025 across Sapporo, Nasu, Sendai, Shobu and Ikebukuro) selling food, health, beauty, design and lifestyle products from Entrex's distributed brand portfolio and own brands.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ionic Breeze air purifier has sold over 5.55 million units worldwide
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• 太和生技化妆品株式会社 (Taiwa Seiki Kagaku)minorOthers · 1 January 2024Related company established in 2024 as a cosmetics-related entity.
• Vitamix (バイタミックス)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEntrex serves as the exclusive distributor/agent for Vitamix high-power blenders in Japan. Vitamix is an American company headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio with 95+ years of history. The brand sells in 140+ countries globally and is a leading whole-food machine manufacturer.
• WILTON (ウィルトン)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapan general distributor agreement for Wilton cake decorating products. Wilton was founded in 1929 in Illinois, USA and maintains the top market share in the U.S. cake decorating industry. Products include cake decoration, bakeware, cookies, and wedding cakes. Available in 75+ countries.
• NICI (ニキ)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNICI is a German gift and plush toy brand founded in 1986. In 2009, Entrex acquired NICI Japan as a wholly-owned subsidiary (absorbed in 2011) and assumed all NICI business in Japan. Sold in 60+ countries worldwide. Entrex also holds license agreements with entertainment IP holders for NICI character products.
• Stadler Form (スタドラー フォーム)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss design home appliance brand founded in 1998 by Martin Stadler. Products sold in 40+ countries. Design awards received. Entrex distributes Stadler Form products in Japan including the George air purifier used in the no-SIDE service.
• Umbra (アンブラ)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCanadian housewares brand founded in Toronto by Les Mandelbaum and Paul Rowan. Entrex established Umbra Japan as a subsidiary in 2013 to distribute Umbra products in Japan. Products feature functional yet affordable designer home goods.
• SELETTI (セレッティ)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian design brand founded in 1964, known for innovative everyday items. Distributed in 47 countries worldwide including MoMA Store and The Conran Shop internationally. Sold at high-end select retailers in Japan through Entrex.
• koziol (コジオル)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman plastic household goods brand with 90+ years of history. Products are 100% recyclable. Entrex distributes koziol products in Japan.
• Dr. Oetker (ドクターオツカー)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman food company with 130+ years of history, Germany's No.1 pizza brand (1.5 million pizzas produced daily). Entrex distributes Dr. Oetker Ristorante pizza products in Japan.
• BUILT (ビルト)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew York-based fashion and lifestyle accessories brand founded in 2003 by three friends. Known for neoprene (chloroprene rubber) products including bottle totes and tech cases. Entrex distributes BUILT products in Japan.
• Rollink (ローリンク)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIsraeli smart luggage brand founded in 2018. Products sold in 25 countries including Macy's (USA), Manor and KaDeWe (Europe). Entrex distributes Rollink smart luggage in Japan.
• Prolitec Inc. (プロリテック社)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerU.S. company developing nano-particle fragrance diffusion systems. Entrex holds Japan exclusive import and distribution rights. Prolitec systems are deployed in 90+ countries with 150,000+ units globally.
• Philips (フィリップス) / SignifymajorTechnology or IntegrationPhilips (via Signify) supplies Sterilamp UVC high-output germicidal lamps (30W and 15W) used in the UVC Virus Killer air purification device. UVC wavelength 254nm for effective virus and bacteria inactivation.
• Matakana Botanicals (マタカナボタニカルズ)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Zealand-based natural body care brand. Entrex distributes multiple sub-brands including Earths Botanics Cucumber & Mint, Earths Botanics Gardeners, GBI (Great Barrier Island Bee Co.), APOTHECARY, and the chefs in Japan.
• JICA (国際協力機構)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2020, JICA selected Entrex Group's fulvic acid agricultural project in Tunisia as an SDGs Business Support Project. Entrex is working to improve soil quality and olive production in Tunisia using fulvic acid technology.
• Sesame WorkshopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensing partnership for Sesame Workshop characters. Sesame Street content and character licensing managed through Entrex.
• Warner Bros. Japan LLC (ワーナーブラザーズジャパン)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensing agreement signed December 2014 for consumer products.
• Walt Disney Japan (ウォルト・ディズニージャパン)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensing agreement signed in 2015 for consumer products.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ASKUL Corporation: Japanese B2B office and lifestyle products distributor with an integrated e-commerce and direct-retail platform (ASKUL, SOLOEL ARENA, Lohaco). Directly comparable to Antrex's combination of B2B wholesale, owned e-commerce (entresquare.com), and consumer retail footprint in Japan.
• MUJI (Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd.): Operates a curated multi-category lifestyle retail concept spanning home goods, kitchen, beauty and apparel across Japan and globally. Comparable to Antrex's VIDA / entre vida / VICEVERSA lifestyle-store strategy and curated house-brand assortment imported via international partnerships.
• Kolmar Korea Holdings Co., Ltd. Global cosmetics OEM/ODM manufacturer spanning skincare, makeup, sun care and hair care with large GMP-certified factories in Korea and abroad. Comparable to AIDA's contract-manufacturing economics and structure (GMP factory, multi-SKU production, indie-brand client base).
• Bandai Namco Holdings: Japanese character merchandising and IP licensing giant producing global plush, toy and lifestyle character goods (Disney, etc.). Directly comparable to Antrex's NICI plush/character business and its broader character-IP licenses (Warner Bros., Disney, Sesame Workshop).
• Felissimo Co., Ltd. Japanese lifestyle/brand operator combining curated catalogs, direct-to-consumer e-commerce, character-brand licensing and exclusive designer partnerships (e.g., Disney). Closely mirrors Antrex's mix of imported brand distribution (NICI, Wilton, Disney/Warner licenses), e-commerce (entresquare.com) and specialty retail.
• Cosmax Inc. One of the world's largest cosmetics OEM/ODM manufacturers with turnkey formulation, filling and packaging capabilities. Direct comparable to Antrex's AIDA subsidiary (ISO 22716, 1,000+ SKUs/year, full-bore Japanese OEM) for indie and established brand clients.
• Loft (Seven & i Holdings): Specialty lifestyle variety retailer under Seven & i Holdings operating ~180 stores across Japan carrying curated health, beauty, household and hobby merchandise. Comparable store-format overlap with Antrex's directly managed lifestyle retail stores in Tokyo, Sapporo, Sendai, Nasu, Saitama and Fukuoka.

Broad incumbents

• Lion Corporation: Long-established Japanese manufacturer of cosmetics, personal care, oral care and household products with strong domestic mass-market share. Comparable as a Japanese category incumbent against which Antrex's imported personal-care brands (Baxter of California, J.R. Watkins, AIDA) compete for shelf space and consumer mindshare.
• Daikin Industries, Ltd. Global HVAC and air-purification leader with commercial- and consumer-grade indoor-air-quality products. Comparable industrial-technology and rental/service overlap with Antrex's air-care business (no-SIDE commercial sterilization, Anemoi Air rentals) but at vastly larger scale.
• Sharp Corporation: Major Japanese electronics and appliance manufacturer with the well-known Plasmacluster air-purifier line and broader white-goods portfolio. Overlaps Antrex's Ionic Breeze, no-SIDE, Anemoi and UVC air-quality offerings, but as a much larger incumbent with global appliance distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/entresquare
• Facebookfacebook.com/entresquare
• Instagraminstagram.com/areaware_japan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/entrex-inc.

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries7 records

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 Antrex Co