What PLATZ CO., LTD. does

PLATZ CO., LTD. is a privately held Japanese manufacturer of medical and nursing care beds, mattresses, and related accessories, founded in 1992 by Fukuyama (current president) and headquartered in Onojo City, Fukuoka Prefecture. The company designs and produces a portfolio spanning home nursing care beds (Rafio, Miolet series including ForU/II/III with the proprietary 5 Motion Feature), hospital beds (P300 Series), care facility beds (Ardel, Ultilet ToU), and independence-support reclining beds for the Carelet line. Core technology centers on electric motorized positioning using motors sourced from LINAK (Denmark) and LIMOSS (Germany), combined with patented mechanisms including an automatic locking bed grip (Patent No.4921535), lumbar support mechanism (No.5089785), and universal-design control switch. Manufacturing is diversified across Vietnam, China, and Malaysia, with safety-critical components retained in Japan.

The company commercializes products primarily through Japan's Long-term Care Insurance rental system, where welfare equipment rental companies rent beds to certified Care Level 2–5 users at subsidized rates of 700–2,000 yen per month to the end user. Secondary channels include direct purchase, retail (Carelet open-priced series), and international outreach via a Chinese-language website. PLATZ has secured JIS T 9254 certifications across multiple product lines (Rafio, Miolet series, Kneeparo, Primolet) from JET and MGSL certifying bodies, and maintains business-academia collaborations with Saga University and Kyushu Sangyo University for universal design research. Recent strategic emphasis has been on expanding into hospital (P300) and care facility (Ardel) verticals alongside the core home-care rental franchise.

Name

PLATZ CO., LTD.

Legal name

PLATZ CO., LTD.

Website

https://platz-ltd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Short description

PLATZ CO., LTD. is a privately held Japanese manufacturer founded in 1992 that designs, produces, and rents medical and nursing care beds, mattresses, and accessories, distributing primarily through Japan's Long-term Care Insurance rental system to elderly home-care users, hospitals, and caregiving facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical & Nursing Care Beds

NAICS

Home Health Equipment Rental (532283), Mattress Manufacturing (33791)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Hospital Bed, Lift & Transfer Equipment (Beds, Hoyer Lifts, Slings) (HSABAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Patient Lifts, Transfer & Safe Handling Equipment (Hoists, Slings, Transfer Boards) (HLAHAMAE)

Keywords

• Nursing care beds
• Medical beds
• Hospital beds
• Care facility beds
• Mattress accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Onojo City

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Care Bed Manufacturing and Sales: Manufacture and sale of nursing care products, health care equipment and rehabilitation equipment, furniture and steel office equipment. Primary revenue from motorized care beds sold to welfare equipment rental companies and directly to consumers.
2. Long-term Care Insurance Rental: Beds are rented through Japan's Long-term Care Insurance system where users with Care Needs Certification (levels 2-5) can rent beds from registered welfare equipment rental companies at subsidized rates (10-20% of actual cost).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PLATZ CO., LTD. manufactures and sells motorized nursing care beds, hospital beds, and care facility beds, along with compatible mattresses and accessories such as auto-lock bed grips, side rails, batteries, and casters. Products are distributed primarily through Japan's Long-term Care Insurance rental system via registered welfare equipment rental companies, as well as through care facilities and direct consumer sales.

Product overview

PLATZ CO., LTD. is a Japanese manufacturer of medical and nursing care beds offering a comprehensive portfolio of specialized products. The core offerings include: Nursing Care Beds (Rafio very low-floor bed, Miolet series including ForU/Ⅱ/Ⅲ with 5-motion mechanisms), Hospital Beds (P300 Series with positioning features), Care Facility Beds (Ardel and Ultilet ToU with lumbar support mechanisms), and Independence Support Electric Beds (Carelet series for healthy individuals). These beds share key technologies including High Back Support Function, Knee Position Adjuster, Back/Knee Interlocking Motion, and Backslide Raising mechanisms. The ecosystem includes compatible mattresses (Amical Support, Carelet mattresses), bed grips (Kneeparo+/L and KneeparoⅡ/KneeparoPⅡ with auto-lock features), side rails in various sizes, and accessories like batteries, casters, and extension legs. The products are designed for rental through Japan's Long-term Care Insurance System and target both home care and institutional settings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rafio Very low-to-the-floor nursing care bed positioned at only 15cm from the floor to prevent injuries from falling. Features High Back Support Function and vertical lifting for installation in small spaces.
• Miolet ForU Next-generation nursing care bed with 5 Motion Mechanism including Knee Position Adjuster, Back/Knee Interlocking Motion, Lumbar Support Mechanism, Seating Face Leaning Function, and Backslide Raising. Developed with Saga University.
• MioletⅡ Successor to original Miolet with redesigned knee fitting position to prevent shifting when lifting back, improved wheelchair proximity, and universal design control switch. 15% weight reduction to 77kg.
• MioletⅢ Japan-made nursing care bed with vertical lifting function for small spaces. Features retractable rail holder, back/knee interlocking motion, and LINAK motors. Available in Resin, Wooden, and Wooden Shelf board options.
• P300 Series Hospital bed with Positioning Bed and Basic Bed variants. Features High Back Support Function to reduce risk of aspiration and alleviate shear force. Uses German Tente-Rollen GmbH casters.
• Ardel Care facility bed with Positioning Bed Series (High Back Support Function) and Basic Bed Series. Features interlocking back/knee motion to reduce abdominal pressure and shear force. Manufactured in Vietnam.
• Ultilet ToU Electronic care bed for caregiving facilities with 5 Motion Feature including Knee Position Adjuster, Back/Knee Interlocking Motion, Lumbar Support Mechanism, Seating Face Leaning Function, and Backslide Raising. Available in Bordeaux, Amber, and Apricot wood-like colors.
• Carelet fⅡ Reclining bed for healthy people and those with low care needs. Traditional Yabari Treatment wood finishing technique with Shelf Board or Flat Board headboard options. Standard includes two side rails.
• Carelet neoαⅡ Multifunction self-support bed with motorized headrest function (0-27 degrees). 16 combinations of motor type, headboard, and mattresses available with double coil or pocket coil options.
• Carelet nikoⅡ PU leather reclining bed with luxurious dark brown finish. Water-repellent and soft to touch. 9 combinations with motor type, headboard, size, and mattress options.
• Amical Support Mattress High-grade urethane foam medical care mattress with body pressure dispersion and following capability that moves to fit the reclining mechanism. Available in Breathable Type and Waterproof Type with antibacterial outer cover.
• Carelet Mattresses Specialized mattresses for Carelet series. Double Coil (1,422 pocket coils), Pocket Coil (480 coils with odor resistance), and Rigid Urethane options with different firmness levels.
• Kneeparo+ / Kneeparo L Auto lock bed grip (Kneeparo+) with industry-first automatic lock system at every 45 degrees to prevent accidents. Lever lock bed grip (Kneeparo L) with lock every 22.5 degrees. Universal design for easy operation with weak grip.
• KneeparoⅡ / KneeparoPⅡ Successor to Kneeparo with automatic lock at every 45 degrees. KneeparoPⅡ includes padded knee rest. Features double lock mechanism. Compatible with Rafio, Miolet ForU, P300 Series, Ultilet ToU.
• Side Rails Various side rails for nursing care beds, hospital beds, and care facility beds. Options include Long Side Rail, Regular Side Rail, Short Side Rail, and Collapsible Side Rail. Safety cover options available.
• Bed Accessories (Batteries, Casters, Extension Legs) Various accessories including chargeable batteries for Rafio/Ardel and P300 Series, very low-to-the-floor and low-to-the-floor casters, height spacers (3.5cm, 7cm, 14cm extension legs), control switch holders, and air mattress hangers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21% reduction in sacral pressure at 30° back raising vs conventional beds
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LINAKcoreTechnology or IntegrationLINAK, a Danish company, supplies the highly-functional motors used in PLATZ's care beds (Ardel, Rafio, MioletⅢ). Motors are quiet and water resistant (IPX6 for main motor, IPX4 for High Back Motor).
• Tente-Rollen GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationGerman company supplying the 12.5cm diameter large casters for P300 Series hospital beds. Casters are durable and roll well.
• Saga University - Associate Professor Kiyomi MatsuocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness-academia collaboration for universal design research. Professor Matsuo served as Medical Adviser for Miolet ForU and Ultilet ToU development. He has over 1700 projects for living environment design and 7500+ projects for welfare equipment support. Board member of Welfare Living Environment Coordinator Association and Chairman of Rehabilitation Engineering Society of Japan.
• Kyushu Sangyo UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the four-year development effort for next-generation care beds, working alongside Professor Aoki from Kyushu Sangyo University.
• LIMOSScoreTechnology or IntegrationGerman company supplying motors for Carelet series reclining beds.
• Japan Electrical Safety & Environment Technology Laboratories (JET)minorOthersCertifying body for JIS T 9254 nursing care bed certification of Rafio, MioletⅡ, and other products.
• Japan Recreation and Miscellaneous Goods Safety Laboratory (MGSL)minorOthersCertifying body for JIS T 9254 nursing care bed certification of Miolet ForU.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Invacare Corporation: Global manufacturer of home and long-term care medical equipment including hospital beds, patient lifts, and pressure-relief mattresses. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating across the home care and institutional care bed markets that overlap with PLATZ's nursing care bed and accessory product lines.
• Stryker Corporation: Global medical device company with a significant Medical and Acute Care bed portfolio (including the iBed family of smart hospital beds). Comparable as a broad incumbent in hospital bed manufacturing with similar patented positioning and pressure redistribution features to PLATZ's P300 series.
• Arjo AB: Swedish-headquartered global supplier of medical beds, patient lifts, transfer aids, and pressure injury prevention solutions for hospitals and long-term care. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating in adjacent patient transfer and safe handling categories that overlap with PLATZ's Kneeparo bed grip and positioning mechanisms.
• Hill-Rom (now part of Baxter International): Global manufacturer of hospital beds, patient handling systems, and care bed solutions, recently integrated into Baxter's Medical Products & Therapies segment. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering hospital and long-term care beds with patented positioning mechanisms serving similar facility customers as PLATZ's P300 and Ardel lines.

Regional players

• Etac AB: Swedish-headquartered developer of patient transfer, mobility, and care equipment distributed across Europe and select international markets. Comparable as a specialist in safe patient handling and transfer aids that overlap with PLATZ's Kneeparo bed grip and patient transfer accessory products.
• Joerns Healthcare: North American manufacturer and service provider of hospital beds, long-term care beds, and patient handling solutions. Comparable as a regional specialist focused on long-term care and post-acute bed markets, overlapping with PLATZ's care facility (Ardel/Ultilet) and home care positioning.

Direct peers

• France Bed Co., Ltd. Japanese manufacturer of beds, furniture, and medical/nursing care equipment, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Directly comparable to PLATZ as a domestic competitor in the same LTCI-rented care bed category with overlapping customer segments in nursing homes and home care.
• Paramount Bed Holdings: Largest Japanese manufacturer of hospital beds, nursing care beds, and medical furniture, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Directly comparable as a Japanese-domiciled specialist in motorized care beds distributed through the same LTCI rental channel and care facilities, with overlapping JIS-certified product lines.

Emerging players

• Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare: North American-headquartered manufacturer of durable medical equipment including hospital beds, patient lifts, and mobility products. Comparable as a multi-category DME manufacturer with similar positioning in the home care and long-term care bed markets, though operating primarily in different geographies.
• Savaria Corporation (Span-America / Savaria Patient Care): North American manufacturer of medical beds and pressure injury prevention products (formerly Span-America). Comparable as a specialist in therapeutic support surfaces and bed systems with overlapping focus on pressure redistribution outcomes, similar to PLATZ's clinical positioning around sacral pressure reduction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PlatzJapan

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 PLATZ CO., LTD.