We Are Tomodachi Winter 2018

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10Today, smartphones and other electronic devices have become ubiquitous, but this would never have been possible without incredible advancements in plating technology. Plating processes, which apply a metal coating to the surfaces of other materials, not only improve the appearance of everyday manufactured products and enhance their durability, but are also essential in producing the circuits in all sorts of electronic devices. When Kiyokawa Plating Industry Co., Ltd. was founded in Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture in 1963, its primary business was the coating of wheel parts for automobiles and motorcycles, but in the 1970s the company began to focus on plating for electronics and has since grown significantly due to its highly specialized technology and expertise in the field. Although Kiyokawa Plating Industry remains a small-to-medium enterprise with 270 employees at present, its unique nano-plating technology is a pillar of Japan’s electronics and semiconductor industries and many consumer products exported to the rest of the world feature plating by the company.What makes nano-plating technology special is that it makes it possible for factors like coating thickness and structure to be controlled in nanometer units. Another advantage over other companies’ approaches is the ability of this technology to make use of the unique characteristics of both the base material and the coating material. President and CEO Hajime Kiyokawa explains that “nano-plating technology has enabled the plating of extremely delicate electronic parts and semiconductor chips. Our technology thus contributes to the miniaturization and weight reduction of electronic devices such as cell phones, and has made it possible to manufacture ever-thinner batteries even as their capacities increase.”Since Kiyokawa Plating Industry’s founding, its DNA has expressed itself in the free-thinking development of new technology and the willingness to make the investments necessary for such advances. The company entered the electronic parts sector after its founder and Feature: Hidden Champions Inspiring the WorldPlating Tech Brings InnovationsKiyokawa Plating Industry cares strongly about quality control and protecting the environment. The company gained ISO9001 certification in 1994 and ISO14001 certification in 1997. It invested in lead-free plating in advance of the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS, effective since 2006) and introduced electroless nickel plating mass production in 2000.