SMC
SMC is a Sapporo-headquartered medical equipment distributor specializing in acute care cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, and arrhythmia devices, serving hospitals and clinics across Hokkaido and Tohoku, Japan, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ship Healthcare Holdings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersKita, Japan
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SMC does
株式会社SMC (SMC Co., Ltd.) is a Sapporo-headquartered medical equipment distributor specializing in acute care medical devices, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ship Healthcare Holdings since April 2011. Founded in 1986 as Sapporo Medical Corporation and renamed SMC in June 2019, the company runs 14 regional sales offices across Hokkaido and the Tohoku region, supported by two logistics centers in Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo. It employs 144 staff as of June 2025 and serves general hospitals, individual practitioners (開業医), cardiology and cardiovascular surgery departments, arrhythmia treatment units, and university/research institutions across northern Japan.
SMC's product portfolio is anchored in three specialized acute care departments: the Cardiology Department distributing vascular catheters and supplies used in PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) and EVT (endovascular therapy); the Cardiovascular Surgery Department supplying artificial heart valves, artificial blood vessels, and instruments for cardiac surgery including MICS (minimally invasive cardiac surgery); and the Arrhythmia Department providing pacemakers, ICDs, and ablation therapy products, supported by in-house CDR (Pacemaker/ICD Information) staff. Adjacent offerings include syringes, gauze, scientific research equipment to universities, pharmaceuticals under appropriate licenses, medical device repair, the Airness2 low-concentration ozone generator for commercial air purification, and two service modules — SPD (Supply, Processing, Distribution) in-hospital material management and new clinic opening support for physicians.
Revenue is generated through negotiated B2B contracts with healthcare institutions across hardware sales (medical devices, hospital equipment installation, pharmaceuticals, scientific equipment), managed services (SPD/hospital contract operations), and professional services (new practice setup support). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled case-by-case. SMC sources from approximately 250 manufacturers, including Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Abbott Medical, Edwards Lifesciences, Terumo, NIPRO, Canon Medical Systems, Fujifilm Medical, Philips Japan, and GE Healthcare Japan. Distribution is conducted via direct field sales from regional offices with rapid-delivery capability for emergency surgeries. The company holds an unusually broad licensing stack including highly controlled medical device sales, pharmaceutical sales, repair, regenerative medicine products, and veterinary medical devices.
SMC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SMC
- Legal name
- 株式会社SMC
- Website
- https://ksmc.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- SMC is a Sapporo-headquartered medical equipment distributor specializing in acute care cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, and arrhythmia devices, serving hospitals and clinics across Hokkaido and Tohoku, Japan, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ship Healthcare Holdings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where SMC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kita
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices14 records
Markets served
SMC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Medical Equipment and Material Sales: Sale and delivery of medical devices including catheters, pacemakers, artificial heart valves, artificial blood vessels, syringes, and gauze. SMC serves as a comprehensive dealer for medical institutions, handling product sales, delivery, and repair services.
- Hospital Equipment Sales and Installation: Sale and installation of hospital equipment and facilities.
- Pharmaceutical Sales: Sale of pharmaceutical products under appropriate licenses.
- Scientific Research Equipment Sales: Design, sale, and rental of scientific research equipment for universities and research institutions.
- Hospital Contract Services: Contracted hospital operations and SPD (Supply, Processing, Distribution) services including consolidated procurement support.
- New Practice Opening Support: Support services for physicians opening new medical practices.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
SMC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SMC is a comprehensive medical equipment dealer specializing in acute care medical devices, including catheters, pacemakers, artificial heart valves, and artificial blood vessels. The company serves general hospitals and clinics across Hokkaido and Tohoku regions in Japan, providing medical equipment sales, delivery, repair services, and in-hospital material management (SPD) support.
Product overview
SMC is a comprehensive medical equipment dealer operating as a single unified platform offering multiple specialized product divisions. The core portfolio consists of three specialized departments serving acute medical care: the Cardiology Department (循環器内科部門) handling catheter-based vascular treatments, the Cardiovascular Surgery Department (心臓血管外科部門) providing surgical equipment including artificial valves and vessels, and the Arrhythmia Department (不整脈部門) managing pacemakers, ICDs, and ablation therapy products. Supporting these are the Physics and Chemistry Equipment Sales division for research institutions, plus two service modules: In-Hospital Medical Material Operations Support (SPD/consolidated purchasing) and New Clinic Opening Support. Additionally, SMC distributes the Airness2 ozone generator sub-brand for commercial air purification. The company also handles pharmaceuticals, medical device repairs, infection prevention products, and hospital equipment installation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cardiology Department Services (循環器内科部門)
Companies that use SMC
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SMC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
SMC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.
- Johnson & Johnson (ジョンソン・エンド・ジョンソン株式会社)majorOne of SMC's primary medical device suppliers. Johnson & Johnson is a major global medical technology company providing a wide range of surgical and interventional products.
- Medtronic Japan (日本メドトロニック株式会社)majorSMC's primary supplier of cardiac rhythm management and other medical devices. Medtronic is a leading global medical device company.
- Boston Scientific Japan (ボストン・サイエンティフィック ジャパン株式会社)majorSMC's supplier of interventional cardiology and urology devices including catheters and stents. Boston Scientific is a major global medical device manufacturer.
- Abbott Medical Japan (アボット 医科大学ジャパン合同会社)majorSMC's supplier of Abbott's medical devices including vascular and diagnostic products.
- Edwards Lifesciences (エドワーズライフサイエンス合同会社)majorSupplier of artificial heart valves and other cardiac surgery products.
- SHIP Healthcare Holdings (シップヘルスケアホールディングス株式会社)coreSMC became a 100% subsidiary of SHIP Healthcare Holdings in April 2011. SMC operates as part of the SHIP Healthcare Group, contributing to the group's mission of 'creating environments for those who protect life'.
- Terumo (テルモ株式会社)majorMajor Japanese medical device manufacturer supplying vascular catheters and other products to SMC.
- NIPRO (ニプロ株式会社)majorJapanese medical device manufacturer and supplier to SMC, providing a range of medical products.
- GE Healthcare Japan (GEヘルスケア・ジャパン株式会社)majorSupplier of medical imaging and diagnostic equipment.
- Philips Japan (株式会社フィリップス・スリー・リート・ヘルスケア)majorSupplier of medical imaging, patient monitoring, and healthcare IT solutions.
- Nihon Kohden (日本光電工業株式会社)majorLeading Japanese manufacturer of medical electronic equipment and monitoring systems.
- Canon Medical Systems (キヤノンメディカルシステムズ株式会社)majorSupplier of medical imaging equipment including CT, MRI, and ultrasound systems.
- Fujifilm Medical (富士フイルムMédical株式会社)majorSupplier of medical imaging and endoscopy equipment.
- Hogy Medical (株式会社ホギンメディカル)majorSupplier of medical supplies including surgical and wound care products.
- Intermed Japan (株式会社インターメドジャパン)majorSupplier of medical devices for cardiovascular interventions.
- Japan Lifeline (日本ライフライン株式会社)majorJapanese medical device company specializing in cardiovascular products.
- Vantiv (株式会社ヴァンティブ)majorSupplier of medical devices.
- Covenant Japan (コヴィディエンジャパン株式会社)majorSupplier of medical devices.
- Fukuda Denshi Hokkaido Sales (フクダ電子北海道販売株式会社)majorRegional supplier of Fukuda Denshi's medical electronic equipment.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SMC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- McKesson Japan: Global medical product distributor with operations in Japan, supplying hospitals and healthcare providers. Comparable medical device and supply distribution business at international scale.
- Medline Japan: US-headquartered medical supply manufacturer and distributor with Japanese operations, serving hospitals with medical devices and consumables. Comparable medical distribution business model at a larger global scale.
- SHIP Healthcare Holdings: SMC's parent company and a diversified healthcare group with hospital operations, medical device distribution, and pharmaceutical businesses. Operates at the group level far beyond SMC's regional distribution focus.
Direct peers
- Medipal Holdings: Japan's largest pharmaceutical and medical device wholesaler, distributing to hospitals and clinics nationwide. Directly comparable business model to SMC's medical equipment distribution, though at national scale and including pharmaceuticals.
- Toho Holdings: Major Japanese pharmaceutical and medical device distributor (Suzuken group) with national hospital and pharmacy coverage. Comparable medical equipment wholesaling business serving Japanese healthcare providers.
- Alfresa Corporation: One of Japan's leading pharmaceutical and medical device wholesalers serving hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies nationwide. Comparable Japanese medical product distribution model.
- Suzuken (Kenzai): Subsidiary of Toho Holdings, a major Japanese pharmaceutical and medical device wholesaler serving hospitals and clinics. Comparable medical equipment distribution business within the Japanese healthcare supply chain.
Others
- Terumo Corporation: Major Japanese manufacturer of medical devices including vascular catheters, supplying SMC and distributing in Japan through partners. Comparable cardiovascular product exposure but operates as a manufacturer/supplier, not a distributor.
- NIPRO Corporation: Japanese medical device manufacturer supplying SMC with products for injection, dialysis, and other clinical applications. Comparable cardiovascular and hospital medical device exposure but as a manufacturer upstream of distribution.
- Hogy Medical: Japanese manufacturer of surgical and wound care medical supplies that supplies SMC. Comparable Japanese medical device ecosystem presence but as an upstream manufacturer rather than distributor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SMC social profiles
Digital presenceSMC compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
SMC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SMC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
SMC subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
SMC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SMC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SMC
What does SMC do?
SMC is a comprehensive medical equipment dealer specializing in acute care medical devices, including catheters, pacemakers, artificial heart valves, and artificial blood vessels. The company serves general hospitals and clinics across Hokkaido and Tohoku regions in Japan, providing medical equipment sales, delivery, repair services, and in-hospital material management (SPD) support.
Is SMC a public or private company?
SMC is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was SMC founded?
SMC was founded in 1986. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is SMC based?
SMC is headquartered in Kita, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does SMC make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Medical Equipment and Material Sales are the primary driver. The others are hospital Equipment Sales and Installation, pharmaceutical Sales, scientific Research Equipment Sales, hospital Contract Services and new Practice Opening Support.
Who are SMC's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are McKesson Japan, Medline Japan and SHIP Healthcare Holdings. Direct peers are Medipal Holdings, Toho Holdings, Alfresa Corporation and Suzuken (Kenzai). Others are Terumo Corporation, NIPRO Corporation and Hogy Medical.
Does SMC have an API?
No public API is recorded for SMC.