Expanding into Next-Generation, Overseas and Food Markets Through the Application of Inspection Technology

「In the Inspection Equipment business, we are pursuing sales for new power-generation technologies such as perovskite solar cells and developing AI-based classification functions for the steel and non-ferrous metals industries.」

「In the food inspection field, we will work to increase added value through the introduction of new technologies. We will also pursue applications by proposing a surface inspection method using a new AI-based classification system to the steel industry, where Nireco has a strong level of recognition.」

「Food inspection equipment was in a trough in its delivery schedule, while orders and sales of plain-material inspection equipment were also delayed. As a result, net sales declined year on year, and the segment loss increased year on year.」

「In this business, orders for equipment for the secondary battery manufacturing equipment industry and food inspection equipment for agricultural applications, among others, showed signs of settling down, and both orders and net sales declined year on year. Profit declined year on year due to factors including lower net sales and fewer sales of products with high profit margins. As a result, net sales in this business totaled ¥1,711 million, down 4.8% year on year, and segment profit was ¥87 million, down 56.5% year on year. The order backlog was ¥664 million, down 35.0% year on year.」

「Although some capital investment was delayed in the plain-material inspection equipment field for the secondary battery manufacturing equipment industry, overall business, including food inspection equipment, remained firm and net sales increased year on year. Profit also increased year on year, supported by factors including higher sales of highly profitable products.」

「Although some capital investment was delayed in the plain-material inspection equipment field for the secondary battery manufacturing equipment industry, overall business remained firm and net sales increased year on year. Profit was at roughly the same level as in the year-earlier period.」

「Net sales ¥211 million (down 12.9% year on year), segment loss ¥49 million (segment loss of ¥52 million in the year-earlier period), order backlog ¥1,340 million (up 33.6% from the end of the previous fiscal year) Although capital investment in the plain-material inspection equipment field remained firm, food inspection equipment was in a trough in its delivery schedule. As a result, net sales declined year on year. The segment loss was at roughly the same level as in the year-earlier period.」

「In this business, customer capital investment appetite was recovering for both plain-material inspection equipment used to inspect a wide range of plain materials, including films, metal foil and nonwoven fabrics, and food inspection equipment for produce sorting facilities and other applications in the agricultural sector. As a result, both net sales and profit substantially exceeded the year-earlier period. Net sales in this business totaled ¥1,797 million, up 32.6% year on year, and segment profit was ¥200 million, up 472.2% year on year. The order backlog was ¥1,252 million, up 83.0% year on year.」

「Net sales ¥1,100 million (down 0.1% year on year), segment profit ¥25 million (up 34.0% year on year), order backlog ¥1,190 million (up 73.9% from the end of the previous fiscal year)」

「Although customer capital investment appetite was recovering for both plain-material inspection equipment and food inspection equipment, and orders exceeded the year-earlier period, net sales and profit declined year on year due to factors including longer product delivery times. During the six-month period ended 30 September, the Company focused on selling new products, including the launch of sales of the “Mujiken-RB” electrode-sheet inspection system for cathode and anode material production lines for secondary batteries.」

「Orders for both unprinted-material inspection equipment and food inspection equipment, including equipment for produce-sorting facilities, exceeded the prior-year level as customers' appetite for capital investment began to recover. However, sales and profit declined year on year due to longer product delivery times and other factors.」

「Although manufacturers remained cautious about capital investment, sales of unprinted-material inspection equipment and food inspection equipment, including equipment for produce-sorting facilities, exceeded the sluggish prior-year level.」

「Although customer companies remained cautious about capital investment in inspection equipment, the company focused on expanding sales of new products in preparation for a full-scale recovery. As a result, sales in this business were ¥800 million, up 4.0% year on year, segment profit was ¥33 million, up 3.7%, and the order backlog was ¥505 million, down 17.4% from the end of the previous fiscal year.」

「Sales of unprinted-material inspection equipment remained firm as manufacturers' appetite for capital investment began to recover. Sales of food inspection equipment, including equipment for produce-sorting facilities, also remained firm. As a result, sales in this business were ¥397 million, up 17.2% year on year, and the segment loss was ¥10 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥15 million a year earlier.」

「During the consolidated fiscal year, the company advanced development of unprinted-surface inspection equipment capable of handling line speeds twice those of conventional equipment, as well as desktop near-infrared analyzers.」

「During the third quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, we launched the new inspection equipment for unprinted materials, “Mujiken-Express,” using our group’s core technologies of image processing, sensing and optics.」

「Although sales of unprinted-material inspection equipment declined as manufacturers became more cautious about capital investment, sales of food inspection equipment, including equipment for produce-sorting facilities, remained firm. As a result, sales in this business were ¥769 million, down 3.4% year on year, and segment profit was ¥31 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥28 million a year earlier.」

「Although sales of unprinted-material inspection equipment declined as manufacturers became more cautious about capital investment, sales of food inspection equipment, including equipment for produce-sorting facilities, remained firm. As a result, sales in this business were ¥338 million, up 23.0% year on year, and the segment loss was ¥15 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥17 million a year earlier. The order backlog was ¥661 million, or 93.0% of the level at the end of the previous fiscal year.」

「Although manufacturers restrained capital investment amid economic uncertainty, sales of unprinted-material inspection equipment, which captured inspection demand for a wide range of unprinted materials, exceeded the level in the previous consolidated fiscal year. Sales of visual inspection equipment for food products, including equipment for produce-sorting facilities, declined as demand reached a plateau. The order backlog in this business also declined. As a result, sales were ¥1,906 million, up 0.6% year on year, segment profit was ¥92 million, up 27.6%, and the order backlog was ¥711 million, down 21.8% year on year.」

「Unprinted-material inspection equipment, which captured inspection demand for a wide range of unprinted materials, remained firm despite manufacturers restraining capital investment amid economic uncertainty. For visual inspection equipment for food products, the company focused on developing demand for food inspection in vegetables, confectionery and other areas, as well as overseas demand, after demand for produce-sorting facilities reached a plateau, but overall sales declined. As a result, sales in this business were ¥1,078 million, down 6.1% year on year, and the segment loss was ¥83 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥46 million a year earlier. The order backlog was ¥1,203 million, or 132.2% of the level at the end of the previous fiscal year.」

「Unprinted-material inspection equipment, which captured inspection demand for a wide range of unprinted materials, remained firm, but sales of visual inspection equipment for food products declined as demand for produce-sorting facilities reached a plateau. As a result, sales in this business were ¥796 million, down 8.6% year on year, and the segment loss was ¥28 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥5 million a year earlier. The order backlog was ¥793 million, down 12.8% from the end of the previous fiscal year.」

「Sales of unprinted-material inspection equipment, which captured inspection demand for a wide range of unprinted materials, remained firm. As a result, sales in this business were ¥275 million, up 21.0% year on year, and the segment loss was ¥17 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥41 million a year earlier. The order backlog was ¥965 million, or 106.1% of the level at the end of the previous fiscal year.」

「Sales of unprinted-material inspection equipment, which captured inspection demand for a wide range of unprinted materials, and visual inspection equipment for food products, which captured replacement demand for produce-sorting facilities, remained firm. As a result, sales in this business were ¥1,896 million, up 10.6% year on year, segment profit was ¥72 million, down 53.6%, and the order backlog was ¥910 million, up 44.6% year on year.」

「Sales of inspection equipment for unprinted materials, which addresses inspection demand for a variety of unprinted materials, and food appearance-inspection equipment, which addresses replacement demand for produce-sorting equipment, remained solid. As a result, revenue from this business was ¥1,149 million, up 122.2% year on year, and the segment loss was ¥46 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥28 million in the same period of the previous year. The order backlog was ¥970 million, up 154.3% from the end of the previous fiscal year.」

「Sales of unprinted-material inspection equipment, which captured inspection demand for a wide range of unprinted materials, and visual inspection equipment for food products, which captured replacement demand for produce-sorting facilities, both expanded. As a result, sales in this business were ¥871 million, or 125.4% of the prior-year level, and the segment loss was ¥5 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥13 million a year earlier. The order backlog was ¥861 million, or 136.8% of the prior-year level.」

「Sales of unprinted-material inspection equipment expanded as the company captured inspection demand for a wide range of unprinted materials. As a result, sales in this business were ¥227 million, or 109.8% of the prior-year level, and the segment loss was ¥41 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥71 million a year earlier. The order backlog was ¥916 million, or 145.6% of the level at the end of the previous fiscal year.」

「The business's core product, visual inspection equipment for food products, performed well as it captured inspection demand from food manufacturers amid growing awareness of food safety and quality. The other core product, unprinted-material inspection equipment, captured inspection demand for high-performance films for secondary batteries, electronic components and a wide range of other unprinted materials. Although sales declined, orders remained firm from the latter half of the period. As a result, sales in this business were ¥1,714 million, or 101.4% of the prior-year level, and segment profit was ¥156 million, or 248.0% of the prior-year level.」

「The Group continued proposing products from its extensive lineup of unprinted-material inspection equipment to the high-performance film industry. It also worked to actively propose visual inspection equipment to the food-related industry to develop latent demand.」

「The Group continued proposing products from its extensive lineup of unprinted-material inspection equipment to the high-performance film industry, while actively proposing produce-sorting equipment and visual inspection equipment for processed foods to the food-related industry.」

「For unprinted-material inspection equipment, the company will focus on capturing capital-investment demand for high-performance films, mainly for flat-panel displays and secondary batteries. For produce-sorting equipment, it will steadily capture replacement demand for domestic sorting facilities. It will also develop the food-related quality inspection market by launching products that apply inspection technologies cultivated over many years.」

「For the high-performance film industry, our group advanced proposals based on an extensive lineup of inspection equipment for unprinted materials. For the food-related industry, in addition to conventional produce-sorting equipment, we worked to propose appearance-inspection equipment for processed foods, where new demand is expected.」

「The Group continued proposing products from its extensive lineup of unprinted-material inspection equipment to the high-performance film industry. In the food-related industry, it has been developing new products by quickly identifying market needs and applying the visual inspection technology cultivated through its produce-sorting equipment, together with its core image-processing technology.」

「For unprinted-material inspection equipment, the company continued proposing products from its extensive lineup, primarily targeting capital investment in electronic-material-related equipment for flat-panel displays, secondary batteries and other applications. For its other major product, produce-sorting equipment, it focused on capturing replacement demand for aging domestic equipment as well as new demand overseas.」

「For unprinted-material inspection equipment, the company will focus on capturing capital-investment demand for high-performance films, mainly for next-generation displays and next-generation batteries. For produce-sorting equipment, it will steadily capture replacement demand for domestic sorting facilities while also expanding into overseas markets. It will also develop the food quality inspection market by launching products that apply inspection technologies developed over many years.」