What Nihon Plast does

Nihon Plast (日本プラスト株式会社, NIHON PLAST CO., LTD.) is a Japanese Tier 1 automotive supplier founded in 1948 and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market (ticker 7291). The company manufactures safety components — primarily steering wheels and airbag modules (driver, passenger, side, curtain) — alongside interior resin parts (instrument panels, consoles, ventilators, air conditioning ducts) and exterior resin parts (cowl top covers, fender protectors, air spoilers, and EV battery support components). Manufacturing capabilities span injection molding, RIM molding, blow molding, magnesium die casting, decorative leather wrapping, vibration welding, painting, and assembly, supported by proprietary quality systems including NPGS (Nihon Plast Global Standard), QA Certification Lines, and an internal XX Verification mechanism with approximately 200 evaluation criteria.

Nihon Plast serves major Japanese automakers — Nissan, Honda, Suzuki, Isuzu, and Mitsubishi — as direct Tier 1 customers, with Tier 2 supply also flowing to Marelli (formerly Calsonic Kansei) and FORVIA-affiliated entities. The company operates eleven overseas production sites in the United States, Mexico, China, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, plus Japanese plants in Fujinomiya, Isesaki, and Kyushu, with global headcount of approximately 5,736 and consolidated annual net sales of approximately ¥120.6 billion (FY2025, ending March 2025). Production capacity includes 3.275 million steering wheels annually, with 319 injection molding machines, 72 RIM presses, and 17 magnesium die casting units deployed worldwide.

The business model is B2B direct OEM supply with multi-year negotiated contracts, priced per component and platform, and revenue recognized on delivery. Beyond the core automotive business, Nihon Plast has developed a sustainability-driven new business line anchored by NPORUS®, a urethane recycling material produced through microbial decomposition in joint research with Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. NPORUS® is commercialized through the 'plus to u' consumer sub-brand (online store plusto.base.shop) and used in concept products such as N-CON (retractable steering wheel for autonomous driving), X-Cockpit (Noiseless Design Cockpit for Level 3–4), and e-Console (BEV console). Sustainability commitments include carbon neutrality and zero-waste material targets by FY2048.

Name

Nihon Plast

Legal name

日本プラスト株式会社

Website

https://www.n-plast.co.jp/

Company type

Public

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Nihon Plast is a Japanese Tier 1 automotive supplier founded in 1948 that designs and manufactures steering wheels, airbag modules, and interior/exterior resin components primarily for Nissan, Honda, Suzuki, Isuzu, and Mitsubishi, operating 11 overseas production sites alongside domestic Japanese plants with consolidated annual revenue of approximately ¥120.6 billion.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Safety Parts

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (3363), Motor Vehicle Seating and Interior Trim Manufacturing (336360)

SIC

Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)

akta.pro primary industry

Occupant Restraint Systems Manufacturing (Airbags/Seatbelts/Pretensioners/Load Limiters) (IMACAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Automotive Interior Comfort & Convenience Components Manufacturing (Armrests/Cupholders/Storage/Interior Hardware) (IMACAKAJ)

Keywords

• Automotive safety parts
• Steering wheel manufacturing
• Airbag module production
• Interior resin components
• Automotive OEM supplier

Headquarters

HQ city

Fujinomiya

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices24 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Automotive Safety Parts: Direct B2B sales of steering wheels and airbag modules to automotive OEMs. Products are designed and manufactured to customer specifications for specific vehicle platforms. Revenue recognized upon delivery of manufactured components.
2. Automotive Interior/Exterior Resin Parts: Direct B2B sales of interior components (instrument panels, consoles, air ducts) and exterior parts (fender protectors, cowl top covers, spoilers) to automotive OEMs. Revenue recognized upon delivery of manufactured components.
3. SDG/Upsycled Products: Consumer products made from manufacturing waste materials including NPORUS®-based interior plants, leather accessories, and fabric bags. Sold through online shop plusto.base.shop. Minor revenue stream supporting sustainability brand.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Nihon Plast manufactures and sells automotive safety components, including steering wheels and airbag modules, as well as interior and exterior resin parts such as instrument panels, console boxes, air conditioning ducts, cowl top covers, fender protectors, air spoilers, and battery components. Products are designed and manufactured to customer specifications and supplied directly to automotive OEMs worldwide through 11 global production sites.

Product overview

Nihon Plast is an automotive components manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of safety parts (steering wheels and airbag modules), interior parts (instrument panels, ventilators, console boxes, air conditioning ducts), and exterior parts (fender protectors, spoilers, battery components). The company also develops new business products including NPORUS® for urethane recycling. Safety parts and interior/exterior resin components are sold as OEM parts to automotive manufacturers, while NPORUS® represents an upcycling initiative using manufacturing waste materials. The company operates production facilities across Japan (Fuji, Isesaki, Kyushu plants) and globally (USA, Mexico, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam) with 11 overseas bases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• plus to u: Upcycled SDG-related products brand selling interior green plants, leather accessories, and fabric items made from waste materials generated during automobile parts manufacturing, including NPORUS® (microbially decomposed urethane), airbag base fabric, and leather scraps.
• NPORUS®

Products and services

• Steering Wheels (ステアリングホイール) Steering wheels for automobiles with integrated airbag systems and various control switches, featuring leather-wrapped options and ergonomic designs for driver comfort and safety. Sold to automotive OEMs.
• Airbag Modules (エアバッグモジュール) Front, side, and curtain airbag modules combining resin processing and safety technology to provide occupant protection in collisions. Sold to automotive OEMs.
• Instrument Panel Systems (インストルメントパネルシステム) Interior dashboard components combining advanced resin molding technology with decorative finishing for functional and aesthetically designed comfortable spaces. Sold to automotive OEMs.
• Ventilators (ベンチレーター) Climate control components using advanced airflow analysis and resin processing technology for comfortable and functional indoor air conditioning. Sold to automotive OEMs.
• Console Boxes (コンソールボックス) Center console storage components with convenient opening/closing mechanisms and decorative surface finishing for comfortable interior spaces. Sold to automotive OEMs.
• Air Conditioning Ducts (エアコンダクト) HVAC ducting components optimized using airflow analysis technology for each vehicle layout to provide optimal airflow paths. Sold to automotive OEMs.
• Cowl Top Covers (カウルトップカバー) Engine compartment covers serving important functional roles in exterior applications while maintaining vehicle aesthetics. Sold to automotive OEMs.
• Fender Protectors (フェンダープロテクター) Wheel well protectors that shield functional components from road debris while contributing to aerodynamic improvement. Sold to automotive OEMs.
• Air Spoilers (エアスポイラー) Aerodynamic exterior components with high-sharpness finish matching body quality, providing distinctive styling and aerodynamic improvements. Sold to automotive OEMs.
• Battery Components (バッテリー周辺部品) Electric vehicle battery support components contributing to vehicle thermal management systems. Sold to automotive OEMs.
• NPORUS® (エヌポルス) Urethane recycling new material developed through joint research with Obihiro University. Creates microporous structure through microbial decomposition for water retention, absorption, and lightweight functionality. Used in interior green products and upcycled consumer merchandise.
• N-CON (次世代ステアリングコンセプト) Next-generation steering concept featuring ergonomic grip design based on human engineering, biometric sensing functionality for driver health monitoring, and retractable mechanism for Level 4+ autonomous driving comfort.
• X-Cockpit / Noiseless Design Cockpit (次世代コックピットコンセプト) Next-generation cockpit concept for comfortable driving and mobility, combining auditory, visual, and tactile elements to enable linear information transmission between driver and vehicle for Level 3/4 autonomous driving.
• e-CONSOLE (次世代コンソールモデル) Next-generation console model for electric vehicles featuring automatic cup holder height adjustment, heating/cooling functions, and power-assisted armrest opening/closing for passenger comfort during charging.

Quantifiable outcome

• CO2 emissions reduction of 58.8% (FY2013 baseline) achieved in FY2025, exceeding target of 44.4%
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Feature12 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 52 KOKE PROJECT (江津市, 島根県)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Collaboration on moss terrarium products as part of SDG upcycled product line. Combines NPORUS® material with local conservation activities in Shimane Prefecture.
• Business Partners (Suppliers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2024Partnership Declaration published March 2024. Guidelines for sustainable supply chain management covering CSR, environmental protection, and human rights. Replaced 'Supplier CSR Guidelines' (2020) with 'Supplier Sustainability Guidelines'. Aims for 100% collaborative agreement rate by FY2030.
• Aoyama Gakuin University (青山学院大学)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Joint research on carbon material applications, specifically high-conductivity single-walled carbon nanotube film manufacturing method for heat-press-transfer onto resin substrates. Patent application in progress.
• Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (帯広畜産大学)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Industry-academia joint research on microbial decomposition of urethane materials. Resulted in NPORUS® technology and multiple patents (Patent Nos. 6489542, 6439971, 6630498, 6799241). Research enables recycling of manufacturing waste urethane into new materials with water retention and absorption properties.
• Tokyo Stock ExchangecoreOthersListed company on Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market (stock code 7291). Subject to TSE disclosure rules and Timely Disclosure Network (TDnet) requirements. Provides investor relations communications and corporate governance compliance.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves26 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Toyoda Gosei: Japanese Tier 1 supplier of airbags, steering wheels, interior and exterior plastic parts for major OEMs including Toyota. Closest like-for-like peer to Nihon Plast given shared product portfolio and Japanese OEM customer base.
• Autoliv: World's largest airbag and seatbelt manufacturer, headquartered in Sweden/US. Directly comparable to Nihon Plast's airbag-module business and competes for global OEM safety-parts contracts.
• Joyson Safety Systems (formerly Takata): Chinese-owned (Joyson Electronics) airbag and safety-restraint supplier with global manufacturing footprint. Competes directly in airbag modules and steering-wheel safety systems supplied to Japanese and global OEMs.
• Tachi-S: Japanese manufacturer of automotive seats, interior trim and resin components supplying Nissan, Honda and other Asian OEMs. Closely comparable in product mix, customer overlap and Japanese-headquartered competitive position.
• Sanko Gosei: Japanese Tier 1 plastics and interior/exterior components manufacturer supplying Japanese OEMs. Comparable scale and product portfolio focus on resin-based automotive interior and exterior parts.

Broad incumbents

• ZF Friedrichshafen: Global Tier 1 supplier with active steering systems, occupant safety and chassis businesses. Overlaps with Nihon Plast in steering-related and safety systems at a significantly larger scale and broader product portfolio.
• Hyundai Mobis: Korean Tier 1 supplier of airbags, steering systems, interior modules and ADAS components. Larger scale than Nihon Plast and increasingly competing for Japanese OEM supply contracts across Asia.
• Marelli (formerly Calsonic Kansei / Magneti Marelli): Italian-Japanese Tier 1 supplier of instrument panels, interior modules and exterior components. Already a documented partner/customer of Nihon Plast and competes in overlapping interior-trim product categories.
• FORVIA (Faurecia): French Tier 1 interior systems supplier (seating, cockpits, clean mobility). Comparable as a much larger incumbent in the same automotive interior components space served by Nihon Plast.

Others

• Howa Co., Ltd. Japanese automotive components supplier (interior trim and resin parts) listed as a documented customer of Nihon Plast. Adjacent comparable rather than a direct competitor — useful as a regional supply-chain peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqCAxqxJES_axF2utMDdO2g/featured
• Instagraminstagram.com/plusto_nihonplast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nihon-plast-co-ltd

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries13 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 Nihon Plast