- Business
- Ichikawa Co., Ltd. manufactures and sells papermaking felts and belts along with industrial felts primarily in Japan and internationally; its core papermaking products include press felts designed for dewatering, smoothness, and running stability in paper machine press sections, shoe press belts pioneered domestically in 1988 for enhanced durability and dewatering, and transfer belts for closed transfer press mechanisms to boost productivity, particularly in Europe and China; industrial products encompass heat-resistant felts and conveyance equipment for aluminum extrusion processes accommodating various temperature ranges, printed circuit boards, steel plate galvanizing lines to prevent scratches at high temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius, and cushioning materials applied in automotive car bodies, consumer electronics including smartphones and tablets, flexible printed circuit boards, clothing, and slate felts. The company operates through segments covering papermaking products in Japan, the Americas, Europe, and China, alongside industrial felts and related warehouse services, targeting paper producers and advanced manufacturing industries such as electronics, steelmaking, and aluminum processing. Founded in 1949 as a specialized entity from its 1918 predecessor Tokyo Blanket Co., Ltd., Ichikawa Co., Ltd. maintains its headquarters at 14-15 Hongo 2-Chome, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan, with production facilities including Kashiwa Mill and sales offices in Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuyama-Oita, and Tokyo. Recent developments feature the opening of ISESAKI BASE in 2016 and HIROSHIMA BASE in 2020 to bolster production capacity, alongside the upgrade of Nagoya Liaison Office to Nagoya Sales Office in 2022 for expanded regional operations; the company issued its financial results for the third quarter ending December 31, 2024, on January 31, 2025, under its medium-term management plan emphasizing technological innovation and global market penetration.