■Business Overview

Seiko Giken (6834) operates in two segments: precision machinery-related business and optical product-related business. The precision machinery-related business manufactures and sells precision molded products such as automotive parts, electronic parts, etc., various precision molds, precision metal parts, etc., with a focus on precision processing and precision molding technology. The optical product-related business manufactures and sells optical parts, optical component manufacturing equipment, optical component shape measuring devices, uncharged optical transmission devices, photoelectric field sensors, high heat-resistant lenses, etc. used in optical communication equipment.

1. Precision machinery-related business

The precision machinery-related business is the company's root business, and based on precision metal processing technology and precision molding technology cultivated since its establishment, it provides customers with 1) molded products such as automobiles, smartphone parts, cell culture containers, microfluidic channel chips, etc., 2) injection molding molds that enable efficient mass production of molded products, and 3) precise metal processing parts.

(1) Molded products

Molded products are mainly for automobiles. Fuji Electronics Industries supplies insert molded products related to sensors (brakes, fuel injection, temperature, illuminance, etc.) mainly to Denso ＜6902＞. Furthermore, Fuji Electronics Industries also manufactures compressor parts used in car air conditioners for electric vehicles and metal stamping parts used in Chinese/Korean smartphones, etc. In addition, the company is developing injection-compression mold technology cultivated through the development of optical disc molding molds to the medical and biotechnology fields. For example, we are working on “microfluidic chips” used in devices that perform biochemical analysis and development of new drugs and liquids by mixing/separating/reacting reagents with body fluid samples such as blood and DNA, and molded products “microarray chips” and “cell culture containers” compatible with liquid biopsies*. Furthermore, they also produce products for the automobile-related market, such as “light guides” and “information displays,” which enable mass production of special light guide plates with complex shapes by utilizing thin-walled molding technology and fine transfer technology.

* A technology that analyzes white blood cells, red blood cells, tumor cells, etc. contained in samples of blood, saliva, urine, etc., and makes use of the possibility of developing the disease at an early stage.

(2) Precision molds

In precision molds, we have built an integrated manufacturing system from design to material processing, hardening, polishing, and assembly for molds that produce precision molded products. Using special mold technologies such as “low temperature molding technology*1,” “thin-wall molding technology*2,” and “fine transfer technology*3,” we manufacture mother tools essential for mass production of precision molded products. In optical disc molding dies, in addition to high molding quality such as transferability and warpage suppression, etc., we have established an advantage with competitors in terms of mold reproducibility, durability, and shortening molding cycles, and have a world-class market share in molding molds for CD-R, DVD, etc.

*1 A type of plastic molding technology that minimizes deformation and alteration due to heat by molding at low pressure and low temperature.

*2 It is a plastic molding technology for molding thin thick parts, and it is possible to develop environmentally friendly products such as weight reduction and cost reduction.

*3 It is a technology for transferring fine patterns made from materials such as silicon wafers to another substrate or material, and is used in semiconductor manufacturing and optical device manufacturing.

(3) Precision metal machining parts

Highly accurate metal parts utilizing precision metal processing technology, which is the company's basic technology, are processed and supplied according to the dimensions required by customers. There are a wide range of uses for metal parts, such as automobile internal combustion engines and mold parts for resin molded products. Environments such as clean rooms have been prepared to maintain and manage the precision processing quality of metal parts at a high level. The precision measurement room with thorough temperature control is equipped with the world's highest level three-dimensional measuring instruments to ensure customer quality reliability.

2. Optical product-related business

In the optical product-related business, we utilize advanced polishing technology cultivated through precision processing to provide parts, equipment, devices, etc. related to optical communication. We manufacture and sell 1) optical communication networks that support internet environments, optical fiber processing-related products and optical communication parts such as optical connectors used in data centers that store big data, 2) equipment and devices that manufacture these parts, and sensors for electric field measurement. In addition, we apply the optical technology we have cultivated, and 3) provide extremely small resin lenses that can also be applied to imaging, lighting, and sensors.

(1) Optical communication components

Optical communication components manufactured by the company are used everywhere in optical communication networks constructed by communication system companies. Starting with “ferrules” and “adapters” compatible with all connector types used when connecting optical fibers to each other, there are “constant polarization PM connectors” used for coherent optical communication (effective for next-generation high-speed, high-capacity optical transmission that responds to an increase in the amount of information circulating in optical communication networks such as video distribution), “jumper wires” for connecting signals and power between different devices and elements, and “optical attenuators” that reduce the intensity of light to an appropriate level.

(2) Equipment and Devices

It provides polishing, cleaning, and inspection equipment and devices required on production lines to manufacture optical communication parts as a platform, contributing to labor saving and automation for customers. Devices and devices include “optical connector polishers,” “optical component shape measuring devices,” and “optical component inspection devices.” Photoelectric field sensors and optical sensors for noise measurement accurately measure diversified radio waves such as radar sensors and wireless communication devices, and are mainly used for research, product development, and investigation of causes and countermeasures for various electromagnetic problems.

(3) Ultra-compact lenses

In addition to optical communication parts and equipment, they also provide resin lenses. We mainly provide ultra-thin, ultra-compact, high-heat-resistant lenses and lens units for information communication and medical devices.

(Written by FISCO Visiting Analyst Hiroshi Nakayama)