What Maruyama does

Maruyama Group (株式会社丸山自動車) is a privately held, family-controlled Japanese automotive services company headquartered in Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture, operating a multi-brand portfolio across the full car lifecycle. Founded in 1967 as an auto repair factory and formally incorporated in 1976, the group today runs 7 vehicle-inspection stations under the Kobac brand (~27,000 inspections annually), 3+ body-repair and painting facilities under the Modori brand (~7,000 vehicles annually), and used-vehicle dealerships under Pocket Cars (~700-vehicle inventory across Sanjo and Nagaoka) and Pocket Cars Plus (regular vehicles). Revenue is generated almost entirely from individual consumers (B2C) via transaction fees for inspection and repair work, one-time sales of used and new (BYD) vehicles, recurring insurance agency commissions (HGA-certified partner of Aioi Nissay Dowa, Tokio Marine, Sompo Japan), J-Net Rent-a-Car franchise fees, and roadside assistance under Road Support Niigata. The 383-employee group also operates a gas/service station (Kobac Station) and — most recently — a BYD-authorized EV dealership (BYD AUTO Niigata, wholly-owned subsidiary MB株式会社) that grand-opened in May 2026.

The underlying technology is non-proprietary service delivery: Japanese vehicle inspection (shaken) is a regulated statutory process requiring authorized-repair designation (held since 1979), supported by standard diagnostic equipment, body-repair tooling, and dealer-management systems. No proprietary software, AI/ML capability, or platform architecture is disclosed. GTM is direct-to-consumer through owned physical retail storefronts; marketing runs through a corporate website, four brand-specific sites, Instagram and X/Twitter accounts, and CSR programs such as the Randsel Gift (used-backpack charity for Afghan children). Distribution is concentrated in Niigata Prefecture (Tsubame, Sanjo, Nagaoka, Joetsu, Akashi, Niigata-city, Murakami) with a Tokyo outpost in Shinagawa via the 2020 acquisition of First Tokyo.

The business model is fundamentally a regional, multi-brand automotive-services roll-up with cross-selling across purchase → inspection → repair → insurance → roadside → rental. The current strategic posture is articulated through the publicly stated '100 Billion Yen Growth Project' — a target of ¥100B in sales revenue by 2027 — supported by M&A (most recently Good Life Insurance Services in Jan 2025), EV vertical entry via BYD, and intra-prefectural and Tokyo expansion. Ownership remains with founding family (Representative Director Maruyama Yuichi) with no external PE, VC, or institutional shareholders identified.

Name

Maruyama

Legal name

株式会社丸山自動車

Website

https://maruyama-j.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Maruyama Group (株式会社丸山自動車) is a privately held Japanese automotive services roll-up operating Kobac inspection stations, Modori body-repair shops, Pocket Cars used-vehicle dealerships, insurance agency, EV sales (BYD), and rental services for individual car owners across Niigata Prefecture and Tokyo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Services

NAICS

Automotive Mechanical and Electrical Repair and Maintenance (81111), Motorcycle, ATV, and All Other Motor Vehicle Dealers (441227), Specialized Automotive Repair (811114)

SIC

Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Point Inspections & Safety Checks (DVIR/Annual/Periodic) (TLAKAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Collision Repair, Bodywork & Paint (Light-Duty) (TLAKAAAK)

Keywords

• Vehicle inspection services
• Automotive body repair
• Used vehicle sales
• Automotive insurance agency
• Roadside assistance services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sanjo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Inspection (Shaken) Services: Vehicle inspection services under the Kobac brand - annual inspection, maintenance, and regulatory compliance services for passenger vehicles
2. Body Repair and Painting: Dent repair and painting services under the Modori brand
3. Vehicle Sales: New and used vehicle sales, specializing in light vehicles (kei cars) and passenger vehicles under Pocket Cars brand
4. Insurance Agency: Automobile and property damage insurance agency services as licensed agent for partner insurance companies including Aioi Nissay Dowa, Tokai Marine, and Sompo Japan
5. Roadside Assistance: Road support services under Road Support Niigata brand
6. Rental Car Services: Car rental services as J-net Rent-a-Car franchise
7. EV Sales and Dealership: BYD electric vehicle sales and dealership operations under MB Inc.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Maruyama Group operates a multi-brand regional automotive services platform in Niigata Prefecture and Tokyo, providing vehicle inspection (shaken), body repair and painting, used and new vehicle sales (including BYD electric vehicles), automobile insurance agency, roadside assistance, and rental car services. It runs 7+ inspection stations (27,000+ vehicles/year), 3+ body repair facilities (7,000+ vehicles/year), and a ~700-vehicle light-vehicle dealership. The portfolio targets the full car-lifecycle needs of individual owners across Niigata and Tokyo through dedicated brands such as Kobac (inspection), Modori (dent repair), Pocket Cars (sales), Road Support Niigata, and BYD AUTO Niigata.

Product overview

Maruyama Group operates a multi-brand automotive service platform structured around five core business lines: (1) Inspection services under the Kobak brand (年检コバック, 7 locations in Niigata and Tokyo), offering annual vehicle inspections with over 27,000 inspections per year; (2) Dent repair and painting under the Modori brand (鈑金のモドーリー, 3+ facilities), handling over 7,000 vehicles annually; (3) Vehicle sales under two sub-brands — Pocket Cars (ポケットカーズ, light used vehicles, ~700-vehicle inventory) and Pocket Cars Plus (ポケットカーズプラス, regular used vehicles); (4) Insurance, roadside assistance, and rental car services supporting the full automotive lifecycle; and (5) EV sales through BYD AUTO Niigata, a BYD authorized dealership opened in 2023 and grand-opened in 2026. The group also acquired First Tokyo Co., Ltd. in 2022 for Tokyo market expansion. The portfolio is unified under the Maruyama Group umbrella since the 2018 rebrand, targeting regional car lifecycle needs from purchase and inspection to repair, insurance, and end-of-life services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kobac Vehicle Inspection (車検のコバック) Annual vehicle inspection (shaken) services under the Kobac brand, operated at 7 stations across Niigata Prefecture (Tsubame, Sanjo, Joetsu Inter, Akamachi, Shikakuyama, Nagaoka) and Tokyo (Shinagawa), handling over 27,000 vehicle inspections annually for individual car owners seeking regulatorily compliant, low-cost inspections.
• Modori Body Repair and Painting (鈑金のモドーリー) Dent repair, bodywork, and painting services under the Modori brand at facilities in Tsubame, Sanjo, and a specialized light-dent (Joetsu) shop, handling over 7,000 vehicles annually for individual car owners needing collision and dent repair.
• Pocket Cars (ポケットカーズ) Light used vehicle specialty dealership with a combined group inventory of approximately 700 vehicles, focused on kei (light) vehicles and offering after-sales support including inspection, bodywork, and insurance for individual car buyers in Niigata Prefecture.
• Pocket Cars Plus (ポケットカーズプラス) Sub-brand offering regular (non-light) used vehicle sales, operating from Pocket Cars Sanjo, the Kobac Joetsu Inter site, and Kobac Shikakuyama, complementing the Pocket Cars light-vehicle focus.
• BYD AUTO Niigata BYD authorized electric vehicle dealership operated through MB株式会社, selling and servicing BYD EV and PHEV models to individual car buyers in Niigata Prefecture; preparatory office opened May 2023 with formal dealership launch in 2024.
• Automobile and Damage Insurance Agency Automobile and property-damage insurance agency services provided as a licensed agent for Aioi Nissay Dowa, Tokio Marine, and Sompo Japan, with HGA (highest) certified agency status for individual customers at all Maruyama retail locations.
• Road Support Niigata (ロードサポート新潟) Roadside assistance and rescue services covering Niigata Prefecture, providing emergency towing, battery jump-starts, tire changes, and other breakdown support to individual motorists.
• J-Net Rent-a-Car Franchise rental-car service operated at business locations under the J-Net Rent-a-Car brand, providing short-term vehicle rentals to individual customers needing temporary mobility.
• Kobak Station (コバックスステーション) Combined gas station and vehicle maintenance / repair facility located in Niigata City Nishi-ku Tero, offering gasoline refueling alongside maintenance and repair services to individual motorists.
• First Tokyo Auto Services (ファースト東京株式会社) Tokyo-based subsidiary operating private automotive repair, body repair and painting, new and used vehicle sales, and damage insurance agency services from a Shinagawa showroom, serving Tokyo metropolitan car owners.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• BYD AUTO (MB株式会社)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 5 May 2023BYD electric vehicle dealership partnership. Grand opened May 2024 as BYD AUTO Niigata, selling and servicing BYD electric vehicles in the region. Part of diversification into EV market.
• あいおいニッセイ同和損害保険株式会社 (Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary insurance partner providing automobile and property damage insurance products. Company holds HGA (highest rating) certified insurance agency status. Provides insurance products through all retail locations as licensed agent.
• 東京海上日動火災保険株式会社 (Tokai Marine Nichido Fire Insurance)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor insurance partner for automobile and property coverage. Licensed insurance agency providing products at all locations.
• 損害保険ジャパン株式会社 (Sompo Japan Insurance)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInsurance partner for automobile and damage insurance products. Licensed to sell and promote Sompo Japan products.
• 株式会社コバック (Kobac Co.)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrand licensing and joint data use partnership. Customer data shared for service provision and marketing purposes. Co-brand inspection station network.
• Jネットレンタカー (J-Net Rent-a-Car)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFranchise partnership for rental car services under J-Net Rent-a-Car brand at business locations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• COCKPIT (Kobac Franchise System): Parent franchise system for the Kobac (コバック) light-vehicle inspection brand that Maruyama operates. Other Kobac franchisees run the same inspection service model in their respective regions, making them the closest direct peers to Maruyama's largest service line.
• IDOM Inc. (formerly Gulliver International): One of Japan's largest used car retail chains with both franchised and direct stores selling used passenger vehicles. Comparable to Maruyama's Pocket Cars used light vehicle dealership, but at a national scale with 500+ locations.
• KeePer Technical Laboratory: Japanese car care and detailing chain providing coating, washing, and related services through a franchise network. Comparable to Maruyama in delivering recurring, technician-driven auto services to individual consumers, with a national franchise footprint.
• Nexstage: Listed Japanese used car dealer chain specializing in new and used passenger vehicles. Closely comparable to Maruyama's Pocket Cars Plus regular-vehicle sales line, though Nexstage operates nationwide with a much larger inventory and revenue base.
• Big Motor (now under new management, branded AP Yamaguchi): Japan's largest collision repair and used car retailer (now under Toyota-affiliated ownership). The most direct peer in business model: body repair, inspection, used car sales and insurance agency under one roof. Useful as a comparable for service-line economics despite its troubled history.

Broad incumbents

• AUTOBACS Seven: Japan's largest auto aftermarket chain offering tire, oil, inspection, body repair, and used car services through a national franchise. Comparable to Maruyama as a multi-service auto platform, but vastly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Yellow Hat: Major Japanese auto aftermarket retailer and services chain providing tire change, oil change, inspection, and body repair. Directly overlaps with Maruyama's Kobac, Modori, and Pocket Cars service lines, though operates at national scale with 700+ stores.
• Honda U-Car Center (Honda Used Car Network): Honda's authorized used car sales network across Japan. Comparable to Maruyama's Pocket Cars used vehicle business, but operates nationwide under a major OEM brand and includes OEM-backed inspection and warranty services.

Regional players

• J-Net Rent-a-Car: National rental car franchise whose brand Maruyama operates under for its rental car business. Comparable as a regional franchisee of a national rental car system, though this captures only a minor slice of Maruyama's overall service mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/maruyama_kobac
• Instagraminstagram.com/maruyama_group

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 Maruyama