What Hci Inc does

HCI Inc (株式会社HCI, formerly 有限会社克己キリスト, renamed in 2006 to Hope Create International) is a Japanese industrial automation company headquartered in Izumiotsu, Osaka, founded in 2002 by Okuyama Takeshi. The company operates a dual-product model built around cable/wire/tube/sheet manufacturing equipment (its founding business) and an integrated industrial robotics and AI systems business it entered in 2009. Core equipment includes stranding machines - notably the world's first magnetic bearing type tube stranding machine (STF-80eC, patented 2015) developed with METI subsidy support - extruders, wire drawing machines, taping machines, and the proprietary HCI-HP tension feedback control system.

Since 2009, HCI has expanded into robot system integration (SIer), holding Mitsubishi Electric MELFA Gold SI Partner status (one of five globally) since 2016 and partnering with Kawasaki Heavy Industries on humanoid and mobile manipulation robots. Its AI-enabled offerings include image recognition AI for winding disorder and discoloration detection on multi-core wire-harness automated manufacturing systems, production technology AI for waste sorting and work processing, and visual inspection systems for steel surfaces. The company additionally operates service-robot applications (food delivery, hospitality, library robots, Robo Cafe) across food, logistics, and municipal verticals, supported by an HCI ROBO HOUSE showroom, HCI ROBOT CENTER, and HCI ROBOT AI LAB.

HCI generates revenue through direct enterprise sales of robotic systems and AI systems (with recurring / subscription AI components) plus hardware sales of cable/wire/tube manufacturing equipment, control devices, and consumables; a separate robot-dealer channel now distributes and maintains third-party service robots including Panasonic's NICOBO. Customers are concentrated in the Kansai region of Japan and span electronics, automotive, medical device, cable manufacturing, food, and Japanese SMEs facing labor shortages. The company is privately held and founder-owned, with no disclosed outside investors.

Name

Hci Inc

Legal name

株式会社HCI (HOPE CREATE INTERNATIONAL)

Website

https://hci-ltd.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HCI Inc (株式会社HCI) is a Japanese industrial automation firm that designs and manufactures cable, wire and tube manufacturing equipment alongside AI-enabled robot systems and service robots, serving electronics, automotive, medical, and SME manufacturing customers in the Kansai region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Equipment

NAICS

Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (33324), Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513)

SIC

Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)

akta.pro primary industry

Factory Automation Cells & Integrated Systems (Assembly, Welding, Painting Lines) (IMAHAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Embedded & HMI Electronics Manufacturing (Industrial PCs, HMIs, Panel PCs) (IMAGAGAD)

Keywords

• Industrial robot integration
• Cable manufacturing equipment
• AI automation systems
• Wire harness robotics
• Factory automation solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Izumiotsu

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Robot System Integration: Design, development, and integration of industrial robot systems, collaborative robot systems, and service robot systems for manufacturing, logistics, and service industries
2. AI Systems: AI systems for inspection, production process optimization, and quality control including image recognition AI and production technology AI
3. Cable/Wire/Tube Manufacturing Equipment: Stranding machines, taping machines, extrusion machines, drawing machines, and other manufacturing equipment for cables, wires, tubes, and sheets
4. Devices and Control Equipment: Clutches, relays, DC amplifiers, wireless communication equipment, ink viscosity management equipment, and consumable parts

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HCI designs, manufactures, and integrates industrial robot systems, AI-driven automation systems (image recognition, production optimization, inspection), and specialized cable/wire/tube/sheet manufacturing equipment including stranding machines, extruders, drawing machines, and taping machines. The company serves electronics, automotive, medical, and industrial manufacturers with a particular focus on flexible material handling.

Product overview

株式会社HCI (HOPE CREATE INTERNATIONAL) operates a dual-product portfolio combining industrial cable/wire/tube manufacturing equipment with advanced robotics and AI system integration. The cable/wire manufacturing division (its founding business) includes stranding machines, extruders, drawing machines, taping and winding equipment, and testing machines for cables, wires, tubes, and sheets. The robotics/AI division specializes as a Robot System Integrator (SIer), offering collaborative robots, automated manufacturing robot systems for cable/wire harness production (many featuring built-in AI inspection), service robots for food delivery and hospitality, and specialized systems for logistics, food processing, and welding/assembly. Key branded products include the magnetic bearing stranding machine (STF-80eC), HCI-HP tension feedback control system, and the multi-core wire harness automated manufacturing robot system with AI inspection. The company also operates demonstration/showroom facilities (HCI ROBO HOUSE, HCI ROBOT CENTER) and provides safety special education for industrial robot operation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Magnetic Bearing Type Stranding Machine (STF-80eC) World-first magnetic bearing type tube stranding machine for producing ultra-fine cables, developed under government subsidy support and patented in 2015. Targeted at cable and wire manufacturers producing ultra-fine coaxial cables and high-precision cables for electronics, automotive, and medical applications.
• HCI-HP Tension Feedback Control System (WPF-D/DR) Proprietary tension feedback control system for stranding machines that enables precise tension control during cable and wire manufacturing. Used as a core control system across HCI's stranding equipment lines.
• Tandem Batch Stranding Machine Tandem batch stranding machine for simultaneous multiple-wire stranding operations in cable and wire manufacturing facilities.
• Multi-core Wire Harness Automated Manufacturing Robot System with Inspection AI Automated robot system for multi-core wire harness manufacturing with integrated AI inspection capabilities. Features image recognition AI for winding disorder detection and discoloration inspection, addressing labor shortages in wire harness production for automotive and electronics manufacturers.
• Extruders (EF-12A, EF-17.5A) Ultra-fine dedicated extruder (EF-12A) and general extruder (EF-17.5A) for cable coating and insulation using resin extrusion technology. Developed with government subsidy funding for cable manufacturing applications.
• Wire Drawing Machine (DSP-22A) Wire drawing machine for reducing cable and wire diameter through progressive die drawing in cable manufacturing operations.
• Single-core Wire Harness Automated Manufacturing Robot System Automated single-core wire harness manufacturing robot system for cable and wire processing operations, designed for cable industry specialization.
• Robo Cafe (Integrated Robot Cafeteria System) Integrated factory-cafeteria system where robots handle cooking, food delivery, and IoT-integrated operations. Operated at HCI ROBO HOUSE to showcase service robotics in real-world food service settings.
• Takoyaki Topping Assistance Robot 'Kukuru-kun' (たこ焼きお助けトッピングロボット「くくる君」) Custom-designed service robot that automates topping application for takoyaki (Japanese octopus balls) at food service venues. Deployed commercially at Hanshin Koshien Stadium and demonstrated at EXPO 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo.
• CC1 New (Collaborative Robot with VSLAM Camera) Re-released collaborative/service robot featuring new VSLAM Camera technology for improved navigation accuracy, used in service and automation applications.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Mitsubishi Electric CorporationcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 June 2014MELFA robot Gold SI Partner. HCI became a robot partner and later upgraded to Gold SI Partner in January 2016 (one of only 5 companies globally at that time). They exhibit together at International Robot Exhibition.
• Kawasaki Heavy IndustriescoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic partnership for humanoid robot platform development. HCI plans to integrate their AI and robot arm technology with Kawasaki's humanoid robot platform for manufacturing, healthcare, and disaster response applications.
• 9DW (Ninth Design Works)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAI development partnership with 9DW, a Japanese AI development company. HCI hosts AI seminars with 9DW President Imoto and collaborates on AI systems integration with robots.
• Osaka University Medical SchoolstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivered special composite twister SDW-440HLA for medical wire manufacturing as part of industry-academia collaboration project.
• Izumiotsu CitystrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness partnership agreement for robot-based municipal services including library ICT, book delivery robots, and guide robots. Three-part initiative: user search guidance, book delivery, and book location search.
• Izumi CitystrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprehensive partnership agreement for utilizing robot and cutting-edge technology in tourism, industry promotion, human resources education, and community development.
• Sakai City, Fukui PrefecturestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for regional problem-solving. Introduced Fukui Prefecture's first library guide robot at Harue Library.
• Japan Robot Industry Association (JARA)strategicOthersRegular member of the Japan Robot Industry Association.
• FA Robot System Integrator AssociationstrategicOthersFounding member and board member. HCI President Okuyama serves as Public Relations subcommittee leader working on establishing the association (2017-2018).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• FANUC: Global leader in industrial robots and factory automation, headquartered in Japan. Comparable as a dominant robot OEM and automation systems provider whose robots are integrated into factory automation solutions like HCI's.
• Mitsubishi Electric: Major Japanese industrial automation and robotics OEM whose MELFA robot line HCI integrates as a Gold SI Partner. Comparable as the upstream platform provider in HCI's robot system integration value chain, with overlapping exposure to Japanese factory automation.
• Yaskawa Electric: Japanese manufacturer of industrial robots (Motoman series) and motion control products. Comparable as a direct competitor in Japanese robot system integration, with overlapping customer base in factory automation and welding/material handling.
• DENSO: Major Japanese automotive component manufacturer with significant in-house robotics, automation, and wire harness operations. Comparable as a vertically integrated automation player active in automotive cable/wire manufacturing.
• Kawasaki Heavy Industries: Japanese industrial conglomerate with a robotics division that partnered with HCI for humanoid robot development. Comparable as a major robotics platform competitor and strategic partner active in the same Japanese automation market.
• Sysmac (Omron Automation): Industrial automation solutions provider offering robotics, control systems, and factory automation. Comparable as a Japanese competitor delivering integrated automation systems to manufacturing customers.
• Nidec (Nidec Machinery): Japanese motor and machinery manufacturer with exposure to industrial automation equipment. Comparable as a broader Japanese industrial machinery incumbent with cable/wire and automation adjacencies.

Direct peers

• Tsubaki Cable Processing Machinery: Manufacturer of cable processing and wire harness machinery. Comparable as a direct peer in the specialized cable/wire manufacturing equipment niche that HCI serves with its stranding, extruding, and drawing machines.
• ROSENDHAL Nextrom: Austrian/Japanese manufacturer of cable and wire production equipment including extrusion, stranding, and insulation lines. Comparable as a direct global peer competing in the specialized cable manufacturing equipment category that is HCI's heritage business.
• Pourtier / Setic (ProMach): Specialized manufacturers of stranding, cabling, and wire processing equipment. Comparable as direct peers producing the cable manufacturing machinery that competes with HCI's stranding and twisting equipment lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCv0P5K3y6eB5EnociDh6ZA/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/hci.co.official

Compliance4 records

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 Hci Inc