What Nichirin does

Nichirin Co., Ltd. (株式会社ニチリン, TSE: 5184) is a Japanese manufacturer of automotive and motorcycle hose and piping components, founded in 1916 and headquartered in Shibaura, Japan. The company's core product portfolio centers on automotive brake hoses, thermal management piping (air conditioning hoses, cooling pipes, and internal heat exchangers), and fluid transfer systems compliant with SAE J2064 and major OEM specifications. Complementary lines include motorcycle brake hoses (where the company holds near 100% domestic Japan market share), residential water supply hoses under the AQUA GREEN sub-brand, and industrial piping including cooling lines for stationary energy storage systems.

The company operates a global manufacturing footprint with production bases in Japan, China, Asia, North America (including a Tennessee division with 24 years of engineering records), and Europe, enabling localized supply to automotive OEM production hubs. The technology stack emphasizes proprietary rubber and resin hose construction, with a recently launched resin A/C piping line achieving 20-50% weight reduction versus traditional rubber + metal designs and compatibility with HFO1234yf refrigerant.

Nichirin generates revenue through B2B hardware sales to automotive OEMs and tier-1 suppliers using quote-based, non-publicly-disclosed contract pricing. The go-to-market is direct enterprise sales, complemented by a 2026 deployment of CADDi's AI-powered knowledge management platform at the Tennessee division (now expanding to El Paso and Juarez) to digitize engineering records and accelerate ramp-up times. The company has received multiple ESG, workplace, and innovation recognitions between 2022 and 2026, including EcoVadis Bronze, CDP B-/B, and Nikkei Smart Work Award 2026.

Name

Nichirin

Legal name

株式会社ニチリン

Website

https://nichirin.co.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Nichirin (TSE: 5184) is a Japanese manufacturer of automotive and motorcycle hose and piping components — including brake hoses, thermal management piping, and A/C lines — supplying OEMs and tier-1 suppliers globally from production bases in Japan, China, Asia, North America, and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Hoses and Piping Components

NAICS

Rubber and Plastics Hoses and Belting Manufacturing (326220), Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415)

SIC

Gaskets, Packg & Sealg Devices & Rubber & Plastics Hose (3050), Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Motorcycles, Bicycles & Parts (3751)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive Refrigerant Lines, Hoses & Thermal Plumbing (IMACALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Automotive Coolant & Refrigerant Circuit Components (Pumps/Valves/Reservoirs/Expansion Devices) (IMACALAE), Industrial Hoses & Tubing (Rubber/Elastomer) (IMANALAA)

Keywords

• Automotive brake hoses
• Thermal management piping
• Air conditioning hoses
• Motorcycle brake hoses
• Industrial fluid transfer

Headquarters

HQ city

Shibaura

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Automotive Components Sales: Nichirin generates revenue primarily from manufacturing and selling automotive hoses and fluid transfer components to automotive OEMs and tier-1 suppliers globally. Products include brake hoses, air conditioning hoses, thermal management systems, and cooling pipes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Nichirin manufactures and sells automotive hoses and fluid transfer components, with its core portfolio centered on brake hoses and thermal management system piping (including air conditioning hoses, cooling pipes, and internal heat exchangers) for passenger vehicles. The company also produces motorcycle brake hoses, residential housing water supply hoses, industrial cooling piping for stationary energy storage systems, and custom industrial machinery such as laser markers. Products are engineered to meet stringent SAE and automaker specifications, including compatibility with next-generation low-GWP refrigerants like HFO-1234yf.

Product overview

Nichirin is a hose and piping component manufacturer serving the automotive, motorcycle, and industrial sectors. The product portfolio centers on automotive components, specifically brake hoses and thermal management system piping for vehicles. The thermal management lineup includes air conditioning hoses (rubber and resin variants compliant with SAE J2064 standards), cooling piping, and internal heat exchangers (IHX). Motorcycle brake hoses maintain dominant domestic market share. The company also produces residential water supply hoses and custom industrial machinery including laser markers. Products are distributed across China, Asia, North America, and Europe through global manufacturing operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AQUA GREEN: Product brand referenced in the site footer and navigation for water-related plumbing hose products.

Products and services

• Automotive Brake Hoses Brake system hoses for passenger vehicles designed to deliver sharp and stable brake feel with low expansion, excellent durability, and the ability to form complex shapes. Tested under harsh environmental conditions for superior performance with weather and ozone resistance. Sold to automotive OEMs and tier-1 suppliers globally.
• Thermal Management System Piping A complete range of thermal management piping solutions for automotive applications, including air conditioning hoses (rubber and resin variants meeting SAE J2064 standards and compatible with HFO-1234yf refrigerant), cooling piping compatible with LLC, refrigerant (R1234yf), and water, and internal heat exchangers (IHX) that enable refrigerant charge reduction while maintaining heat exchange performance and supporting complex shapes including hose-integrated and branched configurations. Sold to automotive OEMs and tier-1 suppliers.
• Other Hydraulic and Pneumatic Hoses (Automotive) Hydraulic and pneumatic hose products for automotive applications beyond brake and thermal management systems. Sold to automotive manufacturers and tier-1 suppliers.
• Motorcycle Brake Hoses Brake system hoses for motorcycles and motorized bicycles, holding near 100% domestic Japan market share for two-wheeled brake hoses. Sold to motorcycle manufacturers.
• Other Hydraulic and Pneumatic Hoses (Motorcycle) Hydraulic and pneumatic hose products for two-wheeled vehicle applications beyond brake systems. Sold to motorcycle manufacturers.
• Housing-Related Hoses (AQUA GREEN) Flexible resin and rubber piping solutions for residential water supply and plumbing applications, including water supply and hot water hoses for toilets, baths, and kitchen fixtures. Marketed under the AQUA GREEN sub-brand. Sold for residential housing construction and plumbing applications.
• Other Industrial Piping Industrial cooling piping solutions for stationary energy storage systems (ESS) and other industrial equipment applications. Sold to industrial equipment and energy storage system manufacturers.
• Industrial Machinery (Laser Markers) Custom industrial machinery solutions including laser marker systems, developed to meet specific customer requirements. Sold to industrial customers requiring specialized marking equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Near 100% domestic Japan market share for two-wheeled vehicle brake hoses
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 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

One partnership is on record.

• CADDicoreTechnology or Integration · 11 June 2026Nichirin Group deployed CADDi Drawer, an AI-powered data platform, at its Tennessee division to make 24 years of engineering records searchable and accessible to all employees from day one. The implementation eliminated information silos that previously required new hires nearly a year to navigate and enabled sales teams to retrieve verified pricing history alongside technical drawings in a single workflow. The company is now expanding this intelligence hub to facilities in El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico, with North America serving as the early proving ground for broader global rollout.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Gates Industrial: Global manufacturer of industrial and automotive hoses, belts, and fluid handling solutions with overlapping product lines in automotive fluid transfer and thermal management, comparable to Nichirin's core offerings.
• Eaton Corporation: US-based power management company with a Vehicle & Industrial eMobility segment supplying automotive fluid handling including brake and A/C hoses; competes directly with Nichirin in the US brake tube market.
• TI Fluid Systems: UK-headquartered fluid systems supplier specializing in brake lines, fuel lines, and thermal management fluid carrying for automotive OEMs; identified alongside Nichirin as a top US brake tube competitor.
• Parker Hannifin: Global motion and control technologies giant with a Motion & Flow segment directly overlapping Nichirin's automotive brake hoses and fluid transfer products; Parker is tied with Nichirin at 25.2% US brake tube share and is the most direct competitive peer.
• Sumitomo Riko: Japanese automotive hose and antivibration rubber products manufacturer competing head-to-head with Nichirin in brake hoses, A/C hoses, and thermal management hoses for Japanese and global OEMs.
• Toyoda Gosei: Japanese automotive rubber and plastics manufacturer producing hoses, sealing products, and thermal management components; directly comparable to Nichirin across multiple product categories for Japanese OEMs.

Broad incumbents

• ContiTech (Continental AG): Industrial rubber and hose division of Continental, supplying automotive fluid transfer including A/C and brake hoses; broader incumbent with a wider portfolio (tires, electronics) but directly competes in Nichirin's automotive hose category.
• Mahle Group: German automotive supplier with thermal management and fluid handling products for ICE and EV powertrains; broader incumbent that competes with Nichirin in integrated thermal management solutions.

Emerging players

• Modine Manufacturing: US thermal management specialist increasingly focused on EV battery and power-electronics cooling systems; comparable to Nichirin's thermal management business as both target next-generation vehicle thermal architectures.
• Hanon Systems: South Korea-headquartered automotive thermal management and HVAC supplier that is expanding EV cooling product portfolios; competes with Nichirin's thermal management piping and internal heat exchanger offerings.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nichirinflex

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nichirin