TRIS

What TRIS does

TRIS Inc. (トライス株式会社) is a Japanese tribology company founded in 1946 and headquartered in Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture, that designs and manufactures carbon-based friction and electrical-contact components for the global automotive industry. Its core products are automotive carbon brushes, carbon commutators, sintered/powder-metallurgy bearings, and sliding materials, organized under the proprietary e-Tribology® technology platform that extends traditional tribology into electrified-vehicle applications via the TPM (TRIS Power Module for EESM), TES (Earthing System), TFB (Flexible Busbar), and TSM (Sliding Material) product families. The company holds approximately 60% domestic Japanese market share in automotive carbon brushes (self-reported, 2018) and is certified to IATF 16949, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 standards.

The company operates a vertically integrated business model: it develops proprietary carbon material formulations, produces finished brush and commutator assemblies, and sells directly as a Tier-2/3 component supplier to global automotive OEMs and Tier-1 system integrators. Manufacturing and sales operations span 8 countries (Japan, USA, Thailand, China, India, Taiwan, Czech Republic, and Germany), with ~385 employees as of June 2026 and FY2025 revenue of approximately 10.5 billion JPY. Named customers include Toyota Group affiliates (DENSO, Aisin, JATCO, Astemo), Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Robert Bosch, Valeo, BorgWarner, Sawafuji Electric, and Aisan Industry — the latter of which acquired TRIS from Marunouchi Capital on April 1, 2026, making TRIS a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Toyota-affiliated Aisan Group. Go-to-market is sales-led, with dedicated sales offices in Kariya (Toyota hub) and Himeji, complemented by overseas sales/logistics offices in Stuttgart and the Czech Republic and recurring presence at Japanese automotive trade shows (人とくるまのテクノロジー展, Automotive World).

Name

TRIS

Legal name

トライス株式会社 (TRIS Inc.)

Website

https://tris.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

TRIS Inc. is a Japanese tribology company, founded in 1946 and now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aisan Industry (Toyota Group), that manufactures automotive carbon brushes, commutators, and EV electrification components for global OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers across 8 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Matsusaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices13 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 carbon brush sales: Sale of carbon brushes for automotive motors including starters, alternators, EV drives, fuel pumps, HVAC, and power steering. Sold as individual components or as holder assemblies.
2. Carbon commutator sales: Sale of carbon commutators for fuel pumps, providing both commutator discs and full assembly with proprietary press-fit technology.
3. Sintered bearing and mechanical components: Sale of powder metallurgy bearings and mechanical components for automotive and industrial applications.
4. EV electrification products: Sale of EV-specific products including power modules (TPM), earthing systems (TES), flexible busbars (TFB), and sliding materials (TSM) for electrified vehicles.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

TRIS is a tribology specialist that designs and manufactures carbon brushes, carbon commutators, sintered/powder-metallurgy bearings, and sliding-material components for automotive motors, sold primarily to automotive OEMs and tier-1 suppliers. Under its e-Tribology® platform it produces EV-specific products including the TRIS Power Module for EESM (TPM), TRIS Earthing System (TES), TRIS Flexible Busbar (TFB), and TRIS Sliding Material (TSM). The company operates a global manufacturing and sales footprint across 8 countries, with FY2025 revenue of ¥10.5 billion JPY.

Product overview

TRIS Inc. is a world-leading tribology company specializing in carbon components for automotive applications. The product portfolio centers on carbon brushes, carbon commutators, and sliding materials organized under the e-Tribology® technology platform. Core products include the TPM (TRIS Power Module) for EV drive motors, TES (TRIS Earthing System) for noise reduction and corrosion prevention, TFB (TRIS Flexible Busbar) for high-current applications, and TSM (TRIS Sliding Material) series for bearing applications. Traditional automotive products encompass alternator brushes, starter brushes, fuel pump brushes and commutators, blower motor brushes, ESC/ABS brushes, throttle control brushes, and small motor brushes. Sustainability-focused products include wind turbine brushes and next-generation energy components. The company holds approximately 60% domestic market share in automotive carbon brushes (2018 data) and serves major global automotive manufacturers including Toyota Group companies, DENSO, Bosch, and Valeo.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TRIS Power Module for EESM (TPM) Brush holder assembly designed to maximize TRIS's high-performance carbon brushes for Electrically Excited Synchronous Motors (EESM). Estimated 1 million km lifespan, contributes to EV motor downsizing and improved energy efficiency. For automotive EV drive motor manufacturers.
• EV Drive Motor Carbon Brushes (EESM Carbon Brushes) Carbon brushes for Electrically Excited Synchronous Motors (EESM) developed as an alternative to permanent magnet motors. Features low wear and long service life under high voltage and high peripheral speed environments. For EV drive motor manufacturers.
• TRIS Earthing System (TES) Earthing system that suppresses and reduces electrolytic corrosion and radiated noise in EV drive motors and inverters. Developed since the first Nissan Leaf, with flexible design proposals for various installation positions. For EV drive motor manufacturers.
• TRIS Sliding Material (TSM) Series High-performance multifunctional sliding material series developed using TRIS's proprietary special processing technology, achieving high dimensional stability and low torque. First product adopted for water pump applications, contributing to pump performance improvement. For automotive water pump and bearing manufacturers.
• TRIS Flexible Busbar (TFB) Flexible busbar connecting stator and control panel in hybrid vehicle generators to carry high current. Features robustness against high temperatures and vibrations, with cable flexibility ensured by connector manufacturing technology. For hybrid vehicle generator manufacturers.
• Alternator Carbon Brushes Carbon brushes for alternators generating electricity through belt-driven engine rotation. Achieves stable sliding performance across wide rotation range from low to high speeds, with low brush wear and low slip ring attack. For automotive alternator manufacturers.
• Starter Carbon Brushes Carbon brushes for starter motors emphasizing output during engine start. Achieves both high output and long life through proprietary multi-layer molding technology. Full-auto brush holder assembly production capability. For starter motor manufacturers.
• Fuel Pump Carbon Brushes Carbon brushes for fuel pumps that draw gasoline, diesel, etc. from tanks. Features corrosion resistance and spark protection required for use in fuel environments. For automotive fuel pump manufacturers.
• Fuel Pump Carbon Commutators Carbon commutators for fuel pumps using proprietary corrosion-resistant carbon material. Combined with in-house brush production enables optimal proposals from both perspectives. Carbon disks available in various sizes for 2-wheel and 4-wheel applications. For automotive fuel pump manufacturers.
• Blower Motor Carbon Brushes Carbon brushes for blower motors that send warm and cold air into vehicle interiors. Achieves both long life and low noise for improved interior comfort. Long-selling product with high market share. For HVAC blower motor manufacturers.
• ESC/ABS Carbon Brushes Carbon brushes for anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC). Requires high responsiveness and vibration resistance, with excellent efficiency through high-strength, low-resistance materials. For ESC/ABS motor manufacturers.
• Throttle Control Carbon Brushes Carbon brushes for throttle control motors requiring high reliability to withstand engine high temperatures and vibrations. Features proven performance with excellent efficiency and longevity. For throttle body motor manufacturers.
• Small Motor Carbon Brushes Carbon brushes for small motors used in power windows and power seats. Requires quietness and long life for in-vehicle installation. Features various material options, optimized sliding surface shapes for stability and quietness, and low cost through proprietary production technology. For small motor manufacturers.
• Wind Turbine Brushes Carbon brushes for doubly-fed induction generators (DFIG) in wind turbines. Requires low dimensional expansion, minimal voltage drop, low heat generation, and long brush life for various regional environments. Development product for wind turbine generator manufacturers.
• Next-Generation Energy Products Components for next-generation and renewable energy applications. Uses materials with improved chemical resistance based on long-standing material expertise. Development product for renewable-energy OEMs.
• Forklift DC Motor Carbon Brushes Carbon brushes for forklift DC motors used in driving, winches, and power steering. Requires long life, stable characteristics, and low noise. Achieves long life using automotive motor technology with proprietary treatment for improved environmental resistance. For forklift motor manufacturers.
• Railway Vehicle Bearings Sintered (powder metallurgy) parts for railway vehicles requiring high load resistance. Features stable quality with long adoption history, reducing wear even in high-load environments. For railway brake unit and bearing manufacturers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Estimated 1 million km brush life for TPM (TRIS Power Module for EESM)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aisan Industry Co., Ltd. (愛三工業)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2025Aisan Industry Co., Ltd., a Toyota Group company, acquired TRIS from Marunouchi Capital. BDA Partners advised on the transaction. Aisan Industry plans to leverage TRIS's capabilities to strengthen its powertrain business and expand its portfolio of carbon-neutral and electrified products. TRIS became part of the Aisan Group on April 1, 2026.
• 鈴鹿工業高等専門学校 (Suzuka National College of Technology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through the carbon neutrality initiative with Mie Prefecture and JAPIA. University students work with TRIS on CN challenge solutions as part of their 'Creative Engineering' curriculum. TRIS provided waste heat utilization challenges for student teams to address.
• 三重대학교 (Mie University Graduate School)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through the carbon neutrality initiative with Mie Prefecture and JAPIA. Graduate students from the 'Industry-Government-Academia Creative Engineering Exercise' course worked on TRIS's CN-related challenges, including evaluation testing improvements using AI proposals.
• 松阪市 (Matsusaka City)minorOthersTRIS became a member of the 'Matsusaka E-co-to Network' (まつさかE-co-toネットワーク), a city-led environmental awareness initiative. TRIS participates in environmental events and activities to raise environmental awareness in the local community.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Morgan Advanced Materials: UK-listed advanced materials company producing carbon brushes, commutators, and slip rings for industrial and automotive motors. Comparable to TRIS in carbon component technology and global Tier-1 automotive supply, with broader industrial diversification.
• Helwig Carbon Products: US-based privately-held manufacturer of carbon brushes, brush holders, and grounding assemblies for industrial and EV motors. Directly comparable to TRIS in product scope and EV motor brush applications.
• SGL Carbon: German-listed carbon specialist with products spanning graphite electrodes to specialty carbon components including motor brushes. Comparable to TRIS in carbon materials expertise and serves adjacent automotive and industrial end markets.
• Schunk Group: German privately-held carbon technology specialist producing carbon brushes, brush holders, and sliding contacts for automotive, industrial, and EV applications. Directly comparable to TRIS in core tribology products and customer base, with similar European OEM penetration.
• Mersen: French global specialist in carbon, graphite, and electrical components for industrial and EV motors. Mersen is one of the closest direct competitors to TRIS in automotive carbon brushes and brush holders, with overlapping product lines in EV traction and industrial applications.
• Toyo Tanso: Japanese manufacturer of isotropic graphite and specialty carbon products, including carbon brushes for motors. A direct domestic peer to TRIS in Japan with overlapping materials science expertise and automotive customer relationships.

Others

• Denso: Toyota-affiliated Tier-1 automotive components supplier and long-tenured TRIS customer. A significant customer relationship rather than a direct peer, but its supply-chain decisions and electrification roadmap influence TRIS's order book.
• Aisan Industry: Toyota Group powertrain specialist that acquired TRIS in April 2026. Functions as TRIS's new parent company and a strategic customer; not a product competitor but the most important counterparty shaping TRIS's forward product strategy.
• Robert Bosch: Global Tier-1 automotive supplier and TRIS customer. Not a direct competitor in carbon brushes but a major customer whose procurement strategy and in-house sourcing decisions materially shape TRIS's revenue outlook.

Broad incumbents

• Panasonic: Global electronics and automotive systems incumbent with broad EV motor and component offerings. Not a carbon brush specialist but a much larger competitor in the broader automotive electrification component space where TRIS is repositioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries10 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 TRIS