Nippon Gear

What Nippon Gear does

Nippon Gear Co., Ltd. (日本ギア工業株式会社, ticker 6356 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market) is a Japanese industrial machinery manufacturer established in 1945 and headquartered in Tokyo. The company designs, manufactures, and sells precision mechanical power transmission components, with its core portfolio spanning electric and manual valve actuators, screw jacks (including ball screw, high-lead, rack, bevel gear, and high-speed variants), mixer drives for industrial processes, high-precision gears (cylindrical, spiral bevel, hypoid, straight bevel), and limit switches. Its valve actuator line traces back to a technical partnership with Flowserve Corporation (USA) that has run for over 70 years and remains the company's flagship offering, with deployments in Japanese nuclear and thermal power plants, chemical plants, water treatment facilities, and semiconductor manufacturing sites.

The company's technology stack combines traditional mechanical engineering expertise in worm, ball screw, spur, bevel, and helical gear systems with proprietary diagnostic and communication systems. Diagnostic offerings include MOVDAS (analyzing 17 torque-waveform parameters for valve trend management), MAC (comprehensive health assessment via sensor-based torque measurement), eMAC (simplified MCC current-measurement diagnostics), and SAM (non-disassembly stem nut wear measurement). Communication and integration products include the G-LINK loop-connected control system (RS-232/Modbus, up to 127 devices), PROFIBUS-DP (DP-V0/V1) interface modules, and Two-Wire Control remote systems. Additional product categories include battery-less absolute encoders (RC and Hyper RC series), fan drives, and smoothy screws for clean-room semiconductor and medical applications. Services include A/B/C tiered valve actuator inspection programs and valve electric-conversion remodeling.

Nippon Gear generates revenue primarily through one-time capital equipment sales of industrial machinery, augmented by recurring maintenance, parts replacement, and diagnostic services across multi-year inspection cycles. Pricing is quote-based and varies by specification, size, materials, and application. The company sells direct to enterprise end-users (power utilities, chemical plants, water treatment operators, semiconductor manufacturers) through a direct enterprise field-sales motion supported by technical consultation and customization. FY2026 (ended March 2026) net sales totaled ¥9,883M with ordinary profit of ¥2,507M and net profit of ¥1,751M, yielding a 25.4% ordinary-profit margin and an 84% equity ratio. The company employs 244 regular staff plus 71 temporary workers, is controlled by long-term shareholders (Seiwa Co., Ltd. holds 39.45% and Mita Shoten Co., Ltd. holds 7.19%), and operates exclusively within Japan.

Name

Nippon Gear

Legal name

日本ギア工業株式会社

Website

https://nippon-gear.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Nippon Gear Co., Ltd. is a Japanese industrial machinery manufacturer (TSE: 6356) that designs and produces valve actuators, screw jacks, mixers, precision gears, and limit switches for nuclear/thermal power plants, chemical plants, water treatment facilities, and semiconductor manufacturers across Japan, complemented by proprietary diagnostic and maintenance services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Power Transmission Equipment

NAICS

Mechanical Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing (333613), Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612), Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Linear Motion & Mechanical Power Transmission (Ball/roller screws, linear guides, bearings, couplings) (IMAHAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gearmotors, Gearboxes & Speed Reducers (IMAGACAF), Electromechanical Components (Relays, Switches, Potentiometers, Encoders) (IMAGAJAB)

Keywords

• Industrial valve actuators
• Mechanical screw jacks
• Industrial mixer drives
• Precision power transmission gears
• Power plant valve diagnostics

Headquarters

HQ city

Fujisawa

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Equipment Manufacturing: Design, manufacture, and sale of precision mechanical power transmission components including valve actuators, screw jacks, mixer drives, gears, and limit switches. Revenue is primarily from one-time capital equipment sales with ongoing maintenance, repair, and parts replacement services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Nippon Gear (日本ギア工業株式会社) designs, manufactures, and sells industrial mechanical power transmission equipment, with core offerings in electric and manual valve actuators (developed via a long-standing technology partnership with Flowserve Corporation USA), mechanical screw jacks (trapezoidal, ball screw, high-lead, and rack types), and industrial mixer drives for power plants, water treatment, and chemical facilities. The company also produces precision gears, limit switches, battery-less absolute encoders, and proprietary valve diagnostic systems (MAC, eMAC, SAM, MOVDAS) for predictive maintenance, serving nuclear/thermal power plants, chemical plants, water treatment, and semiconductor manufacturing.

Product overview

Nippon Gear (日本ギア工業株式会社) is a Japanese industrial machinery manufacturer specializing in valve actuators, mechanical jacks, mixers, precision gears, and related products. The core product portfolio centers on valve actuators developed through a technology partnership with Flowserve USA, offering over 70 years of experience with both electric actuators (SMB, L120, JMB, AE, LSB, JX-05M, NOM series) and manual actuators (BGA, PA, B, W, CWG, HB, H, MLT series). Supporting products include comprehensive jack systems (screw jacks, ball screw jacks, high-speed jacks, rack jacks, bevel gear jacks, geared motor jacks) for lifting, tilting, and positioning applications; mixer drives (NT, NS, GSE series) for power plants and industrial processes; precision gears (cylindrical, spiral bevel, hypoid); limit switches (SR, SS types) for nuclear and power plant applications; and absolute encoders (RC, Hyper RC series). The company also offers proprietary diagnostic solutions (MAC, eMAC, SAM, MOVDAS) for predictive maintenance of electric valves, and communication systems (G-LINK, PROFIBUS-DP) for plant integration. Nippon Gear serves power generation, petroleum, chemical, gas, water treatment, and semiconductor industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electric Valve Actuators Electric valve actuators developed through a technology partnership with Flowserve USA, with over 70 years of tradition and track record. Multi-turn and part-turn actuators for gate valves, butterfly valves, and ball valves, including SMB, L120, JMB, AE, LSB, JX-05M, and NOM series. Used in nuclear and thermal power plants, chemical plants, water treatment, and general industry.
• Manual Valve Actuators Manual valve actuators including BGA, PA, B, W, CWG, HB, H, and MLT series for direct manual operation of gate valves, globe valves, butterfly valves, and other valve types. Feature self-locking capability and various torque ratings. Used as standalone operation or backup for electric actuators.
• Screw Jacks (Trapezoidal Screw) Standard screw jacks converting rotary motion to linear motion for lifting, tilting, pushing/pulling, and holding applications. Range from 10kN to 1000kN capacity. Includes J0G-J7A and JGA series with trapezoidal screw mechanism and self-locking capability.
• Ball Screw Jacks High-efficiency ball screw jacks using rolling friction for approximately 3x efficiency compared to trapezoidal screw jacks. Range from 10kN to 1000kN capacity. Includes J0B-J7B and JFB series.
• Small Screw Jacks Ultra-compact screw jacks with lightweight design offering high performance in a small form factor. RMG and RSG series for compact applications.
• Ball Small Jacks Compact ball screw jacks offering high efficiency in a small, lightweight design. RSB series with 4kN basic capacity.
• High-Lead Screw Jacks High-efficiency screw jacks with multi-start thread design enabling 2-5x faster speed than standard screw jacks. RMY, RSY, J0Y series with 2kN to 10kN capacity.
• High-Lead Ball Screw Jacks High-speed ball screw jacks optimized for high-speed applications. RSF, J0F-J4F series with 4kN to 200kN capacity, offering approximately 3x efficiency compared to trapezoidal screw jacks.
• High-Speed Jacks High-speed, high-efficiency jacks combining bevel gears with high-lead ball screws. JSH-J2H series with 5-50kN capacity, maximum screw shaft speed of 20m/min, and approximately 5x higher operating frequency than conventional units.
• Rack Jacks High-efficiency jacks using rack gear for converting between linear and rotary motion. JMR and JSR series with 2kN and 4kN capacity, enabling high-speed linear motion even at low input rotation speeds.
• Bevel Gear Jacks (BGA) Manual bevel gear jacks with self-locking capability. BGAD0C to BGA25A series with 10kN to 300kN basic capacity. Combines efficient bevel gear with trapezoidal screw.
• Smoothy Screw Jacks Compact screw jacks combining features of small and ball screw jacks. RMS and RSS series with 2kN and 5kN capacity. Uses integrated nut-ball design without separate steel balls or return tubes, saving space.
• Geared Motor Jacks Jack units with integrated geared motors for immediate use. 0.1 to 3.7kW output, three-phase, with various reduction ratios and inverter drive capability.
• Smoothy Screws High-efficiency screws combining nut and ball as a single unit. PET resin nut with stainless steel screw shaft. 50% electric efficiency, no lubrication required, long life. Used in semiconductor, food machinery, medical equipment, and LCD applications.
• Mixers (NT Series) Medium to large mixers for power plants, water treatment, and chemical plants. NT series features in-house high-precision gears, 2-stage and 3-stage reduction options, and motor capacity from 1.5kW to 200kW. Supports top-entry, bottom-entry, and angle mounting.
• Mixers (NS Series) Small to medium mixers featuring compact, lightweight design with simple construction. NSR, NSG, NSV variants for different applications. Includes cyclo reducer and belt drive options.
• Mixers (GSE Series) Side-entry mixers for flue gas desulfurization equipment in thermal power plants. GSE-08 to GSE-17 series with shutoff mechanism allowing shaft seal replacement without emptying tank. GSE-17 is among the world's largest capacity side-entry mixers.
• Precision Gears High-precision gears including cylindrical gears (grinding), spiral bevel gears, hypoid gears, and straight bevel gears. From popular products to ultra-high-performance gears meeting stringent precision requirements. Includes gear measurement services.
• Limit Switches (SR Type) High-reliability limit switches for nuclear and thermal power plants and chemical plants. SR type with high quality standards and extensive global deployment.
• Limit Switches (SS Type) Limit switches operating in both left and right directions with maximum operation angle over 80 degrees. Features snap-action mechanism, high-capacity silver contacts, and corrosion-resistant aluminum die-cast housing.
• RC Encoder (Multi-turn Absolute) Battery-less multi-turn absolute encoder using a special gear mechanism to count rotation and output binary signals. Resolution 1-1024 per rotation. No cumulative error from noise, dust-proof and drip-proof construction, RoHS compliant.
• Hyper RC Encoder (High-Resolution Multi-turn Absolute) High-resolution battery-less encoder combining two encoder types through MPU for both high resolution and high-speed rotation. Supports up to 1,048,576 counts with stable operation up to 1,800rpm. Available in 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20-bit versions.
• G Scaler (Position Signal Display Unit) Position signal display unit connecting to absolute encoders. Displays position in arbitrary scale values with digital and analog outputs. Includes electronic limit switches (contacts) at preset positions. Supports 8-16 bit encoders with various codes and power supplies.
• Fan Drives (FS Series) Single-stage reduction gearboxes using spiral bevel gears. Compact, lightweight design with fewer components for excellent maintainability.
• Fan Drives (GD Series) Two-stage reduction gearboxes combining spiral bevel and helical gears for high transmission capacity.
• G-LINK Communication Control System Communication system connecting valve actuators via optical cable or metal cable in loop configuration. Controls up to 127 field devices per loop. Supports RS-232 (Modbus), Di/Do, and Ai/Ao interfaces for upper system connection.
• MAC (Motor Actuator Condition) Diagnostic System Advanced electric valve diagnostic service using proprietary sensor technology. Measures torque changes during valve operation to comprehensively quantify health status without disassembly. Covers drive mechanism, motor brake, vibration, switches, and valve positioning. Supports all electric valves in Japanese nuclear power plants.
• eMAC (Electronic MAC) Simplified Diagnostic System Simplified valve actuator diagnostic system using MCC (Motor Control Center) current measurement. After initial torque baseline collection, subsequent diagnostics require only single-phase current measurement. Significantly reduces diagnostic costs and increases daily diagnostic capacity.
• SAM (Stem Nut Wear Automatic Measurement System) Automatic stem nut thread wear measurement system using specialized sensors and software. Enables non-disassembly inspection. Measures wear by detecting backlash angle during nut rotation. Supports trend management through data accumulation to predict replacement timing.
• MOVDAS (Electric Valve Operating Diagnostic Device) Electric valve diagnostic device combining latest sensor technology (built-in torque sensor) and computer technology. Analyzes torque waveform time variation to perform comprehensive electric valve trend management. Diagnoses 17 parameters including drive mechanism, valve body, gland packing, and protective devices.
• A/B/C Inspection Services Three-tier valve actuator inspection services: A-level (annual on-site inspection), B-level (3-5 year on-site with partial disassembly), C-level (7-10 year full factory inspection with total disassembly, cleaning, and functional testing).
• Precision Machine Maintenance Maintenance services for mixers and gear products including NT, NSG, GSE, PTE series mixer drives; FS, GC, GD series cooling reducers; and HS series high-speed drives. Includes total disassembly inspection, gear function testing, cleaning, and performance testing.
• Valve Electric Conversion (Remodeling) Conversion service to electrify existing manual valves. Provides appropriate electric actuator selection, installation, and full support from evaluation to installation for emergency shutoff valve applications.
• Redundancy System (BCP) for Valve Actuators BCP (Business Continuity Plan) redundancy system for valve actuators. Provides system redundancy capability for critical applications, ensuring continued operation under fault conditions.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability5 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Flowserve Corporation (フローサーブ社)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical partnership with Flowserve Corporation (USA) for valve actuator technology. Products were localized and have over 70 years of tradition and track record with high evaluation and strong trust since the partnership.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Emerson Electric (Fisher Controls): Diversified industrial automation major whose Fisher Controls division competes with Nippon Gear in valve actuators and process control instrumentation for power and process industries.
• Flowserve Corporation: US-based global leader in pumps, valves, and seals. Nippon Gear's 70-year technical partner for valve actuators and a much larger incumbent with overlapping industrial-flow-control product lines.
• Sumitomo Heavy Industries: Diversified Japanese industrial machinery major with power transmission, gear, and motion-control product lines. A broad incumbent that overlaps with Nippon Gear's gearbox and precision-gear businesses domestically.

Direct peers

• EKATO Group: German specialist in industrial mixing technology serving chemical, water, and power markets. Directly comparable mixer-drive product category to Nippon Gear's power-plant and water-treatment mixers.
• AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG: German specialist manufacturer of electric actuators for industrial valve automation. Directly comparable product portfolio and end-customer base (power plants, water, chemical) to Nippon Gear's actuator franchise.
• Sulzer Ltd. Swiss industrial manufacturer with a strong mixers and agitators business that overlaps with Nippon Gear's NT/NS/GSE mixer series for water, chemical, and flue-gas-desulfurization applications.
• SPX Lightnin: US-based mixer manufacturer serving chemical, water, and power markets. Directly comparable to Nippon Gear's mixer drive portfolio for industrial process applications.
• Joyce/Dayton Corp: US manufacturer of screw jacks and linear motion systems. Directly comparable to Nippon Gear's screw jack, ball screw jack, and rack jack product families for industrial lifting and positioning.
• Nabtesco Corporation: Japanese precision-equipment maker with leading positions in high-precision gears, hydraulic equipment, and aircraft components. Direct domestic peer in precision gears and motion-control components.
• Rotork plc: UK-based global leader in electric valve actuators and flow control for power, water, and process industries. Most direct international peer to Nippon Gear's core electric and manual actuator product lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Nippon Gear