NICHIRO Co., Ltd.
Japanese manufacturer of oil, fuel, air and hydraulic filters for vehicles, construction machinery and industrial equipment, founded in 1937 and headquartered in Sagamihara.
Last updated September 29, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
NICHIRO Co., Ltd. is a Japanese filter and filtration-equipment manufacturer headquartered in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture. The company traces its origins to 1937, when it was founded in Tokyo's Ota ward as Nihon Rokaki Seisakusho (Japan Filter Works). It was reorganized and incorporated as Nihon Rokaki Co., Ltd. in 1940. Over the following decades it grew into a specialist supplier of filtration products for transportation and industrial applications, and in 2025 it changed its corporate name to NICHIRO Co., Ltd. The company's core business is the manufacture and sale of filters for transport vehicles, construction machinery, ships and other equipment. Its product range includes fuel filters, oil filters, spin-on filters, hydraulic filters, air cleaner washers, equipment filters, impregnation devices and precision filter elements. It also supplies factory-equipment filtration systems under the NTS, NTM, NTU and NTK series, and offers an organic impregnation regeneration system. Its main customers include the Yanmar Group, Komatsu Ltd., Kubota Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation. NICHIRO operates a head office and parts center in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, and a major production base in Ina, Nagano Prefecture, where its first plant was established in 1974 and where additional plants were added in 1991, 2006 and 2019. The company also has an Indonesian joint venture, PT. DUTA NICHIRINDO PRATAMA, established in 1994, and an affiliated company, Hirotomo Co., Ltd. As of April 2026 it reported 231 employees. Its capital is 100 million yen. NICHIRO positions itself around quality and environmental responsibility, using the catchphrase "Itsumademo aoi chikyu wo" ("A blue Earth forever"). It holds ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications and has received quality awards from Komatsu and Yanmar. The company remains privately held and is not listed on a stock exchange.
History
NICHIRO Co., Ltd. was founded in 1937 in Shimomaruko, Ota ward, Tokyo, under the name Nihon Rokaki Seisakusho (Japan Filter Works). In 1940 it was reorganized and incorporated as Nihon Rokaki Co., Ltd. with capital of 195,000 yen. In 1941, to expand facilities, the head office plant was moved to Fukazawa in Setagaya ward, Tokyo. In 1955, Sakuo Nakayama became president. The company's capital increased to 125,000,000 yen in 1969. In 1974, it established a new plant (No. 1 Plant) in Ina, Nagano Prefecture, marking a significant expansion of production capacity. In 1979, Tetsujiro Yamazaki became president, and a product warehouse was added at the Ina plant. In 1980, a new plant was established in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, to which the head office plant was relocated, and a research laboratory was set up within the Ina plant. The head office building (Nichiro Building) was completed in 1981. In 1984 the company received the Komatsu Quality Control Award (K Award). Fujio Nakayama became president in 1988. In 1991, a new plant (No. 2 Plant) was added in Ina. In 1992, NICHIRO formed a business alliance with PTI Technology of the United States. In 1994, it established an Indonesian joint venture, PT. DUTA NICHIRINDO PRATAMA (DNP). In 1996 it entered a technical tie-up with a Thai manufacturer, followed by a technical tie-up with a Taiwanese manufacturer in 2001 and a Chinese manufacturer in 2003. In 1998 it obtained ISO 14001 (1996 version) certification at the Ina plant, and in 2001 it obtained ISO 9001 (1994 version) certification. In 2002, the Sagamihara plant was converted into a depot and renamed the Parts Center. In 2004, a company recreation and training center was established in Yamanashi Prefecture, a technical joint development agreement was signed with H&V, and a new plant was added at the Indonesian DNP joint venture. In 2005, Nihon Frantz Oil Cleaner Co., Ltd. was renamed Hirotomo Co., Ltd. In 2006, ISO 9001 (2000 version) expanded certification was obtained at the Parts Center, a No. 3 Plant was added in Ina, and the No. 1 Plant in Ina underwent major renovation. Hironori Nakayama became president in 2008. In 2009, ISO 9001 (2008 version) certification was obtained for engine filters. In 2010, the company was certified as a Yanmar Quality Control Excellent Plant and its capital was set at 100,000,000 yen. In 2011, ISO 9001 (2008 version) expanded certification was obtained for various filters, and sales exceeded 5 billion yen. In 2013, 1,000 solar panels were installed at the Ina plant. In 2014, the company was registered and certified as a JISHA Good Safety Company. In 2016, machining and impregnation processes at the Parts Center were transferred to the Ina plant. In 2017, the head office was relocated to Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, a new head office and Parts Center building was completed, and ISO 9001 (2015 version) and ISO 14001 (2015 version) certifications were obtained. In 2018, sales exceeded 6 billion yen. In 2019, a new No. 3 Plant was completed in Ina. In 2022, sales exceeded 7 billion yen. In 2024, a disaster prevention warehouse was installed. In 2025, the company changed its name to NICHIRO Co., Ltd.
- 2009
ISO 9001 (2008 version) certification obtained for engine filters.
- 2008
Hironori Nakayama became president.
- 2006
ISO 9001 (2000 version) expanded certification at Parts Center; No. 3 Plant added in Ina; No. 1 Plant renovated.
- 2005
Nihon Frantz Oil Cleaner Co., Ltd. renamed Hirotomo Co., Ltd.
- 2004
Nichiro recreation and training center established in Yamanashi; technical joint development with H&V; new plant added at Indonesian DNP.
- 2003
Technical tie-up with a Chinese manufacturer.
- 2002
Sagamihara plant converted to depot and renamed Parts Center.
- 2001
ISO 9001 (1994 version) certification obtained; technical tie-up with a Taiwanese manufacturer.
- 1998
ISO 14001 (1996 version) certification obtained at Ina plant.
- 1996
Technical tie-up with a Thai manufacturer.
Products and positioning
Specialist manufacturer of filtration products for transportation and industrial machinery, emphasizing quality management and environmental contribution under the slogan "A blue Earth forever."
Oil filters
Fuel filters
Air filters
Hydraulic filters
Spin-on filters
Water separators
Air cleaner washers
Precision filter elements
Factory equipment filtration systems (NTS, NTM, NTU, NTK series)
Organic impregnation regeneration system
Impregnation devices
Nichiro Seal impregnation liquid
Sources5 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/nichiro-co-ltd-japan · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled