What Okano Valve Manufacturing does

Okano Valve Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (岡野バルブ製造株式会社) is a nearly 100-year-old Japanese industrial manufacturer founded in 1926 and headquartered in Moji, Kitakyushu, Japan. The company is publicly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TYO:6492) after consolidating its listing from the Fukuoka Stock Exchange in 2023, and operates between 251 and 500 employees. Its core business is the custom design, manufacture, and on-site maintenance of high-temperature, high-pressure valves — including globe, gate, check, safety/relief, control, and specialty valves — serving the nuclear and thermal power generation industries in Japan, with operating temperatures from -196°C to 1200°C. Customers are predominantly Japanese power utilities such as Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), with dedicated on-site maintenance offices embedded at major plants including Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, Fukushima, Hamaoka, Keiyo, and Tohoku, alongside sales offices in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyushu and headquarters manufacturing in Kitakyushu and Yukuhashi.

The company operates an integrated steel casting capability (the first in the world to cast 9Cr-1Mo in 1986, later adopted as ASTM A217 C12A), holds Japan's first ASME Section III CMO certification (N/NV/NPT stamps, 2010), and is ISO 9001 and JIS self-declared compliant. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time made-to-order valve sales and recurring professional-services maintenance contracts. Beyond the legacy business, Okano is repositioning itself as a "future-oriented manufacturing enterprise" by launching several digital business lines: a drone-based inspection service (IBIS2 in partnership with Liberaware, deployed at Fukushima Daiichi and nationally), an AI-powered design support system (with Miralink), the VQ plant equipment DX service, and the IoM Procurement platform for manufacturing procurement, while also running S-TOKYO and X-BORDER KOZA as community innovation hubs and engaging in social venture activities (community nursing, robotics via Real Bullbuster). In April 2026 the company brought cloud/systems development capability in-house via the group acquisition of AlterBoots Inc., accelerating the pivot toward platform-style digital services built on top of its century of valve domain expertise.

Name

Okano Valve Manufacturing

Legal name

Okano Valve Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Website

https://okano-valve.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Okano Valve Manufacturing designs, manufactures, and maintains high-temperature, high-pressure valves for Japanese nuclear and thermal power utilities, leveraging nearly 100 years of proprietary metallurgy, ASME-certified steel casting, and on-site service presence across Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial valves for power generation

NAICS

Industrial Valve Manufacturing (332911), Metal Valve Manufacturing (33291)

akta.pro primary industry

Seals, Valves & Auxiliary Components (for Pumps/Compressors) (IMAHANAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Valves & Cartridge Valves (Directional, Pressure, Flow Control) (IMAHAGAE), Oilfield Equipment Manufacturing & Supply (Wellheads, BOPs, Surface Equipment) (EUALABAL), Pressure Vessels, Columns & Storage Tanks (ASME/Process Vessels) (IMAHAEAF)

Keywords

• Industrial valve manufacturing
• Power plant valves
• Steel castings
• Valve maintenance services
• Drone inspection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kitakyushu

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Valve Manufacturing: Custom-designed and manufactured high-temperature, high-pressure valves for power generation plants (nuclear, thermal). Products include globe valves, gate valves, check valves, safety/relief valves, drain valves, lining valves, control valves, and specialty valves. Made-to-order production responding to specific customer requirements with short lead times compared to competitors.
2. Valve Maintenance & Services: On-site and workshop maintenance services including valve seat replacement repair, nut seat face repair, flange gasket repair, seal ring repair, neck bush replacement, stem bush wear measurement, safety valve critical inspection, chemical decontamination, and technical training. Services provided at customer power plant sites and at the company's own training center.
3. Steel Castings (鋳鋼品): Steel casting materials and products for internal valve production and external sales. Includes ASME-certified materials. Manufacturing capacity up to 6 tons per piece, with dimensions up to 2000mm x 1800mm x 1000mm. Customers include power plant operators and heavy industry.
4. DX Solutions & New Business: Revenue from new digital transformation businesses including drone inspection services, AI-assisted design systems, and community/innovation hub operations. Still developing with growing contribution to overall revenue mix.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Okano Valve Manufacturing designs, produces, and maintains high-temperature, high-pressure industrial valves (globe, gate, check, safety/relief, control, drain, lining, and specialty types) primarily for nuclear and thermal power plants in Japan, alongside ASME-certified steel castings. The company complements these core offerings with on-site valve maintenance services, the proprietary AVD diagnostic system, and an expanding portfolio of digital transformation services including AI-assisted design, drone-based infrastructure inspection, and innovation/community hub operations (S-TOKYO, X-BORDER KOZA).

Product overview

Okano Valve Manufacturing operates a diversified business portfolio centered on valve manufacturing and maintenance services, with expansion into DX solutions, AI-powered design tools, innovation hubs, and social venture initiatives. The core business includes development, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of high-temperature/high-pressure valves for power plants, supporting critical infrastructure with products ranging from -196°C to 1200°C temperature tolerance. The company has evolved into a 'future-oriented manufacturing enterprise' by developing new business units including VQ (Valve Quotient) for plant equipment DX, IoM Procurement for manufacturing procurement optimization, drone inspection services using IBIS2 technology, and AI-powered design support systems. Additionally, the company operates innovation spaces (S-TOKYO in Tokyo, X-BORDER KOZA in Okinawa), research initiatives (人文知研究所), and community-focused social ventures (community nurse services).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• S-TOKYO: A micro-complex small cultural facility connecting local companies with digital nomads and serving as a co-working and event space in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.
• X-BORDER KOZA
• VQ (Valve Quotient)
• IoM Procurement (IoM調達)
• ERD Department
• Jinbunachi Research Institute (人文知研究所)

Products and services

• High-Temperature/High-Pressure Valve Products (バルブ製品) Custom-designed industrial valves for power generation including globe valves, gate valves, check valves, safety/relief valves, screw-down stop check valves, drain valves, lining valves, NAC valves, control valves, and 3-way valves. Rated for temperatures from -196°C (LNG/LPG) to 1200°C (wind tunnel applications). Sold primarily to Japanese nuclear and thermal power utilities.
• Valve Maintenance Services (メンテナンスサービス) Comprehensive valve maintenance services for power plant operators including seat replacement repair, nut seat face repair, flange gasket contact face repair, seal ring contact face repair, neck bush replacement, stem bush wear measurement, safety valve precision inspection, electric valve diagnosis (AVD), valve maintenance management system, chemical decontamination, and technical training. Delivered both on-site at customer plants and at the company's training center.
• Steel Castings (鋳鋼品) ASME-certified steel casting materials and products for internal valve production and external sale, including JIS- and ASTM-compliant grades. Capacity up to 6 tons per piece with dimensions up to 2000mm x 1800mm x 1000mm. Applications include main steam isolation valves, turbine casings, and piping components. Includes the world-first 9Cr-1Mo steel casting (1986) and proprietary SCWB36 (DIN 1.6368 / 15NiCuMoNb5) alloy.
• Ampere-Voltage-Diagnostic System (電動弁診断『AVD』) Proprietary electric valve diagnostic system that analyzes amperage and voltage patterns to assess valve condition and predict maintenance needs without disassembly. Used for predictive maintenance of power plant valve assets.
• IBIS2 Drone Inspection Service (ドローン事業・IBIS2点検サービス) Inspection service using Liberaware's IBIS2 ultra-compact drone to survey narrow, dark, and hazardous indoor spaces in power plants, industrial facilities, and sewer pipes. Enables 3D modeling and anomaly detection in previously inaccessible environments.
• AI Design Support System (設計サポートシステム) AI system co-developed with Miralink that learns from design blueprints, technical documentation, and claim data, then recommends relevant past designs and surfaces potential errors. Targets manufacturing design knowledge management and engineer-shortage mitigation.
• VQ (Valve Quotient) Plant Equipment DX Service (VQ事業サービスサイト) Digital transformation support service for plant equipment and industrial facility maintenance, providing drone-based inspection, digital infrastructure management, and related DX solutions.
• IoM Procurement (IoM調達) Alpha Version Manufacturing procurement support SaaS that digitizes and optimizes the procurement process for manufacturing companies, offered as an alpha release.
• S-TOKYO Innovation Hub / Coworking Space Micro-complex cultural facility in Nihonbashi, Tokyo with cafe/bar, lounge/event space, coworking desks, shared meeting rooms, and rooftop sky garden. Connects local Japanese companies with digital nomads and Tokyo-based innovators. Sold via tiered memberships (Free Desk, Nomad Use, Local Company, Corporate Plan).
• X-BORDER KOZA Community Office Community office space in the Koza district of Okinawa City focused on cross-border innovation, startup support, and local-global collaboration. Open Tuesday through Friday 10:00-18:00.

Quantifiable outcome

• World's first Stellite valve seat adoption (1932), setting global standard still used worldwide today
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Altvauge Inc. (株式会社オルターブース)coreOthers · 21 April 2026Group company acquisition of Altvauge, a company developing cloud computing systems. This group company formation strengthens Okano's digital/information technology capabilities as part of its DX strategy.
• JICA (独立行政法人国際協力機構)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 September 2025JICA Regional Understanding Program featuring Okano Valve's Real Bullbuster project to international administrators studying in Kyushu. Okano presents the anime and robot development initiative as an example of Japanese pop culture and manufacturing innovation. Contributes to regional brand building internationally.
• Molten Co., Ltd. (株式会社モルテン)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2025Co-organizer of ROX (Robotics Open eXchange), a robotics competition connecting companies with students. Molten hosts the competition at their technical center 'the Box' in Hiroshima. Okano Valve sponsors and partners with university/KOSEN teams for the event. Focuses on nurturing next-generation engineering talent through hands-on robot development experience.
• Kyushu Institute of Technology (九州工業大学)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2025Comprehensive cooperation agreement for building a local deep-tech implementation model. Partnership includes cross-appointment system to dispatch Okano engineers to the university, opening of company facilities, and support for university venture creation from research through business development and customer acquisition. Aims for end-to-end industry-academia collaboration.
• Miralink Co., Ltd. (株式会社ミラリンク)coreTechnology or Integration · 3 December 2024Business partnership for AI-assisted design support system development. Miralink provides AI systems that learn from Okano's valve design drawings and engineering know-how. The system recommends relevant past designs and prevents errors by referencing historical claim data. Partnership aims to accelerate manufacturing DX and address engineer shortages through AI knowledge transfer.
• Liberaware Co., Ltd. (株式会社リベラウェア)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2024Capital and business partnership for drone-based infrastructure inspection. Okano Valve and Liberaware jointly offer drone inspection services using the IBIS2 ultra-compact drone for narrow/dark/hazardous indoor spaces at power plants. Services already deployed at Fukushima Daiichi and expanded nationally. Mid-to-long-term plans include joint drone development combining Okano's non-destructive inspection expertise with Liberaware's drone technology. Partnership began with collaboration on Fukushima Daiichi equipment surveys.
• COTEN Inc. (株式会社コテン)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 August 2024Business partnership in humanities research field. Established the 'Humanities Research Institute' (人文知研究所) within Okano Valve to research historical and social patterns for long-term business decision-making. COTEN provides its research methodology and team support. The institute, launched January 2024, studies themes like 'ESG beyond compliance' using diverse internal team members. Aims to give the company a compass for navigating turbulent times.
• Community Nurse Company Inc. (株式会社CNC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 April 2024Partnership for community nurse (コミュニティナース) business in Moji district, Kitakyushu. CNC's community nursing concept connects isolated residents (elderly, self-employed, childcare parents) through community spaces. Okano Valve provides funding and local support as a Moji-based company invested in community well-being. The initiative supports employee families and local residents' happiness while contributing to regional revitalization.
• Linnas Design Inc. (株式会社 Linnas Design)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Partnership for S-TOKYO innovation hub operation in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. Linnas Design, operator of LINNAS Kanazawa lifestyle hotel, co-develops S-TOKYO as a space connecting local Japanese companies with digital nomads and international community. Linnas Design contributes community-building expertise and brings its network from Kanazawa. The 4-floor facility includes cafe/bar, lounge/event space, coworking, and shared meeting rooms with rooftop sky garden.
• Japan IBM Digital Services (日本IBMデジタルサービス)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2024Special session at Kita-Q DX Conference 2024 between Okano Valve's Kikuchi and IBM Japan's DX Center leader on DX innovation. IBM, which opened a Kyushu DX Center in Kitakyushu, collaborates with Okano as a local century-old manufacturer pursuing digital transformation.
• Pikus Co., Ltd. (株式会社ピクス)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2023Partnership for the 'Real Bullbuster Development Project' (リアルブルバスター開発プロジェクト) — developing a real robot based on the anime 'Bullbuster' set in Kitakyushu. Pikus provides the original story/IP. The project includes 'Developer Audition: Finding the Next Okino' to recruit young robot developers, and collaboration with Kyushu Institute of Technology and local schools.
• Candee Inc. (株式会社Candee)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 October 2022Guest speaker participation at S-TOKYO Social Salon Vol.3. Candee CEO Yamamura discussed D2C trends and live commerce at S-TOKYO event. Supports S-TOKYO's mission of connecting local companies with diverse perspectives.
• Smiles Co., Ltd. (株式会社スマイルズ)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 August 2022Guest speaker participation at S-TOKYO Social Salon Vol.1. Smiles CCO Nozaki Wataru discussed 'ART, AMUSEMENT, SCAPE' themes at the S-TOKYO innovation space event. Represents Okano's community-building approach through diverse industry speakers.
• INDUSTRIAL-X Inc. (株式会社INDUSTRIAL-X)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Capital and business partnership for plant equipment DX. INDUSTRIAL-X, led by former Cisco/Accenture executive Yako Tomonori, provides DX consulting and platform capabilities. Okano Valve leverages INDUSTRIAL-X's ecosystem to accelerate digital transformation of plant equipment maintenance. The partnership is part of Okano's shift toward becoming a 'future manufacturing company' (未来型づくり企業).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Crane Co. US diversified industrial manufacturer with a significant process flow technologies segment offering valves for power and process industries. Comparable in industrial valve product category, with broader portfolio including aerospace and engineered materials.
• Flowserve Corporation: Global leader in industrial pumps, valves, seals, and flow control automation for power, oil & gas, and chemical industries. Comparable in high-spec power plant valves but at materially larger scale and broader product portfolio.
• IMI plc: UK-based engineering group specializing in motion and fluid control, including severe-service valves for power generation. Comparable in high-performance industrial valve applications targeting power, energy, and petrochemical customers.
• Mueller Industries, Inc. US manufacturer of copper, brass, aluminum, and plastic products including industrial valves and fittings. Comparable in industrial valve manufacturing but with broader plumbing/HVAC exposure rather than nuclear-grade specialization.
• Pentair plc: Global water and fluid solutions company including industrial valves for water infrastructure and process industries. Comparable in valve manufacturing and DX/service monetization but focused on water rather than power-generation steam applications.
• Spirax-Sarco Engineering plc: UK-listed specialist in steam systems, including control valves and condensate management for industrial and power generation customers. Comparable in steam-specialty valve technologies and predictive maintenance services for power plant assets.
• Velan Inc. Canadian manufacturer of industrial valves for nuclear, fossil, and combined-cycle power plants, with comparable high-pressure/high-temperature specifications. Broader global incumbent operating in the same power-generation valve segment Okano serves in Japan.

Direct peers

• KITZ Corporation: Japan's largest valve manufacturer, producing industrial valves including stainless steel, bronze, and cast steel valves for power, chemical, and semiconductor customers. Directly comparable to Okano in product line and customer base, with a much larger global footprint.
• Nippon Valve Controls Inc. Japanese manufacturer of industrial valves (butterfly, ball, gate, globe) for power plants, water, and chemical applications. Closely comparable in product category and domestic power-generation customer base, though more oriented to fluid control than high-temperature steam.

Emerging players

• Liberaware Co., Ltd. Japanese startup developing ultra-compact industrial inspection drones (IBIS2), partnered with Okano Valve for plant-equipment inspection. Comparable as an emerging player in the same DX ecosystem Okano is building via its VQ事業, though Liberaware is the technology supplier rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oka_piyopiyo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@okanovalve1926
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/okanovalve

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments3 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Okano Valve Manufacturing