Manufacturer of needle bearings, linear guides and precision positioning tables under the IKO brand
Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd. (IKO)
Tokyo (JP) · Himeji (JP) · Gifu (JP) · Hai Phong (VN) · Rotterdam (NL) · Düsseldorf (DE) · Regensburg (DE) · Freiberg (DE) · Baden-Württemberg (DE) · Süd-West (DE) · Monmouth Junction, NJ (US)New on Amplifa
About IKO Nippon Thompson
Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd. is a Japanese manufacturer founded in Nagoya in 1950, producing needle bearings, linear guides, crossed roller guides and precision positioning tables distributed under the IKO brand registered since 1963. Since 1959 the company has produced needle bearings – as Japan's first needle bearing manufacturer – and developed a broad range of linear guides from 1978 onwards as well as mechatronics products from 1985. Manufacturing takes place in nine factories in Japan, including the Gifu factory complex with four factories and the Himeji plant, and since 2006 also in a production facility in Hai Phong (Vietnam). Materials used are steel and stainless steel, in particular for cleanroom and semiconductor applications. The patented C-Lube lubrication system enables long-term maintenance-free products. In Europe, the subsidiary Nippon Thompson Europe B.V. in Rotterdam is responsible, with branches in Germany (Düsseldorf, Regensburg, Freiberg, Süd-West, Baden-Württemberg), Spain, France and the UK; the German, Spanish and British locations have their own warehouses and assemble linear guides according to customer requirements.
- Site
- Rotterdam, Netherlands (European headquarters)
- Processes
- Manufacture of needle bearings, Manufacture of linear guides, Manufacture of precision positioning tables (mechatronics products), Assembly of linear guides according to customer requirements, Technical service (load and service life calculations), CAD data provision, Product catalogs (PDF/e-mail dispatch), Sales and service network
- Materials
- Stainless steel, Steel (rolling bearing steel, not further specified), Steel (rolling bearing steel), C-Lube integrated lubrication
- Certificates
- ISO 9001, ISO 14001
- Founded
- 1950
- Industries
- Semiconductor manufacturing, Packaging industry, Medical technology, Machine tools, Automation, Industrial robots
- 01
R&D (technology laboratory, since 1972)
- 02
Manufacturing in nine factories in Japan and Hai Phong (VN)
- 03
Assembly of linear guides according to customer requirements (DE, ES, GB)
- 04
Sales via European headquarters Rotterdam and national branches
- 05
Technical service (load and service life calculations, CAD data)
Materials & Technologies
Steel (rolling bearing steel)
Base material for needle bearings, linear guides and rolling bearing components.
Stainless steel
For linear guides and components with special lubrication, among others for cleanroom and semiconductor applications.
C-Lube integrated lubrication
Patented lubrication system integrated into the products for maintenance-free operation of up to 5 years or 20,000 km.
Products & Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacture of needle bearingsForming | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| Manufacture of linear guidesAssembly | – | – | – | – | Stainless steel, Steel |
| Manufacture of precision positioning tables (mechatronics products)Assembly | – | – | – | – | Steel, Stainless steel |
| Assembly of linear guides according to customer requirementsAssembly | – | – | – | – | Steel, Stainless steel |
Additional services
Quality & Certification
Nippon Thompson is ISO 9001 certified; the departmental structure includes its own technology laboratory at the Kamakura factory. Products for cleanroom applications are offered in stainless steel with integrated lubrication.
| Evidence | Tokyo | Himeji | Gifu | Hai Phong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | ||||
| ISO 14001 |