What Kokubun Electric does

Kokubun Electric (国分電機株式会社) is a privately held Japanese contract manufacturer founded in 1969 (predecessor) and formally incorporated in 1988 in Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture. The company operates an integrated OEM business producing LED and conventional lighting fixtures (downlights, spotlights, outdoor lights, emergency lighting, guide lights) for major Japanese lighting brand manufacturers, complemented by a contract parts manufacturing line covering aluminum die-cast, pressed, and sheet-metal components for automotive, industrial equipment, plumbing hardware, medical devices, and security equipment customers.

Its core manufacturing technology stack is the in-house vertical integration of casting (Toshiba 350t/250t die-cast machines plus continuous melting/holding furnaces and 8 machining centers), surface treatment (powder coating, automatic anodizing, manual spray, robotic spray painting, solvent coating), precision metrology (Keyence VL-350 3D scanner, custom illuminance/color-temperature inspection, photometric test room), and LED cleanroom assembly (6 booth lines). This stack supports an output cadence of approximately 200+ new product developments per year and 500+ monthly recurring production items. The company operates from three factory sites in Kirishima (Kokubu HQ plus two additional plants), the Osaka Factory, and a wholly owned subsidiary in Amami (Kokubudenki Yamato), with consolidated headcount of approximately 160 employees as of September 2018.

Kokubun's business model is quote-based B2B OEM and contract manufacturing with no public pricing. Revenue derives from two streams: lighting OEM manufacturing under direct relationships with major brand customers, and contract parts manufacturing solicited via the company website. The firm holds ISO 9001 (1999, ahead of competitors), ISO 14001 (2007), Class A electrical equipment manufacturing registration, and METI Regional Future Traction Company (2017) designations. Ownership is concentrated in the founding Moriyama family, which controls both Chairman and President seats; no private equity, venture capital, or external institutional investor involvement is evidenced. Recent activity has focused on automation upgrades (robotic coating lines 2019–2020) and consecutive Health Management Excellent Corporation certifications (2020–2026) rather than market expansion.

Name

Kokubun Electric

Legal name

国分電機株式会社

Website

https://kokubudenki.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kokubun Electric is a family-owned Japanese OEM manufacturer in Kagoshima producing LED lighting fixtures for major brand customers and contract metal parts (die-cast, pressed, sheet metal) for automotive, industrial, and security sectors via vertically integrated factories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Lighting OEM Manufacturing

NAICS

Electric Lamp Bulb and Other Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (335139), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Task/Workstation Lighting (Inspection/task lights, cleanroom/food-grade, portable work lights) (IMAGAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial Power & Energy Electronics Manufacturing Services (UPS, converters, inverters, chargers) (IMAGAGAI)

Keywords

• LED lighting OEM
• Aluminum die casting
• Lighting fixture manufacturing
• Sheet metal fabrication
• Contract parts manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Kagoshima

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Lighting OEM Manufacturing: Manufacturing lighting fixtures based on production orders from major lighting brand manufacturers. They develop and produce approximately 200+ new products annually and handle 500+ monthly recurring production orders.
2. Parts Sales (Outsourcing Manufacturing): Accepting commissioned manufacturing of aluminum die-cast, press, and sheet metal parts for automotive, industrial equipment, plumbing hardware, and other sectors. Components manufactured include anti-theft equipment parts and automotive parts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Kokubun Electric is a Japanese contract manufacturer that produces lighting fixtures as an OEM supplier for major lighting brand manufacturers, and accepts commissioned manufacturing of aluminum die-cast, pressed, and sheet metal parts for automotive, industrial equipment, plumbing hardware, medical devices, and security equipment sectors. The company operates an in-house integrated manufacturing system covering product planning, design, prototyping, mass production, surface treatment, assembly, and quality inspection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lighting OEM Manufacturing Services OEM contract manufacturing of LED and conventional lighting fixtures including downlights, spotlights, outdoor lights, stand lights, emergency lighting, exit sign fixtures, and guide lights for major lighting brand manufacturers. Includes design, prototyping, mass production, and quality inspection.
• Parts Contract Manufacturing Services Commissioned manufacturing of aluminum die-cast, pressed, and sheet metal parts for automotive, industrial equipment, plumbing hardware, medical devices, and security equipment sectors, leveraging in-house die-casting, machining, and surface treatment capabilities.
• 3D Precision Measurement Services (VL-350)

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NPO Cosmosuen (特定非営利活動法人コスモス園)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability employment facility in Kirishima City that provides parts processing assistance for Kokubun Electric's manufacturing operations. They handle work process assistance for the company as an important business partner.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Panasonic Corporation (Lighting Division): Japanese lighting conglomerate with extensive own-brand residential and commercial lighting lines. Comparable as the type of major lighting brand manufacturer that Kokubun serves as an OEM partner and that competes for the same downstream customers.
• Iris Ohyama Inc. (Lighting Segment): Major Japanese manufacturer with substantial OEM/private-label LED lighting production across LED bulbs, fixtures, and luminaires. Comparable as a large-scale Japanese lighting OEM/ODM with similar product scope and customer overlap.
• Koizumi Sangyo Co., Ltd. Long-established Japanese lighting brand manufacturer with broad residential, commercial, and architectural lighting portfolios. Comparable as a domestic incumbent with broader brand coverage that also outsources portions of its production, making Kokubun a plausible supplier/competitor.
• Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Living Environment Systems / Lighting): Japanese conglomerate with a broad lighting fixtures business for commercial and residential applications. Comparable as a major Japanese lighting brand whose needs match Kokubun's OEM manufacturing capabilities.
• Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation: Japan-based lighting manufacturer offering commercial, industrial, and infrastructure lighting solutions. Comparable as an established Japanese lighting brand with overlapping product categories (downlights, emergency, outdoor) that Kokubun could manufacture for.

Others

• Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd. Japanese LED and electronic component manufacturer supplying LED modules and lighting components. Comparable as an upstream/downstream counterpart in the Japanese lighting manufacturing supply chain that Kokubun's LED fixture OEM business depends on.

Emerging players

• KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD. Leading Japanese automotive lighting manufacturer producing headlamps, signal lamps, and interior lighting for OEMs. Comparable through intersection with Kokubun's automotive parts contract manufacturing operations.
• Stanley Electric Co., Ltd. Japanese automotive lighting and electronics components manufacturer serving major automakers. Comparable through overlap with Kokubun's automotive parts manufacturing segment (aluminum die-cast and pressed components supplied to the auto industry).

Direct peers

• ENDO Lighting Corporation: Japan-based commercial and architectural lighting manufacturer serving architectural and interior lighting projects. Directly comparable to Kokubun as a Japanese lighting manufacturer with similar product overlap (downlights, spotlights, OEM relationships) in the domestic market.
• Yamada Shomei Lighting Co., Ltd. Japanese lighting manufacturer with strong OEM/private-label and custom lighting fixture capabilities, including commercial and architectural luminaires. Closely comparable to Kokubun's OEM manufacturing model serving major Japanese lighting brands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Kokubun Electric