Zuiko
Zuiko is a Japanese manufacturer of high-speed converting machinery for disposable hygiene products including baby diapers, adult incontinence products, and sanitary napkins, holding 90% domestic Japan market share and ranking among the top 3 globally.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersSettsu, Japan
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Zuiko does
Zuiko Corporation (株式会社瑞光, TSE: 6279) is a Japanese machinery manufacturer founded in 1946 and headquartered in Ibaraki, Osaka, specializing in high-speed converting machines for disposable hygiene products. The company's core product portfolio includes manufacturing equipment for baby diapers (pants-type and tape-type), feminine care products (sanitary napkins, napkin pants, pantyliners), adult incontinence products (diapers and pads), and specialty items such as pet sheets, nursing pads, disposable masks, and RFID converting machines. Zuiko's proprietary technology stack encompasses glue-free sealing, next-generation absorbent cores, and the ZUIKO Modular System (ZMS), which enables manufacturers to swap modular sections to change product specifications with an estimated 50% reduction in power consumption. The company holds 800+ patents, commands 90% domestic Japan market share, and ranks among the top 3 global manufacturers of hygiene converting machinery.
Zuiko monetizes primarily through one-time equipment sales of custom-built machines with 8-10 month lead times, supplemented by recurring aftermarket services (maintenance, spare parts, overhauls, retrofits) delivered through its global service network. The go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales from Japan headquarters and 8 overseas bases, with manufacturing facilities in Shanghai (since 2003) and Brazil, and sales/service offices in the USA, Germany, Italy, Thailand, Indonesia, Turkey, and India. Customer segments primarily comprise major global hygiene product manufacturers across baby care, feminine care, and adult incontinence categories. Beyond core machinery, Zuiko is expanding into adjacent businesses including ZUIKO Medical (wound dressings using Proguard functional film technology), COTEX (cotton products acquired from Teimen Corporation in February 2024), spunlace nonwoven fabric production, diaper recycling systems (SFD-600, 600 kg/day capacity), automated nursing care devices (MINELET), and protective gown manufacturing machinery. The company employs 501-1,000 people across the group (597 total ZUIKO Group employees) and exports to 36 countries.
Zuiko firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zuiko
- Legal name
- 株式会社瑞光
- Website
- https://zuiko.co.jp
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Zuiko is a Japanese manufacturer of high-speed converting machinery for disposable hygiene products including baby diapers, adult incontinence products, and sanitary napkins, holding 90% domestic Japan market share and ranking among the top 3 globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zuiko industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Hygiene Product Manufacturing Machinery
- NAICS
- Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Restroom & Hygiene Dispensing Systems (Commercial/Industrial) (IMAHALAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Away-from-Home (AFH) Tissue & Wipers (Commercial/Institutional) (IMAMAGAB)
Keywords
Where Zuiko is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Settsu
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices11 records
Markets served
Zuiko business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Hygiene Product Manufacturing Equipment Sales: Custom-built converting machines for disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, adult incontinence products, and other hygiene products. Machines are built to order according to customer specifications. Lead time is 8-10 months from order to delivery.
- Aftermarket Services and Spare Parts: Maintenance, repair, spare parts supply, overhauls, retrofits, and technical support for installed machinery. Services provided through worldwide bases including Shanghai, Thailand, and Indonesia.
- Medical Device Sales (ZUIKO Medical): Medical devices and intermediate materials for medical devices through ZUIKO Medical subsidiary, including wound dressings and related products.
- Cotton Products (COTEX): Cotton products through COTEX subsidiary, including online retail sales of cotton materials for hygiene applications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Custom Machine Manufacturing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Zuiko product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ZUIKO Corporation designs, manufactures, and sells high-speed converting machines for disposable hygiene products including baby diapers, adult incontinence products, and sanitary napkins. The company also produces specialty equipment such as disposable mask manufacturing machines, RFID converting machines, and used diaper recycling systems, serving global hygiene product manufacturers through direct sales from Japan and a network of manufacturing and service facilities across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
Product overview
ZUIKO Corporation (株式会社瑞光, TSE:6279) is a Japanese manufacturer of hygiene product manufacturing equipment with 90% domestic market share and top-3 global positioning. The company operates a platform-plus-modules architecture with core converting machines for disposable hygiene products (baby diapers, adult diapers, sanitary napkins, masks, RFID tags) complemented by new business ventures (diaper recycling, spunlace nonwovens, medical devices, automated excretion care). Key products include the ZUIKO Modular System (ZMS) for flexible diaper manufacturing, the SFD-600 used diaper recycling system (600kg/day capacity), and high-speed mask production equipment (600+ pcs/min). The portfolio is delivered through 8 overseas bases including manufacturing facilities in Shanghai and Brazil, with recent acquisitions adding COTEX (cotton products), ZUIKO Delta (Italian machinery), and spunlace nonwoven fabric capabilities. Subsidiaries include ZUIKO Medical (wound dressings), and new initiatives cover protective gown automation and nursing care systems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- COTEX: Cotton products manufacturer and online retailer, subsidiary of ZUIKO Corporation
- ZUIKO Medical
- ZUIKO DELTA
- ZUIKO Modular System (ZMS)
Products and services
- Baby Diaper Manufacturing Machines
Quantifiable outcome
- 50% power consumption reduction in ZUIKO Modular System machines while maintaining performance quality and high production speeds
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Zuiko
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Zuiko technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature10 records
Zuiko partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered secondary, core and minor.
- Auto Excretion Care Device JVsecondaryEstablishment of joint venture company (subsidiary) for manufacturing auto excretion care devices. ZUIKO investing in nursing care automation technology.
- Spunlace Nonwoven Fabric Business AcquisitionsecondaryAcquisition of spunlace nonwoven fabric business to expand into nonwoven materials. Expected completion December 2025 with recognition of extraordinary gain.
- Delta S.r.l.coreAcquired as ZUIKO subsidiary (90% quota acquisition completed June 2024). Italian manufacturer of disposable sanitary products machinery established in 2002. Complements ZUIKO's product line with different price range and serves customers in USA, Europe, South America, and Africa. Rebranded as ZUIKO DELTA S.R.L.
- J2L Co., Ltd.minorLocal partner for 2024 REHA HOMECARE exhibition in South Korea. Introduces ZUIKO's automatic excretion care system MINELET to Korean market.
- Takeei CorporationsecondaryCollaborative agreement for development of used diaper recycling technology. Partnership with Takeei Corporation, Soma City, and Yamagata University to promote recycling-oriented decarbonized society.
- Soma CitysecondaryMunicipal government partner in used diaper recycling project. Provides raw materials for demonstration and supports local implementation of recycling systems.
- Yamagata UniversitysecondaryAcademic partner providing evaluation and verification of used diaper recycling technology results. Contributes academic rigor to proof of concept development.
- Teimen CorporationsecondaryCotton manufacturing business acquisition completed February 2024. COTEX Corporation (ZUIKO subsidiary) acquired cotton business to develop cotton functions for hygiene products and other fields.
- J-Chemical Co. Ltd.secondaryPartnership agreement for developing new medical field products using J-Chemical's 'Proguard' functional film technology. Combines J-Chemical's technology with ZUIKO Medical's wound dressing development expertise. Proguard is a patented three-layer film with antibacterial, gas barrier, and protective properties.
- Promote Co., Ltd.secondaryCollaboration to promote and sell automatic excrement removal equipment for nursing care patients. Joint investments in technical and engineering support. Product called 'MINELET' shown at H.C.R. exhibitions.
- Maruka CorporationsecondaryPartner in nursing care project collaboration with Promote, Inc. Joint investment in technical and engineering support for automatic excretion care systems.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Zuiko competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Andritz AG: Austrian-listed industrial machinery group with broad pulp, paper, metalforming, and nonwoven/hygiene machinery operations. Its Andritz Diatec division directly competes with ZUIKO, but the parent group operates across multiple unrelated industrial machinery verticals rather than specializing in hygiene converting.
Direct peers
- Andritz Diatec: Division of Austrian industrial group Andritz AG, specializing in converting and finishing lines for hygiene nonwoven products including diapers and wipes. Direct competitor to ZUIKO in high-speed converting machinery, with similar global customer base among hygiene manufacturers.
- Fameccanica.Data S.p.A. Italian manufacturer of converting machinery for hygiene products including baby diapers, feminine care, and adult incontinence items. Part of the Angelini Group, serving global hygiene product manufacturers with similar custom-engineered converting lines as ZUIKO.
- GDM S.p.A. Italian-based manufacturer of converting lines for disposable hygiene products, particularly baby diapers and feminine care. Competes directly with ZUIKO in custom-built high-speed converting machinery for global hygiene manufacturers.
- Winkler+Dünnebier (W+D): German manufacturer of converting machinery for hygiene products, tissue, and nonwoven applications. Now part of BW Packaging Solutions. Competes with ZUIKO in custom machinery for feminine care, baby diapers, and tissue converting.
- Curt G. Joa, Inc. US-based manufacturer of machinery for the disposable hygiene products industry, producing equipment for baby diapers, adult incontinence, and feminine care products. Direct competitor to ZUIKO in custom-built converting machines serving the same global hygiene manufacturer customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Zuiko social profiles
Digital presenceZuiko financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zuiko leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Zuiko subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries11 records
Zuiko funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zuiko M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zuiko
What does Zuiko do?
ZUIKO Corporation designs, manufactures, and sells high-speed converting machines for disposable hygiene products including baby diapers, adult incontinence products, and sanitary napkins. The company also produces specialty equipment such as disposable mask manufacturing machines, RFID converting machines, and used diaper recycling systems, serving global hygiene product manufacturers through direct sales from Japan and a network of manufacturing and service facilities across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
Is Zuiko a public or private company?
Zuiko is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Zuiko founded?
Zuiko was founded in 1946. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Zuiko based?
Zuiko is headquartered in Settsu, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Zuiko make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hygiene Product Manufacturing Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are aftermarket Services and Spare Parts, medical Device Sales (ZUIKO Medical) and cotton Products (COTEX).
Who are Zuiko's main competitors?
Andritz AG is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Andritz Diatec, Fameccanica.Data S.p.A., GDM S.p.A., Winkler+Dünnebier (W+D) and Curt G. Joa, Inc..
Does Zuiko have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zuiko.
What industry is Zuiko in?
Zuiko's product category is Industrial Hygiene Product Manufacturing Machinery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHALAH, Restroom & Hygiene Dispensing Systems (Commercial/Industrial), with a secondary code of IMAMAGAB, Away-from-Home (AFH) Tissue & Wipers (Commercial/Institutional). Its NAICS code is 333310.