What LEC does

LEC, Inc. (レック株式会社, TSE Prime: 7874) is a Tokyo-headquartered, publicly listed Japanese consumer goods manufacturer founded in 1979 (originally as 駿河工業株式会社) and consolidated under its current name in 2009. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes a broad portfolio of household products spanning cleaning supplies (the flagship 激落ちくん/Gekiochikun melamine sponge line since 1999), pest control (バルサン/Varsan insecticides, acquired from Lion Corporation in December 2018), hygiene, baby care (under Anpanman IP licensing), personal care (LecBe), and — following the June 2024 acquisition of the グロンサン and グロモント brands from Taisho Pharmaceutical — nutritional energy drinks and supplements. LEC operates five domestic factories (Shikoku, Shizuoka #1, Chubu, Fuji Susono, and Fujieda Chemical) supporting a 2,000+ SKU catalog and over 1,000 new product launches annually, with proprietary technologies including alkaline electrolyzed water formulations, melamine sponge materials, and patent-pending airlaid hydrolysis paper.

The company's business model rests on multi-channel distribution: a sales-led B2B motion through Japanese home center chains, drug stores, and convenience stores (with dedicated Sales Division 1st and 2nd Headquarters plus an EC Sales Headquarters), complemented by direct-to-consumer sales through its own official online shop (lec-online.com) and storefronts on Amazon Japan, Rakuten, Yahoo! Shopping, Wowma!, auPAY Market, and Qoo10. Pricing is unit-based across a broad CPG catalog. Three wholly-owned subsidiaries (エフティイズ・コンフェクト, プラマイゼロ, 銀座化粧堂) extend operations into confectionery/toys, lifestyle products, and cosmetics, respectively.

In June 2026 LEC announced a strategic extension into AI-powered consumer products via the AI Charmy (アイチャーミー) brand, combining AI conversational character hardware (talking plush toys) with subscription services and content/merchandise, with the first product (Matsuken Version featuring 松平健 IP) scheduled for December 2026 release and planned multilingual overseas expansion. As of FY March 2026, LEC reported consolidated revenue of 682.94 billion yen across 956 consolidated employees, with 42 consecutive periods of revenue growth and recognition as PPIH's 1st Best Partner Award recipient in 2025.

Name

LEC

Legal name

レック株式会社

Website

https://lecinc.co.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

LEC is a publicly listed Japanese household goods manufacturer (TSE Prime: 7874) producing 2,000+ SKUs of cleaning, hygiene, pest control, baby care, and nutritional drink products. It sells primarily through Japanese home centers and drug stores via B2B sales, with growing direct-to-consumer e-commerce and a new AI conversational character subscription brand launching December 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Household Cleaning Products

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

SIC

Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Home Care Tools & Consumables (Sponges, Wipes, Brushes, Gloves, Mop Refills) (CRADAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hand Sanitizers & Antibacterial Personal Care (CRADANAI)

Keywords

• Household cleaning products
• Melamine sponge cleaners
• Household insecticides
• Baby care products
• Nutritional energy drinks

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consumer Household Products Sales: LEC generates the majority of its revenue from selling a broad range of household consumer products, including cleaning supplies (microfiber cloths, melamine sponges, wet sheets, cleaning brushes), household goods, baby care products, hygiene products, cosmetics, and personal care items. Products are sold through home centers, drug stores, convenience stores, and general retail channels across Japan.
2. Pharmaceutical and Quasi-Drug Products: Revenue from over-the-counter pharmaceuticals and designated quasi-drug products including the 'バルサン' insecticide series and 'グロンサン' energy drink/tonic series (acquired in June 2024), and 'グロモントPREMIUM' supplement drinks.
3. E-commerce Direct Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales through LEC's official online shop (lec-online.com), Amazon store, Rakuten store, Yahoo! Shopping, Wowma!, and auPAY Market store, selling the full product lineup at recommended retail prices.
4. AI Charmy Subscription Services: AI conversation subscription service as part of the new AI Charmy brand, combining AI character hardware (talking plush doll), subscription-based AI conversation services, and content/related merchandise sales into a recurring revenue model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

LEC manufactures and sells a broad portfolio of 2,000+ daily household products across cleaning supplies (microfiber cloths, melamine sponges, brushes, wet sheets), household insecticides, baby care items, personal hygiene products, cosmetics, and nutritional drinks (acquired Guronsan and Guromont brands). Flagship brands include Gekiochikun melamine sponges, BALUSAN insecticides, Anpanman licensed baby products, and Natural Cleaning eco line. The company recently launched AI Charmy, an AI-powered conversational character product combining hardware plush toys with subscription AI services.

Product overview

LEC is a comprehensive Japanese household products manufacturer offering a diverse portfolio of cleaning supplies, insecticides, personal care, baby products, nutritional drinks, and AI-powered conversational products. The core product lineup includes the 激落ちくん (Gekiochikun) melamine sponge cleaning series as the flagship brand, バルサン (Varsan) insecticides, and various sub-brands like 茂木和哉 specialized cleaners, 笑激SHOCK coating products, and ナチュラルクリーニング eco-friendly cleaners. The company also operates licensed character products under アンパンマン (Anpanman), acquired nutritional drink brands グロンサン and グロモント (acquired June 2024), and recently entered the AI space with AI Charmy — a new product category combining AI-powered conversational characters with subscription services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• バルサン (Varsan): Insecticide and pest control products brand, acquired from Lion Corporation in 2018
• アンパンマン (Anpanman)
• 激落ちくん (Gekiochi-kun)
• 笑激SHOCK
• 茂木和哉
• レックビー (Lec.Be)
• グロモントPREMIUM
• グロンサン (Guronsan)
• クリンぱ (Cleanpa)
• ナチュラルクリーニング
• AI Charmy (アイチャーミー)
• レックライセンス

Products and services

• 激落ちくん (Gekiochikun) Series Flagship melamine sponge and cleaning tool product line including microfiber cloths, sponges, brushes, and wet sheets for household cleaning across bathroom, kitchen, toilet, and living areas. Targeted at mass-market Japanese consumers through home centers, drug stores, and e-commerce.
• バルサン (BALUSAN) Leading Japanese household insecticide brand including smoke fumigants, sprays, and bug traps. Acquired by LEC from Lion Corporation. Targeted at households needing pest control solutions.
• グロンサン (Guronsan) Established nutritional drink brand containing citric acid and amino acids for fatigue relief and nutritional supplementation. Includes Guronsan Yojinbo formulations. Acquired by LEC from Taisho Pharmaceutical in 2024.
• グロモントPREMIUM (Guromont PREMIUM) Premium energy drink and supplement line acquired in 2024, with collaborations including anime IPs such as The Apothecary Diaries and Touhou Project.
• レックビー (Lec.Be)

Quantifiable outcome

• 42 consecutive periods of revenue growth
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and moderate.

• ザスパクサツ群馬 (Zao Spectra Kusatsu Gunma / The Saga Bs Sumplies)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 June 2026LEC entered a silver partner sponsorship agreement with J-League football club ザスパクサツクサツ群馬 from July 1, 2026 for one year. LEC will display its logo and '激落ちくん' branding on goal-side billboards at Shoda Stadium Gunma and on the ball net banner at the club house 'ZASPARK'. This partnership supports regional community engagement, sports promotion, and youth development.
• 松平健 (Matsudaira Ken) / Official IP Rights HoldercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026LEC's AI Charmy brand's first IP partner is 松平健 (Matsudaira Ken), a well-known Japanese entertainer. The 'AI Charmy マツケンバージョン' product features an AI conversational character based on this IP, planned for release in December 2026. This represents a new category of AI-powered conversational character products.
• Taisho Pharmaceutical (大正製薬) - Brand AcquisitioncoreOthers · 1 June 2024LEC acquired the 'グロンサン' and 'グロモント' energy drink/tonic brand businesses from Taisho Pharmaceutical in June 2024 for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition expanded LEC's product portfolio into the functional beverage and supplement category, adding established brands with manufacturing capabilities.
• Lion Corporation (ライオン株式会社) - Brand AcquisitioncoreOthers · 1 December 2018LEC acquired the 'バルサン' (BALUSAN) household insecticide brand business and Lion Packaging Co., Ltd. from Lion Corporation in December 2018. This acquisition established LEC as a major player in the household pest control category in Japan, gaining an iconic brand with decades of market presence.
• KeePer技研 (KeePer Technical Research Institute)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerLEC collaborated with KeePer技研, Japan's largest car coating company, to develop the 笑激SHOCK sink and washbasin coating agent. The product incorporates coating technology and expertise from KeePer技研, adapted for home use. The coating provides water-repellent effects lasting approximately 6 months.
• アンパンマン IP Rights Holder (Fujiko-Pro)moderateOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLEC operates under license from the Anpanman IP rights holder (Fujiko-Pro) to produce and sell Anpanman-branded baby care products including pacifiers, baby bottles, and baby wipes. '激落ち' is a registered trademark of LEC LICENSE CORPORATION, used by LEC under license.
• 新日本プロレス (NJPW - New Japan Pro-Wrestling)moderateGTM or Marketing PartnerLEC has multiple sponsorship and collaboration relationships with NJPW, including the 2022 NJPW 50th Anniversary 'DIACUT FILM CHUCK BAG' product sales, pro-wrestling event sponsorships, and the 'LEC Presents WRESTLE KINGDOM' title sponsorship.
• スターダスト (STARDUST) - Pro-Wrestling PromotionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLEC has ongoing sponsorship relationships with STARDUST pro-wrestling promotions including title sponsorships of STARDUST events and 'LEC クリンぱっ！ presents' branded event sponsorships.
• PPIH / パン・パシオフィック・インターナショナルホールディングス (Pan Pacific International Holdings)moderateChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLEC is a supplier to PPIH (operator of Don Quijote, NiMAR, and other retail chains). LEC received PPIH's first Best Partner Award in 2025, recognizing excellence as a product supplier/partner.
• Amazon Japan, Rakuten, Yahoo! Shopping, Wowma!, auPAY MarketmoderateChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLEC operates official storefronts on all major Japanese e-commerce marketplaces including Amazon Japan, Rakuten, Yahoo! Shopping, Wowma!, and auPAY Market, distributing its full product range directly to consumers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Kose Corporation: Major Japanese cosmetics company and comparable in cosmetics/personal care, an adjacent category where LEC operates through its 銀座化粧堂 subsidiary. Adjacent rather than direct competition.
• Taisho Pharmaceutical: Japanese pharmaceutical company that sold the Guronsan/Guromont energy drink businesses to LEC in June 2024. Comparable in the functional beverage/tonic category and historical brand relationship with LEC.

Direct peers

• Pigeon Corporation: Leading Japanese baby and maternal care products manufacturer. Direct competitor in the baby wipes and infant care categories where LEC operates its Anpanman-licensed line.
• Lion Corporation: Major Japanese household products manufacturer (Look, NANOX, etc.) and the former owner of LEC's Varsan insecticide brand. Closely comparable in Japanese consumer cleaning/hygiene categories and category overlap with LEC.
• Kao Corporation: Japan's largest household and personal care products company, with direct competition in cleaning products (マジックリン/Magiclean, etc.), laundry detergents, and hygiene categories. Comparable in Japanese market focus and broad household cleaning portfolio.
• Fumakilla Limited: Japanese household insecticide and pest control specialist (バルサン was historically its key competitor before LEC acquired the brand). Closely comparable in insecticide category and Japan-domestic focus.
• Earth Corporation: Leading Japanese manufacturer of household insecticides (アースレッド, アースジェット) and oral care products. Direct competitor to LEC's バルサン (Varsan) insecticide line and comparable in Japanese pest control market.

Broad incumbents

• SC Johnson: Global household cleaning products manufacturer (Windex, Mr. Muscle, Pledge). Operates broadly in the same cleaning product categories as LEC but at global scale.
• Reckitt Benckiser: Global household cleaning, hygiene, and health products company (Finish, Lysol, Dettol, Vanish). Operates in adjacent and overlapping categories with LEC's cleaning and hygiene product lines.
• Procter & Gamble: Global CPG giant with household cleaning brands (Mr. Clean, Tide, etc.). Competes with LEC in Japanese home center and drug store channels; broader incumbent in the same product categories.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lecincofficial
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/lecchannel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

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 LEC