What Placo does

株式会社プラコート (Kabushiki Kaisha Placo) is a Japanese manufacturer of plastic forming machinery, founded in 1960 and headquartered in Iwatsuki-ku, Saitama City. The company designs, manufactures, and sells three core equipment categories: blow molding machines (DA-L/DA-H/DA-G series, S-65NDW, AO-75, EA-55/EB-65 all-electric, 6SOB multi-layer gasoline tank, N-2XYW 3D duct), inflation film molding machines (EXZ high-performance extruders, multi-layer dies, PRO-CON/PRO-CON DUO air rings, IS-IBC internal cooling, C-SCAN+IR thickness measurement), and recycling/environmental equipment (ZSS/PS/RZS single-shaft shredders, GD twin-shaft shredders, GD-A/GD-C crushers, NMM inline pelletizers). Underlying technology emphasizes proprietary extruder designs (Japan's first direct-drive DIREX series in 2007), computer-controlled molding (TMC series from 1995), fully unmanned inflation film systems (from 1990), and electric drive architectures delivering ~20% energy savings. The company is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market (ticker 6347.T).

The business model combines capital equipment sales (one-time license recognized upon delivery/acceptance) with aftermarket parts commerce through the proprietary Placo Plaza (プラモール) e-commerce platform selling motors, screws, cylinders, reducers, and servo valves. Customer segments span plastic product manufacturers producing containers, packaging films, automotive components (ducts, spoilers, fuel tanks), agricultural films, and medical/cosmetic containers — a horizontal segmentation across industries with enterprise B2B direct sales as the primary go-to-market motion. Distribution is supplemented by a 2018 channel partnership with Germany's Plast Control GmbH. The company has diversified into IT services via Cloud Service Co., Ltd. (AWS development, AI/NLP/image recognition services, acquired 2018-08) and into staffing/HR consulting via PBB Co., Ltd. (acquired 2024-09).

FY2025 (March 2025) reported revenue was ¥2,227 million with FY2026 forecast of ¥2,679 million (~20% planned growth). Capital stock is ¥844.97 million, total assets stand at ¥3,134 million with a 53.3% equity ratio at FY2026 Q2. The order backlog contracted sharply from ¥2,164 million at FY2023 end to ¥749 million at FY2025 end, signaling near-term demand softness in core capital equipment. The company holds 12+ registered Japanese patents across blow molding, extrusion, and recycling technologies and operates a 9,727 sqm manufacturing facility in Saitama with 83 employees at the parent plus 53 and 63 employees at the two subsidiaries respectively.

Name

Placo

Legal name

株式会社プラコート (Kabushiki Kaisha Placo)

Website

https://placo.co.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

株式会社プラコート (Placo) is a Japanese manufacturer of blow molding machines, inflation film molding machines, and plastic recycling equipment, serving plastic product manufacturers, automotive component suppliers, and agricultural film producers with proprietary extruder and electric-drive technologies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Plastic Forming Machinery

NAICS

Packaging Machinery Manufacturing (333993)

akta.pro primary industry

Blow Molding & Thermoforming Packaging Equipment (Bottle/Tray Making) (IMALAOAK)

Keywords

• Plastic molding machines
• Blow molding equipment
• Inflation film machinery
• Plastic recycling equipment
• Industrial extrusion systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Saitama

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Plastic Molding Machine Sales: Sale of inflation film molding machines, blow molding machines, and plastic recycling equipment as capital goods. Revenue from large equipment sales is recognized upon delivery and acceptance by customers.
2. Parts and Spare Parts Sales: Spare parts EC site (プラモール) selling replacement parts, motors, and components for their equipment. Supports ongoing customer relationships post-sale.
3. AWS Cloud Development Services: Cloud Service subsidiary provides AWS application development, setup/migration services, AI services (data analysis, NLP, image recognition, generative AI), and software development. Also provides staffing services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Placo manufactures and sells plastic forming capital equipment across three lines: blow molding machines (die internal accumulate, continuous extrusion, all-electric and multi-layer), inflation film molding systems (extruders, multi-layer dies, thickness control air rings, internal cooling, winding machines), and recycling/environmental equipment (shredders, crushers, inline pelletizers). The company also provides spare parts through its Pla-Mall e-commerce site and, via its Cloud Service subsidiary, AWS application development, migration, and AI services.

Product overview

Placo (株式会社プラコー) is a Japanese manufacturer of plastic forming machinery offering three core product categories: Blow Molding Machines (ブロー成形機), Inflation Film Molding Machines (インフレーション成形機), and Recycling/Environmental Equipment (リサイクル機器・環境機器). The blow molding lineup includes DA-L, DA-H, DA-G series die internal accumulate machines, continuous extrusion S-65NDW and AO-75 machines, all-electric EA-55 and EB-65 machines, multi-layer 6SOB gasoline tank machines, and N-2XYW 3D duct machines. The inflation film systems feature EXZ series high-performance extruders, multi-layer inflation machines for agriculture and packaging, multi-layer stacking and smooth flow dies, PRO-CON and PRO-CON DUO wall thickness control air rings, IS-IBC internal cooling systems, C-SCAN+IR barrier film thickness measurement, and various winding machines. Recycling equipment includes ZSS, PS, and RZS single-shaft shredders, GD twin-shaft shredders, GD-A and GD-C high-speed crushers, and NMM inline pelletizers. The company also operates related businesses including AWS cloud services through subsidiary Cloud Service Co., Ltd., and maintains a parts e-commerce platform called プラモール (Pla-Mall). Placo is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (ticker: 6347.T).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DA-L Series Die Internal Accumulate Blow Molding Machine Die internal accumulate type blow molding machine with mold locking mechanism that uniformly transmits clamping force, for industrial blow molding production.
• DA-H Series Die Internal Accumulate Blow Molding Machine Die internal accumulate blow molding machine with servo-driven mold clamping device for energy-saving production of automotive ducts and spoilers.
• DA-G Series Die Internal Accumulate Blow Molding Machine Tie-bar-less die internal accumulate blow molding machine for automotive ducts, spoilers, child seats and tanks, supporting simultaneous injection and mold clamping.
• S-65NDW Double Station Fully Automatic Blow Molding Machine Double station continuous extrusion blow molding machine delivering 1.4-1.5x production for industrial tanks, handy cans and watering cans.
• AO-75 Fully Automatic Blow Molding Machine High-production continuous extrusion blow molding machine for 10-18L industrial tanks, washer tanks and 5-10L watering cans.
• EA-55 All-Electric Blow Molding Machine All-electric blow molding machine delivering ~20% energy savings, clean operation, low noise and high cycle rates for medical, cosmetic and shampoo bottles.
• EB-65 All-Electric Blow Molding Machine All-electric blow molding machine for industrial applications including washer tanks, absorber covers and humidifier tanks.
• 6SOB 5-Layer 6-Type Gasoline Tank Blow Molding Machine Multi-layer 5-layer 6-type PET gasoline tank blow molding machine with compact design occupying about one-third the floor space of conventional machines.
• N-2XYW 3D Duct Blow Molding Machine High-speed double station 3D duct blow molding machine achieving ~1.8-2x production with flashing-free 3D curved duct forming and connection blow molding of varying hardness.
• EXZ Series High-Performance Extruder World-class high-performance extruder with new-design barrier screws and hopper grunds for high extrusion output and energy savings in inflation film lines.
• Agricultural Multi-Layer Inflation Molding Machine Multi-layer inflation molding machine for agricultural greenhouse films and multi-layer olefin film production with environmental friendliness.
• 3-Layer 3-Type Rotary Die Film Molding Machine 3-layer 3-type rotary die inflation machine for laminated films, protective films, rice bags, fertilizer bags and general packaging films.
• 3-Layer 5-Type Traction Swing High-Function Film Molding Machine 3-layer 5-type traction-swing high-function inflation machine for food packaging films and gas barrier films.
• Multi-Layer Stacking Die Multi-layer inflation die with independent per-layer temperature control for improved continuous formability of PA (nylon) and EVOH barrier layers.
• 3-Layer 5-Layer Smooth Flow Die 3- and 5-layer smooth flow die with tournament-type flow path that minimizes thermal degradation and side-feed design for high productivity.
• PRO-CON Wall Thickness Control Air Ring High-response auto gauge air ring that reduces film thickness deviation to 1/3 within 6 minutes for high-precision film production.
• PRO-CON DUO Wall Thickness Control Air Ring Dual-layer high-response auto gauge air ring delivering 1.5-2x forming capacity improvement while maintaining high film quality.
• C-SCAN+IR Barrier Film Thickness Measurement System Infrared-based thickness measurement system for barrier film layers using a dedicated IR measurement head integrated with the C-SCAN system.
• IS-IBC Internal Cooling System Non-contact ultrasonic sensor-based internal bubble cooling system with multiple sensors ensuring stable film control regardless of film circularity.
• 1-Shaft Long Film Winding Machine Single-shaft long film winder with simple winding-diameter calculation for stable winding unaffected by disturbances.
• Stop-Cut Opposed Type 2-Shaft Auto-Reversing Winding Machine Opposed-type 2-shaft auto-reversing winder with touch roll drive and speed ratio control for laminated films and food packaging films.
• Stop-Cut Upper-Lower 2-Stage 4-Shaft Winding Machine Space-saving upper-lower 2-stage 4-shaft stop-cut winder enabling use of entire product roll with servo and auto-tension control for high repeat accuracy.
• ZSS Series Single-Shaft Shredder Single-shaft shredder for plastics, wood, paper and fiber, available in models from ZSS-850 to ZXS-3000.
• PS Series Single-Shaft Shredder Compact high-performance single-shaft shredder with maintenance door for primary shredding of food waste, construction debris and recyclables.
• RZS-1000G Single-Shaft Shredder Single-shaft shredder designed for in-factory plastic recycling applications.
• GD Series Twin-Shaft Shredder High-capacity twin-shaft shredder with low noise and exchangeable blades for wood, plastic tanks, cables, film rolls and furniture.
• GD-A Series High-Speed Crusher High-speed crusher for general plastics, available in GD-A-215, GD-A-220 and GD-A-225 models.
• GD-C Series High-Speed Crusher High-speed crusher available in various models for plastic processing applications.
• NMM Series Inline Regenerated Pellet Device Air-cooled inline regenerated pellet manufacturing system that significantly reduces water usage and is compatible with inflation molding machines for closed-loop recycling.
• Cutter Compactor Type Pelletizer Cutter-compactor integrated pelletizer covering crushing, volume reduction, melting, extrusion and granulation for LDPE, HDPE, PP and film materials.
• AWS Application Development and AI Services AWS application development, implementation, migration and AI services (NLP, image recognition, generative AI) provided by subsidiary Cloud Service Co., Ltd. to enterprise clients.
• Pla-Mall (プラモール) Spare Parts E-Commerce Site Online storefront for genuine Placo parts and partner components (motors, screws, cylinders, reducers, controllers, servo valves) with quotation and purchase functionality for existing customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% energy reduction compared to hydraulic machines
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ドイツ・プラストコントロール社 (German Plast Control GmbH)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2018Formalized partnership with German Plast Control company in 2018 for expanded sales of inflation molding equipment. Placo serves as distributor/sales partner for Plast Control products in Japan.
• FTS社 (FTS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Joint development partnership for small fuel tank blow molding machines. Q-I model launched in 2012, followed by Q-II model in 2014 completing the series. Technology combining Placo's blow molding expertise with FTS capabilities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bekum Maschinenfabriken GmbH: German manufacturer of extrusion blow molding machines for packaging containers. Directly comparable product line to Placo's blow molding machines, serving plastics converters producing bottles, containers, and automotive parts.
• Sidel Group: French manufacturer of PET blow molding and complete packaging line equipment for beverages, food, and personal care. Comparable as a direct blow molding equipment peer serving packaging customers, though at significantly larger scale.
• Hosokawa Alpine AG: German manufacturer of blown film extrusion lines and plastic processing machinery. Closely comparable to Placo's inflation film and multi-layer film equipment offerings, particularly for packaging and agricultural film markets.
• Sumitomo (SHI) Demag: Joint venture between Sumitomo Heavy Industries and Demag that produces injection molding machines for plastic manufacturers globally. Highly comparable as a plastic molding machinery peer serving similar B2B customer segments with comparable electric and hybrid machine technologies.
• Nissei Plastic Industrial Co., Ltd. Japanese manufacturer of injection and blow molding machines serving plastic product manufacturers worldwide. Closely comparable to Placo as a domestic specialist in plastic forming machinery with overlapping customer base in Japan and similar capital-goods business model.
• Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH: German manufacturer specializing in blow molding machines, particularly multi-layer plastic fuel tanks for the automotive industry. Most directly comparable to Placo's 6SOB multi-layer gasoline tank machine and automotive duct/spoiler product lines.
• Graham Engineering Corporation: American manufacturer of blow molding machinery for industrial containers and automotive applications. Comparable product line to Placo's continuous extrusion blow molding machines serving industrial and automotive customers.
• Reifenhäuser GmbH: German manufacturer of blown film extrusion lines for packaging and industrial film applications. Most directly comparable peer for Placo's inflation film molding machine business, including multi-layer film systems.

Broad incumbents

• Husky Injection Molding Systems: Canadian global leader in injection molding equipment, hot runners, and complete packaging solutions. Comparable as a broad incumbent in plastic molding machinery serving packaging and consumer products customers, but at significantly larger scale and with broader portfolio.

Emerging players

• UNTHA Shredding Technology: Austrian manufacturer of industrial shredders and recycling machinery. Comparable to Placo's recycling equipment line (ZSS, PS, GD shredders) for plastics and industrial waste processing, though UNTHA serves a broader waste/recycling customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/placo-products-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Placo