When rubber products firm Kinyo began 95 years ago, its founder could barely have conceived its future potential.
Now, as the company approaches its centennial in 2030, Kinyo plays a leading role in Japan’s key fields, from flagship rubber blankets for offset printing to industrial rollers, as well as fluororesin composite rollers for copiers. While rubber blanket products have been widely used in newspaper and magazine printing, they are now finding increasing applications in fields such as packaging, metal printing and can production, catering to both oil-based and UV inks. Kinyo’s range of rollers supports industries of all scales, from extremely large paper mills to thin film production, as well as office automation equipment.
While the printing market is moving to maturity, Kinyo is exploring new growth areas to complement its existing client base. One area of growth is producing cushioning materials used for heat-pressing printed circuit boards. Looking to the high added-value market, Kinyo directly produces siloxane-free thermal interface materials for electronics, while its group company manufactures polyimide belts for industrial applications. As a business built around rubber, flexibility and strength have been crucial factors to Kinyo’s longevity.
With sustainability playing a large role in modern business, President Takuo Hattori is committed to integrating a green mindset into his policies. “As our rubber blanket manufacturing processes release CO2 and solvent gases, we installed recovery systems to minimize emissions,” he said. “As part of this work, we developed a new manufacturing process, ThermaSphere®, that laminates fabric to rubber; dramatically reducing our solvent usage and CO₂ emissions. Also, we began using MOCA-free materials in the manufacturing of polyurethane rollers, due to the health risk associated with MOCA,” he added.
In the global market, Kinyo is committed to both expanding its traditional product lines and new business fields. “In Japan, we hold a dominant share of the market for rubber blankets, nearly 100% in some sectors, so there is limited room to expand further domestically but plenty of room globally,” said Hattori. While quality and reliability have helped power the company through 95 years of success in Japan, Kinyo plans to adopt new approaches overseas. For its overseas industrial roller business, the firm’s strategy focuses on exporting the rubber-compound technology itself. “The key technology Kinyo possesses is knowing how to mix rubber compounds correctly. We source raw materials and formulate compounds with optimal mixtures and aim to increase overseas sales by supporting customer needs,” said Hattori.
Kinyo’s global network spans the U.S., China and Europe, along with a strong presence in Southeast Asia, including bases in Vietnam and Thailand.“We aim to expand our market share in new and existing areas. Globally, our technology and products have significant growth potential. We are focused on expanding overseas, not only with blankets but also for rubber compounds and new products,” said Hattori.
