What Nihon Trim does

Nihon Trim Co., Ltd. is a Japanese water technology company founded in 1982 and headquartered in Osaka, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Ticker: 6788) with 501–1,000 employees. The company manufactures and markets electrolyzed hydrogen water ionizers under the TRIM ION brand (including flagship models Refine and NEO) for household use, plus a medical electrolyzed water dialysis system (「電解水透析」) for hemodialysis clinics and hospitals. Its core technology combines proprietary Double Auto-Change Crossline electrolysis with platinum-coated electrodes and a microcarbon cartridge that removes 22 substances (chlorine, trihalomethanes, PFOS/PFOA, pesticides, heavy metals), achieving dissolved hydrogen concentrations up to 1,100 ppb. Recent R&D includes a nano-fabricated platinum electrode catalyst jointly developed with the University of Tokyo that reduces platinum load to ~1/150th of conventional catalysts.

The business operates through three primary revenue streams: (1) one-time household hardware sales (TRIM ION Refine at ¥261,800 body + ¥11,000 cartridge) sold direct-to-consumer via shop.nihon-trim.co.jp, agent referrals, and a field sales force that handles installation and after-sales service; (2) recurring replacement-cartridge and extended-warranty revenue creating a razor-and-blade annuity; and (3) enterprise electrolyzed water dialysis system sales to medical institutions, distributed via a 2012 general sales agency agreement with Nikkiso Co., Ltd. and direct field sales to dialysis clinics across Japan (37+ facilities, 1,127+ beds as of mid-2025). Manufacturing is handled by wholly-owned subsidiary Trim Electric Machinery (Nankoku, Kochi), which holds ISO9001:2008 and ISO13485:2003 certifications enabling medical device OEM supply.

Nihon Trim holds No. 1 water ionizer market share in Japan (2023, Yano Research), and has built a 30+ year clinical research program anchored by Tohoku University (joint department established 2016), University of Tokyo, St. Luke's International Hospital, and National Taiwan University, producing peer-reviewed publications including a 5-year observational study showing a 41% reduction in death/cardiovascular event risk for dialysis patients using electrolyzed water dialysate. The company also holds patents on its electrolyzed water dialysis technology in Japan and internationally, and operates adjacent lines in agricultural water ionizers and (via 2013 StemCell Institute acquisition) regenerative medicine.

Name

Nihon Trim

Legal name

株式会社日本トリム (Nihon Trim Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://nihon-trim.co.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Nihon Trim is a Japanese water technology company (TSE: 6788) founded in 1982 that manufactures TRIM ION household electrolyzed hydrogen water ionizers and electrolyzed water dialysis systems for hospitals, holding No. 1 Japan water ionizer market share.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Ionizers and Electrolyzed Water Equipment

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Whole-House (Point-of-Entry) Water Treatment Systems (CRAJAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dialysis Water Treatment & Dialysate Delivery Systems (HLAHAKAD), Hemodialysis Machines & Systems (HLAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Electrolyzed water purifiers
• Water ionizer manufacturing
• Alkaline ionized water
• Medical dialysis systems
• Hydrogen water technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Osaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water Ionizer Sales: Sale of household electrolyzed hydrogen water ionizers (電解水素水整水器) including models like TRIM ION Refine, GRACE, NEO, HYPER, and others. One-time hardware purchase with ongoing cartridge replacement revenue.
2. Replacement Cartridge Sales: Annual replacement of microcarbon cartridges for water ionizers. Premium microcarbon cartridge priced at ¥11,000, with replacement recommended approximately every 12 months depending on usage.
3. Extended Warranty Services: 5-year warranty service plans sold at ¥10,890 for TRIM ION Refine, covering free repair, parts, and on-site service during the warranty period.
4. Medical Dialysis Equipment Sales: Sale of electrolyzed water dialysis systems (電解水透析システム) to medical institutions including dialysis clinics and hospitals. Systems include multi-person and individual-use dialysis water preparation devices.
5. OEM Manufacturing: Production and supply of electrolyzed water technology to partner companies through Trim Electric Machinery (Kochi Prefecture), with ISO9001:2008 and ISO13485:2003 certifications for medical device manufacturing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Nihon Trim manufactures and sells continuous-generation electrolyzed hydrogen water ionizers (TRIM ION series) certified as Class II household medical devices for home drinking-water use. It also manufactures and installs the electrolyzed water dialysis system (電解水透析システム), a medical device that adds dissolved hydrogen to dialysate for hemodialysis treatment in clinics and hospitals. Related offerings include replacement micro-carbon cartridges, citric-acid cleaning cartridges, extended warranty plans, and agricultural water ionizers.

Product overview

Nihon Trim is a water technology company offering electrolyzed hydrogen water (電解水素水) products. The product portfolio centers on two main product lines: (1) TRIM ION series of continuous-generation electrolyzed hydrogen water purifiers for household use, including models such as TRIM ION Refine, TRIM ION NEO, TRIM ION GRACE, TRIM ION Well, TRIM ION HYPER, TRIM ION CURE, TRIM ION TI-5HX, TRIM ION TI-9000, TRIM ION TI-8000, TRIM ION TI-7000, TRIM ION GRACIA, TRIM ION US-100, TRIM ION US-8000, THE KANGEN RD-I, THE KANGEN RD-II, and AQUA 水素 AQ-H/AQ-HⅡ, available in faucet-mount, under-sink, and countertop configurations; and (2) the 電解水透析® (Electrolyzed Water Dialysis) system for medical facilities, including multi-person units (EW-SP75 series) and individual units (EW-SP31-HD), which applies electrolyzed hydrogen water technology to hemodialysis treatment to reduce oxidative stress and improve patient QOL. Related products include micro-carbon cartridges for water purification, citric acid cleaning cartridges, and extended warranty services. The company also offers agricultural water purifiers applying the same technology to farming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TRIM ION: Line of continuous electrolyzed hydrogen water ionizers including models: TRIM ION Refine, TRIM ION GRACE, TRIM ION Well, TRIM ION CURE, TRIM ION HYPER, TRIM ION NEO
• 電解水透析 (Electrolyzed Water Dialysis)

Products and services

• TRIM ION Refine

Quantifiable outcome

• 41% reduction in death and cardiovascular event risk for dialysis patients using electrolyzed water dialysis compared to standard dialysis (5-year prospective observational study, 7 facilities, 309 patients)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University of Tokyo (東京大学)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2024Joint research with University of Tokyo's Institute for Future Initiatives resulted in development of nano-fabricated platinum electrode catalyst technology. Paper published in Journal of Materials Chemistry A (2024). The technology reduces platinum load to 1/150th of conventional catalysts while maintaining hydrogen generation efficiency.
• Nikkiiso (日機装)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 18 June 2012Nikkiiso (日機装株式会社) entered into a general sales agency agreement with Nihon Trim for the electrolyzed water dialysis system. Nikkiiso is a major dialysis equipment manufacturer that provides RO (reverse osmosis) systems as the base for electrolyzed water dialysis multi-person devices.
• National Taiwan University (国立臺灣大學)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995Early research partnership beginning in 1995 with National Taiwan University where antioxidant properties of electrolyzed hydrogen water were first confirmed. This foundational research led to the concept of applying electrolyzed water to hemodialysis. Results published in Kidney International (2003).
• Tohoku University (東北大学)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing joint research partnership with Tohoku University beginning in 2005 focused on electrolyzed hydrogen water applications in dialysis. Research has yielded multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals demonstrating clinical benefits. Joint research department established in 2016 and expanded in 2020 with St. Luke's International Hospital, Sendai City Hospital, and Tohoku University Agriculture department as additional partners.
• St. Luke's International Hospital (聖路加国際病院)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with St. Luke's International Hospital (聖路加国際病院) led by Dr. Nakaaki (中山昌明), focusing on electrolyzed water dialysis clinical studies, post-dialysis fatigue reduction, and autonomic nervous system effects. Major research results include near-elimination of severe fatigue after 8 weeks of treatment.
• Trim Electric Machinery (株式会社トリムエレクトリックマシナリー)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerManufacturing subsidiary (株式会社トリムエレクトリックマシナリー) located in Nankoku, Kochi Prefecture. ISO9001:2008 (2010) and ISO13485:2003 (2005) certified for medical device manufacturing. Provides flexible small-lot production capabilities for OEM and white-label electrolyzed water products.
• Electrolyzed Water Dialysis Research Association (、一般社団法人気解水透析研究会)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry research association (Electrolyzed Water Dialysis Research Association) established in 2008 to evaluate scientific and medical validity of electrolyzed water dialysis. Certified as a national-scale academic conference by the Japan Society for Dialysis Therapy. Provides forum for research presentation and clinical exchange among member institutions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Toray Industries, Inc. Toray is a global Japanese materials and chemicals incumbent with significant water-treatment membrane and filtration businesses that overlap with Nihon Trim's cartridge filtration technology. As a broader industrial player with much greater R&D resources, Toray represents a long-term competitive and partnership possibility in next-generation water purification.
• Panasonic Corporation: Panasonic is a broad consumer-electronics and appliance incumbent with a household water purification product line (alkaline ionizers) that competes with Nihon Trim's TRIM ION in Japanese retail. While Panasonic's water business is a fraction of its overall portfolio, its scale, distribution, and brand make it a significant competitive force in the household segment.
• Fresenius Medical Care: Fresenius Medical Care is the world's largest dialysis services and products company, operating dialysis clinics and manufacturing dialysis equipment globally. While primarily serving Western markets, Fresenius represents the gold-standard incumbent whose clinical-evidence standards Nihon Trim's electrolyzed water dialysis system must match to expand internationally.

Direct peers

• Nikkiso Co., Ltd. Nikkiso is both a channel partner (since 2012) and an adjacent competitor in the Japanese dialysis equipment market, providing RO systems that Nihon Trim integrates with. Nikkiso's broader dialysis and blood-purification product portfolio makes it the most operationally comparable peer on the medical/dialysis side of Nihon Trim's business.
• Nipro Corporation: Nipro is a global Japanese medical device manufacturer with a significant dialysis products business (dialyzers, blood tubing, dialysis machines). Competes with Nihon Trim for hospital dialysis procurement budgets and operates in overlapping Japanese and international dialysis markets, making it a relevant peer for benchmarking the medical-dialysis segment.
• Enagic Co., Ltd. Enagic is the most direct competitor to Nihon Trim in Japan and globally, manufacturing alkaline water ionizers (Kangen Water) with a multi-level marketing distribution model. Both companies target health-conscious households seeking electrolyzed hydrogen water with comparable price points and medical-device positioning, competing head-to-head in the same core segment.
• Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd. Asahi Kasei Medical is a major Japanese manufacturer of dialysis-related products including dialyzers, blood purification devices, and dialysis water treatment systems. As a leader in the same Japanese hemodialysis ecosystem where Nihon Trim's electrolyzed water dialysis system is deployed, Asahi Kasei represents the most established incumbent competing for hospital wallet share.
• Toyo Sanso Co., Ltd. Toyo Sanso is a Japanese manufacturer of electrolyzed hydrogen water ionizers and water purification systems. As one of the established domestic competitors cited in the same Yano Research market-share rankings where Nihon Trim holds No. 1, Toyo Sanso competes directly with Nihon Trim's TRIM ION household product line in retail and direct-sales channels.

Regional players

• BWT (Best Water Technology) AG: BWT is a European leader in water treatment technologies (point-of-entry and point-of-use systems, including ion-exchange and membrane filtration). It serves as a useful peer for benchmarking international expansion strategies for household water-purification businesses, though it does not currently overlap with Nihon Trim's Japanese core market.

Others

• Daisen Membrane Systems Co., Ltd. Daisen Membrane Systems is a technology/integration partner supplying the RO equipment that Nihon Trim integrates with for the electrolyzed water dialysis system. As an upstream supplier in the same value chain, Daisen is an ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, but its technology roadmap influences Nihon Trim's dialysis product capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nihon_trim
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/nihontrimofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/NihonTrimCoLtd
• Instagraminstagram.com/nihon_trim

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments3 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Nihon Trim