What igus k.k. イグス株式会社 does

igus k.k. イグス株式会社 is the Japanese subsidiary of the German family-owned industrial polymer manufacturer igus SE&Co.KG (founded 1964), operating from Sumida-Ku, Tokyo with 22 employees under the DBA "igus Japan." The company sells and supports a comprehensive portfolio of "motion plastics" — polymer-based components engineered for moving applications — including energy chains (cable carriers), chainflex flexible cables, plain bearings (iglidur), spherical bearings (igubal), ball bearings (xiros), linear guides and lead screws (drylin), gearboxes (drygear), electric motors, low-cost collaborative robots (robolink/ReBeL), and 3D printing materials. Its proprietary self-lubricating polymer formulations eliminate external lubrication, reducing maintenance, weight, and lifecycle cost versus metal alternatives, and are qualified for food-contact (Japanese Food Sanitation Act), FDA, and EU MDR use cases.

The business model is hybrid direct-to-customer: a transactional e-commerce storefront on igus.co.jp with CAD configurators, lifecycle prediction calculators, and promotional pricing targets SMB and individual buyers, while quote-based technical sales, in-house mobile exhibitions (出張社内展示会), and on-site seminars (出張セミナー) serve enterprise OEMs across eight verticals — Agriculture & Construction, Equipment & Machinery, Energy & Environment, Medical & Healthcare, Transportation & Logistics, Electronics & Cleanroom, Entertainment, and Shipbuilding & Maritime. Readycable pre-assembled cables and readychain pre-assembled energy chains are certified compatible with 25+ automation OEMs (Siemens, SEW, Bosch Rexroth, Allen Bradley, Beckhoff, FANUC, Mitsubishi, Omron, Panasonic, HARTING, B&R, Heidenhain, etc.), turning the catalog into a near-universal industrial replacement channel. A Smart Plastics line (i.Sense sensors and the i.Cee predictive-maintenance calculator) provides condition monitoring for energy chains and cables, and digital services (igusGO, enjoyneering, Iguverse) extend product configuration and engineering support online. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of motion-plastic components with ancillary custom-manufacturing services (CNC machining, injection molding, 3D printing prototyping), supported by the parent company's 50+ country distribution network.

Name

igus k.k. イグス株式会社

Legal name

igus k.k. イグス株式会社

Website

https://igus.co.jp

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

igus k.k. is the Japanese subsidiary of Germany's igus SE&Co.KG, selling polymer-based motion plastics — energy chains, self-lubricating bearings, linear guides, cables, gearboxes, and low-cost cobots — to Japanese industrial OEMs and SMBs via e-commerce and direct technical sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Motion Plastics Products: Sale of polymer components for moving applications including energy chains, bearings, linear guides, cables, drive technology, and robotics. Products are sold through direct e-commerce, configurators, and in-house sales with pricing varying by product type and customization.
2. Custom Manufacturing Services: CNC machining, injection molding, and custom part prototyping services for personalized polymer components.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

igus k.k. is the Japanese subsidiary of German family-owned igus SE&Co.KG and manufactures and sells high-performance polymer (motion plastics) components for moving applications. Its portfolio includes energy chain cable carriers, chainflex flexible cables, iglidur self-lubricating plain bearings, igubal spherical bearings, xiros ball bearings, PRT slewing rings, drylin linear guides and lead screws, drygear gearboxes, e-motors, robolink/ReBeL cobots, readycable pre-assembled harnesses, readychain systems, smart plastics condition monitoring (i.Sense/i.Cee), 3D printing materials and tribo-tape. These products are sold to industrial OEMs and machine builders through the igus.co.jp e-commerce shop, direct technical sales, and on-site exhibitions/seminars across Japan.

Product overview

igus k.k. is the Japanese subsidiary of igus GmbH, offering a comprehensive portfolio of motion plastics products for industrial applications. The product ecosystem centers on polymer-based motion components including energy chains (cable carriers) for cable protection, chainflex flexible cables, plain bearings (iglidur), spherical bearings (igubal), ball bearings (xiros), and linear technology (drylin). Related offerings include gearboxes (drygear), electric motors, low-cost automation robots (robolink/ReBeL), and 3D printing materials. The portfolio also includes smart maintenance solutions (i.Sense/i.Cee) for Industry 4.0 condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. Products serve diverse industries including automation, robotics, automotive, food packaging, medical, and more.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Energy Chains (エナジーチェーン) Cable carrier systems for protecting and guiding cables and hoses in motion applications. Available in sizes from 5mm to 350mm inner height for linear, circular, and 3D movement applications. Used by industrial machinery and automation OEMs.
• chainflex Cables (チェーンフレックス) Flexible cables engineered for continuous flexing in energy chain applications. Includes control, power, bus, data, motor, robot, fiber optic, coaxial, and hybrid cable types. Designed for industrial machinery, robots, and automation systems.
• iglidur Plain Bearings (すべり軸受) Self-lubricating polymer plain bearings available in flanged, sleeve, thrust washer, clip bearing, and piston ring configurations. Eliminates need for external lubrication. Targeted at machine builders and equipment manufacturers.
• igubal Spherical Bearings (球面ベアリング) Polymer spherical bearings for compensation of misalignment, including pillow blocks, rod ends, flange housings, and spherical inserts. Used in industrial machinery requiring misalignment tolerance.
• xiros Ball Bearings (ボールベアリング) Polymer ball bearings for maintenance-free operation, including radial grooved ball bearings, flange bearings, axial bearings, guide rollers, and ball transfer units. Used in food, packaging, and cleanroom applications.
• PRT Slewing Ring Bearings (ロータリーテーブルベアリング) Polymer slewing ring bearings for rotary tables and rotation applications, available with optional gear teeth. Used in machine tool tables and rotary indexers.
• iglidur Gears (ギヤ) Polymer gears including spur gears, bevel gears, angular gearboxes, and gear racks for power transmission applications in industrial equipment.
• drylin Linear Technology (ドライリン) Drylin linear guides, lead screw driven linear axes, toothed belt drives, and XY tables for maintenance-free linear motion. Modular W, round shaft R, rail T, flat N, and square Q systems.
• drygear Gearboxes (ドライギヤ) Polymer gearboxes including Apiro modular system, strain wave gears, worm gears, and planetary gears for industrial drive applications.
• e-motors (モーター) Electric motors including stepper motors, EC/BLDC motors, DC motors, motor gearboxes, linear actuators, and motor controllers for automation applications.
• robolink & ReBeL Robots (ロボリンク＆リベル) Low-cost automation robots including collaborative robots (cobots), linear robots, robot arms, delta robots, SCARA robots, and modular robotics systems for industrial automation customers.
• readycable (レデックケーブル) Pre-assembled cable harnesses with connector ends compatible with major industrial manufacturers including Siemens, FANUC, Mitsubishi, Allen Bradley, Beckhoff, Bosch Rexroth, and others.
• readychain (レデチェーン) Pre-assembled energy chain systems ready for immediate installation, including complete cable harness and chain assemblies for industrial machinery.
• smart plastics / i.Sense (スマートプラスチックス) Industry 4.0 condition monitoring and predictive maintenance solutions including i.Sense sensors for energy chains and cables, and i.Cee predictive calculation system for lifespan forecasting.
• triflex (トリフレックス) Multi-axis energy chains specifically designed for 3D movement in robot cable management applications.
• e-spool (イースプール) Spring-type cable drum for space-saving cable storage without slip rings, featuring quiet operation. Used in stage lighting and other moving cable applications.
• 3D Printing Materials (3Dプリント材料) 3D printing materials including filaments, SLS laser sintering materials, and liquid resins for custom part manufacturing.
• Bar Stock & Plates (丸棒＆板材) Polymer bar stock, plates, plate strips, and hollow bars for CNC machining and custom part manufacturing.
• tribo-tape (トライボテープ) Self-adhesive sliding tape for friction reduction on surfaces requiring continuous sliding motion.
• Rollers (ローラー) Polymer rollers including guide rollers and knife-edge rollers for conveyor and material handling applications.
• 2026 New Product Line (227 Motion Plastics Products) Annual release of new motion plastics products across energy chains, bearings, linear technology, cables, drive systems, and robotics for industrial automation customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Motion plastics can save 30 million euros in lubricants and labor costs in the agricultural sector alone by 2034

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration19 records

AI capability1 record

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Siemens (シーメンス)coreTechnology or IntegrationProduct compatibility for readycable pre-assembled cables suitable for Siemens automation equipment and drive systems. igus provides cables compatible with Siemens products across control, motor, and data applications.
• SEW-EurodrivecoreTechnology or IntegrationReadycable products compatible with SEW-Eurodrive industrial motors and drive systems, featuring connectors and cable assemblies designed for SEW applications.
• Bosch RexrothcoreTechnology or IntegrationPre-assembled cables designed for Bosch Rexroth automation and motion control products, including connector compatibility with Rexroth industrial connectors.
• FANUC (ファナック)coreTechnology or IntegrationRobot cables with connectors compatible with FANUC industrial robots, including pre-assembled cable solutions for FANUC robotic applications.
• Mitsubishi Electric (三菱電機)coreTechnology or IntegrationReadycable products compatible with Mitsubishi Electric automation products including servo systems, motors, and controllers used in industrial applications.
• Omron (オムロン)coreTechnology or IntegrationPre-assembled cables and wire harnesses compatible with Omron industrial automation equipment, sensors, and control systems.
• Panasonic (パナソニック)coreTechnology or IntegrationCable solutions compatible with Panasonic industrial automation products including motors, drives, and factory automation equipment.
• Allen Bradley (Rockwell Automation)coreTechnology or IntegrationReadycable products designed for Allen Bradley industrial control and automation products, with connectors matching Allen Bradley specifications.
• BeckhoffcoreTechnology or IntegrationCable solutions compatible with Beckhoff automation technology including PC-based control systems and EtherCAT-based applications.
• HARTINGcoreTechnology or IntegrationReadycable products featuring HARTING industrial connectors for robust connection solutions in demanding industrial environments.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• THK Co., Ltd. THK is a Japanese manufacturer of linear motion guides, ball screws, and actuators—the global leader in linear motion. It directly competes with igus's drylin linear technology in maintenance-free linear guides and lead screws, serving the same factory automation and robotics customers.
• HIWIN Technologies Corp. HIWIN is a Taiwanese manufacturer of linear motion guides, ball screws, and industrial robots. It directly competes with igus's drylin linear systems and robolink robot arms in the Asian automation market, with similar OEM and end-user customer overlap.
• Tsubakimoto Chain Co. Tsubakimoto Chain is a Japanese manufacturer of power transmission products including roller chains, timing belts, and cable carriers. Its cable carrier (e-chain) line directly competes with igus's energy chain products in industrial machinery and automation applications.
• Misumi Group Inc. Misumi is a Japanese catalog-based industrial components distributor and manufacturer offering factory automation parts, bearings, and linear motion components. Its catalog business model and broad BOM coverage for machinery makers directly overlap with igus's e-commerce configurator and component range.

Broad incumbents

• NTN Corporation: NTN is a Japanese manufacturer of bearings, constant-velocity joints, and drivetrain components. It competes broadly with igus in industrial bearing markets and is a key Japanese supplier to automotive, railway, and machinery OEMs.
• Bosch Rexroth AG: Bosch Rexroth is a German manufacturer of drive and control technologies including linear motion, pneumatics, and assembly technology. It is both a partner (Bosch Rexroth-compatible readycable products) and a broader incumbent competitor in factory automation components.
• Minebea Mitsumi Inc. Minebea Mitsumi is a Japanese manufacturer of miniature ball bearings, motors, and electronic components. Its bearings and small motor offerings overlap with igus's xiros ball bearings and e-motor products in compact automation applications.
• SKF Group: SKF is the world's largest bearing manufacturer, offering a broad portfolio of bearings, seals, lubrication systems, and condition monitoring. It overlaps with igus's plain bearings and i.Sense smart plastics in industrial rotating equipment, though it focuses on metal and traditional lubrication.
• Schaeffler Group: Schaeffler is a German manufacturer of bearings, linear guides, and automotive components under the INA, FAG, and LuK brands. Its linear motion and bearing products overlap with igus's plain bearings and drylin linear technology in industrial and automotive applications.
• NSK Ltd. NSK is a Japanese global leader in ball and roller bearings and linear motion products. It represents a broader incumbent competitor in bearings and precision components, with deeper footholds in heavy industrial and automotive applications but limited polymer expertise.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/igus-k-k

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 igus k.k. イグス株式会社