My name is Tamari, and I have been assigned to Kitagawa (Thailand) Co., Ltd. since April 2022. We handle lathe chucks, design chucks, NC rotary tables, grippers (robot hands), and other machine tool products that are indispensable for machining. In this article, we will introduce the points of the Power chuck BR series which went on sale in July 2022, and the strengths of Kitagawa.
Example of ideal robot utilization for high-mix low-volume production
For the first time, a 2-jaw chuck has been added to the BR series lineup.
■ 2-jaw high-precision large through-hole hollow power chuck BRT series
This is the 2-jaw standard chuck with the highest gripping accuracy in the history of Kitagawa Corporation, and is ideal for high-precision machining of irregularly shaped workpieces on a lathe. Gripping accuracy, which is directly linked to workpiece machining quality and safety during machining, is 0.01mm T.I.R. or less. Moreover, the chuck's reduced jaw-lift compared to the conventional standard chuck ensures stable machining quality. In 2021, the BR series was awarded the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers Award * for its technology of "development of a high-precision power chuck that eliminates the need for jaw reformulation". The optional T-nut-Plus allows it to achieve reproducibility of 0.01 mm T.I.R when attaching and detaching the jaws .
* This award was established in 1958 with the aim of "encouraging the development of mechanical engineering and industry in Japan." The award is given to technologies and products that contribute to the economy and society with new technologies related to the machinery industry by contributing to the development of epoch-making new products, improvement of product quality or performance, and improvement of production.
▶︎ BR series feature details
Growing demand for high-precision chucks in China Strengths include a manufacturing system that enables stable supply and a wide sales network
Chucks hold the key to machining accuracy. Although Japanese-affiliated manufacturers understand the importance of chucks and the Kitagawa brand has a large share of the industry, its share is only 10% on a global scale, which still requires aggressive publicity. On the other hand, the demand for Kitagawa chucks in the Chinese market has been increasing in recent years. This is due to the growing awareness that even if the performance of the machine tool (lathe) is not high, the quality of the chuck can achieve high precision, and there is a growing demand, especially among Chinese manufacturers and trading companies, to reduce costs and improve product precision. We will strive to further expand sales in Thailand with the following strengths as weapons.
＜Strength of kitagawa (Kitagawa Corporation)＞
✔ Largest scale sales bases among Japanese-affiliated chuck manufacturers
Kitagawa Corporation is the only Japanese-affiliated chuck manufacturer with a branch office in Thailand and has the largest sales network (bases) among manufacturers handling chucks. 
✔ System for stable supply of high-precision products to overseas markets
The company’s monthly production of chucks in Japan is about 3000 units. Because they manufacture their own products, they can stably supply products to overseas bases.
✔ High precision of chucks (gripping accuracy)
Several major Japanese-affiliated machine tool manufacturers use their chucks as standard equipment. The company boasts the industry's top-class gripping accuracy, which is a key element of machining.
Strengthening sales to local Thai customers by utilizing an environment in which they can meet customers face-to-face see customer’s face
Prior to my assignment to Thailand, I was in charge of the U.S. and Mexico areas in the Overseas Sales Department. Comparing Thailand to North and Central America, it is easier to meet customers including end-users, and the distance between them and us is closer which makes it easier to conduct sales activities in terms of close communication. However, when comparing the rate of adoption of automation and the environmental quality of manufacturing sites, I feel that Thailand is still in the process of development. This means that there is ample room for demand to grow.
Until now, our sales activities have been focused on Japanese-affiliated customers, but from now on, we will strengthen our sales activities for Thai customers led by Thai staff. In particular, since inquiries from Taiwanese manufacturers have been increasing recently, we intend to focus on trading companies that handle machinery from Taiwanese manufacturers.
▲ Staff of Kitagawa (Thailand)
