How are you handling your dies and molds at your factory? At Mitsutoyo-Kiko, the employees handle them very carefully paying attention to their condition, as if conversing personally with them to find out the secrets of their durability. If a die has cracked, the employee carefully examines it, as if asking, "Hey, what made you crack? Why did you crack? Tell me...," and the die often gives the answers.

Double Hex, Mitsutoyo's main product, was developed by such a company based on its proprietary know-how and technologies in the field of cold forging tools. Double Hex developed a patented design that sets separate wedgeshaped segments into a hexagon reinforming ring. We call it the Double Hex. It enjoys the great confidence of users for its longer production life, realized by the balanced absorption of the impact energy generated during the machining of flanged hex bolts and nuts, which are used to assemble auto parts and other equipment, and whose demand is rapidly growing. The advantage of Double Hex over competitors' products is overwhelming-with a longer life, Double-Hex reduces the frequency of tools replacement and increases the duration of the continuous operation of machines, which greatly contributes to improving productivity and to reducing the total cost of machining.

Originally starting in Nagoya, Mitsutoyo-Kiko now has its head office in Kasugai, Aichi Prefecture. To match globalization, the company, while keeping its production center in Kasugai, opened a new production base in Kawanabe, Kagoshima Prefecture in 1991 as well as a second factory there in 2003.

Meanwhile, Mitsutoyo-Kiko has exported its cold forging tools to over 20 countries for more than 20 years. In 2002, the company established a subsidiary in Chicago, U.S.A., to support Japanese companies operating in the U.S.A. and also to further expand its market.

At the factories of Mitsutoyo, the personal dialogue continues between employees and materials. Mitsutoyo-Kiko continues to strive to offer users cold forging tools of high quality, precision, and with the performance that will satisfy.