Nidec
Japanese motor maker, global leader in hard-disk drive spindle motors.
Nidec Corporation, originally named Nippon Densan Corporation, is a Japanese company that makes and sells electric motors. These motors go into hard-disk drives, home appliances, cars, and various commercial and industrial machines. The company leads the global market for the spindle motors used in hard-disk drives. Its two biggest product lines are hard-disk drive motors and automotive components, which account for 16% and 22% of sales, respectively. As of 2017, Nidec had 296 subsidiaries across Japan, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. It is listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and is part of the TOPIX 100 index. In 2005, Businessweek placed Nidec 42nd on its Infotech 100 list, and in 2014, Forbes included it on its World's Most Innovative Companies list.
The company grew through several acquisitions. In 2012, it bought Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali S.p.A., renaming it Nidec ASI, which focuses on drive technology for energy, marine, metals, oil and gas, and general industry. Giovanni Barra has been its CEO since 2014. On January 31, 2017, Nidec acquired Leroy-Somer from Emerson Electric, forming Nidec Leroy-Somer Holding. On July 31, 2017, it bought Secop GmbH, a German compressor maker, from Aurelius Equity Group to expand into refrigeration. However, after agreeing to acquire Whirlpool’s Embraco compressor business in 2018, Nidec sold Secop in 2019 due to antitrust concerns. In November 2018, Nidec became a shareholder in Nidec Chaun-Choung Technology Corporation, a Taiwanese cooling company. It increased its stake to 53.48% by December 2019 and to 67% by December 2020.
Quick Facts
- Romanized Name
- Nidec kabushiki gaisha
- Former Names
- Nippon Densan Corporation (1973-2023)
- Traded As
- 6594 / TOPIX 100 Component
- Industry
- Electronic components
- Founded
- 1973-07-23
- Hq Location
- 338 Kuzetonoshiro-cho
- Hq Location City
- Minami-ku, Kyoto
- Hq Location Country
- Japan
- Key People
- Shigenobu Nagamori (CEO)
- Products
- Small precision motors · Automotive motors · Home appliance motors · Commercial and industrial motors · Motors for machinery · Electronic and optical components
- Revenue
- US$11.15 billion (FY 2017) / (JPY 1199.3 billion) (FY 2017)
- Net Income
- US$1.04 billion (FY 2017) / (JPY 111.7 billion) (FY 2017)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Nidec was originally founded as Nippon Densan Corporation. The company has grown through a series of acquisitions. In 2012 it acquired Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali S.p.A., which became Nidec ASI, focusing on drive technology for energy, marine, metals, oil & gas, and general industry. On January 31, 2017, Nidec acquired Leroy-Somer from Emerson Electric, forming Nidec Leroy-Somer Holding. Later in 2017, it acquired Secop GmbH, a German hermetic compressor manufacturer, but sold Secop in 2019 due to antitrust concerns after agreeing to acquire Embraco's refrigeration compressor business from Whirlpool Corporation. In November 2018, Nidec became a shareholder of Nidec Chaun-Choung Technology Corporation, a cooling company in Taiwan, and increased its shareholding to 67% by December 2020.
Reader's Guide
Nidec's significance lies in its dominant position in the spindle motor market for hard-disk drives, a critical component in data storage. The company's two largest product groups—hard-disk drive motors and automotive products—together account for 38% of sales, reflecting its dual focus on precision motion and automotive electrification. Through acquisitions such as Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali, Leroy-Somer, and Secop (later divested), Nidec expanded into industrial drive systems, commercial refrigeration, and cooling technology. Its listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and inclusion in the TOPIX 100 index underscore its financial standing. The company was recognized on the 2005 Businessweek Infotech 100 list and the 2014 Forbes World's Most Innovative Companies list, indicating its historical impact in technology and innovation. With 296 subsidiaries across Japan, Asia, Europe, and the Americas as of 2017, Nidec operates as a global enterprise in the electric motor industry.
Did You Know?
- Nidec is the global market leader for spindle motors used in hard-disk drives.
- As of 2017, Nidec had 296 subsidiary companies worldwide.
- Nidec acquired Leroy-Somer from Emerson Electric on January 31, 2017.
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