Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. engages in manufacturing and selling electronic components worldwide.
Segments
The company operates through three segments, including Electronic Components, Automotive Infotainment, and Logistics.
Electronic Components
This segment engages in the manufacturing and sale of various electronic components for the automotive, mobile and energy, healthcare, industry (EHII) and Internet of things, markets. As of March 31, 2019, the company manufactured and sold approximately 4...
Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. engages in manufacturing and selling electronic components worldwide.
Segments
The company operates through three segments, including Electronic Components, Automotive Infotainment, and Logistics.
Electronic Components
This segment engages in the manufacturing and sale of various electronic components for the automotive, mobile and energy, healthcare, industry (EHII) and Internet of things, markets. As of March 31, 2019, the company manufactured and sold approximately 40,000 different electronic components to approximately 2,000 companies that produce automobiles, home appliances, audio visual equipment, healthcare devices, mobile devices and industrial machinery worldwide. Its main products for the automotive market include power window switches, instrument panel modules, steering wheel modules, remote keyless entry systems, Bluetooth modules, exhaust gas recirculation valve sensors, current sensors and TACT Switches. Its main products for the mobile market include actuators for cameras, touch panels, HAPTIC Reactors and multi-control devices. Its main products for the EHII market include sensor network modules, thermal printers, current sensors and TACT Switches.
The company engages in the development, manufacturing and marketing of various electronic components, including sensors, TACT Switches, switches, encoders and potentiometers mainly for the audio and electronics sector.
The company manufactures and sells electronic components based on its prowess in its three core technological domains, namely HMI, SENSORING, and connectivity, making efforts in each of such domains.
HMI: The company produces input devices that connect human beings with machines ever since its founding. It has adapted to the times, developing ever smaller and thinner products and responding to needs for integration and multifunctionality. Maintaining advanced standards for operating feel, the company pursues the creation of optimal products.
SENSORING: The company supplies various sensors for the constantly evolving mobile domain, and compact current sensors compatible with large voltages for automobiles. Its ongoing development of environmentally friendly SENSORING devices contributes to the growth of smart societies through their use in such applications as energy management systems and industrial equipment.
Connectivity: The company supplies various data communication modules making use of radio frequency technology and software to support Bluetooth, wireless LAN, LTE and other standards, as well as advancements in the automotive domain, such as V2X technology. The company supports access to diverse types of information with distinctive product varieties, including products combined with input devices and sensors.
The company categorizes its various products in the electronic components segment into automotive market products, mobile market products and EHII market products. Below is a discussion of each.
Automotive Market Products
The company’s automotive market products are categorized into automotive modules, such as remote keyless entry systems, instrument panel modules and electronic parking brakes, which might incorporate one or more automotive devices; and automotive devices, such as exhaust gas recirculation valve sensors, current sensors and tire pressure monitoring systems.
Automotive Modules
Car-door and seat area products, which are primarily switches used inside cars, such as power window switches, electronic parking brakes and engine start switches. Power window switches enable the operation of car windows without having to turn window handles. Electronic parking brakes are buttons or switches in cars that activate the parking brakes in lieu of a parking brake pedal or lever. Engine start switches enable drivers to start the engine without turning an ignition key.
Car-instrument panel area products, which primarily include electronic panels and modules, provide functional control of cars. Instrument panel modules are installed within the front panels of cars, and enable the operation of such systems as air conditioners and audio systems. Electronic shifters are used in many newer automobile models in lieu of traditional, gear-centered shifters. HAPTIC COMMANDER is a trademarked product of the company that enables drivers to operate various in-car systems and provides them with tactile feedback, such as different patterns of vibration, in response to driver operation.
Car-steering products, which primarily include products relating to automobile steering systems, such as steering wheel modules and clock springs. Steering wheel modules, which are attached to steering wheels, include such devices as airbag sensors and levers for operating turn signals and window wipers. Clock springs are sensors for in-car airbags that detect automobile impact, to deploy airbags.
Car communication products, an example of which is remote keyless entry systems, namely electronic keys that enable car doors to be locked or unlocked from a distance.
Automotive Devices
Communication network modules, which include communication systems or modules to provide connectivity to cars, such as Bluetooth and Wireless-LAN modules and V2X communication devices. Bluetooth and Wireless-LAN modules enable smartphone and other mobile devices to connect to in-car functions, such as audio and navigation systems. V2X modules, which are used for such purposes as ADAS, enable cars to receive and transmit information with sources outside cars, using such transmission systems as global navigation satellite system and millimeter-wave radar.
Various sensors, which include throttle position sensors, exhaust gas recirculation valve sensors, tire pressure monitoring systems, steering angle sensors and current sensors. Throttle position sensors track the position of a car’s throttle. The exhaust gas recirculation valve sensors detect the angle of the valves attached inside the duct/pipe through which the exhaust gas of the car runs. Tire pressure monitoring systems include sensors that detect the air pressure in tires, enabling monitoring of tire condition. Steering angle sensors track the angle of steering. Current sensors detect the current in the system or modules to which the current sensors are attached.
Switches, including TACT Switches and detector switches. TACT Switches are trademarked tactile switches that come in various sizes and gram forces, and which are commonly used in many consumer electronic devices. Detector switches are switches that are activated by means of the collision of two objects, and are commonly used to detect whether such things as automobile doors or the covers of consumer electronic devices are open or closed.
Mobile Market Products
The company’s main mobile market products include products for smartphones, such as actuators for cameras, geomagnetic sensors, touch panels and waterproof TACT Switches, as well as products for drones, gaming devices and smartwatches, such as HAPTIC Reactors and multi-control devices.
Products for Smartphones: The company manufactures various products to be used in smartphones, including the following:
Camera actuators, namely the frames that contain and operate smartphone camera lenses. Actuators are used to enable lens autofocus, as well as to adjust for hand movements when users operate the smartphone cameras.
Touch panels, which are the transparent panels on the face of smartphones that enable touch control of smartphone functions.
Geomagnetic sensors, which enable the smartphone to detect where it is located. Similar sensors are used in digital watches.
Waterproof TACT Switches, which are small, thin, waterproof and dustproof switches that are typically used as the home button of smartphones.
HAPTIC Reactors, which are used to generate various patterns of vibrations for use in smartphones.
Products for Drones, Gaming Devices and Smartwatches: The company’s products for drones, gaming devices and smartwatches include the following:
HAPTIC Reactors, which are used in gaming devices to generate various vibration patterns to simulate various types of real-world tactile stimuli.
Multi-control devices, an example of which is stick controllers that are incorporated into gaming controllers. The multi-control devices could be moved approximately 360 degrees to enable particular movements or commands in game play.
Atmospheric pressure sensors, which are typically installed in smartwatches, measuring atmospheric pressure.
EHII Market Products
The company’s primary EHII market products include sensor network modules, Bluetooth modules, thermal printers, sensors and TACT Switches.
Sensor network modules, which are micromodules that consist of multiple sensors, such as acceleration sensors, geomagnetic sensors, temperature and humidity sensors, atmospheric pressure sensors and ultraviolet intensity sensors, combined with Bluetooth modules that connect to the Internet. These modules might be used to monitor users’ health conditions or certain indoor and outdoor environmental factors.
Bluetooth modules, which are installed in various EHII market products, enable the monitoring of such things as users’ motions and physical conditions, or various environmental factors, remotely over the Internet.
Thermal printers, which are printers, such as photograph printers, that utilize heat rather than ink to print images.
Current sensors, which detect the current in the system or modules to which the current sensors are attached.
TACT Switches, which are trademarked tactile switches that come in various sizes and gram forces, and which are commonly used in many consumer electronic devices.
Automotive Infotainment
This segment manufactures car navigation systems, car information display products, in-car sound systems and in-car audio products. The company engages in the development, manufacturing and marketing of audio, information and communication products, including head units, audio visual, road navigation systems and audio speakers mainly for the automotive sector.
Information and Communication Products: The company engages in the manufacture and sale of in-car information and communication products. Its primary products in this segment include car navigation systems and in-car communication products.
Audio Products: The company engages in the manufacturing and sale of in-car audio products. This segment’s principal products include in-car CD players, amplifiers and speakers.
A significant portion of the company’s business in this segment is generated from overseas customers.
Information and Communication Products
Car Navigation Systems: The company manufactures and sells, primarily to major automobile manufacturers in Japan and overseas, the All-in-one Navi Station System, which is a car navigation system that the company customizes for various vehicle lines, combining its new technologies relating to car operation, driving guidance and safety for vehicles and drivers. It provides major automobile manufacturers, both in Japan and overseas, that manufacture luxury cars with car navigation systems that install up-to-date technologies, such as the function to connect to a smartphone and operate it through in-car devices.
Car Information Display Products
The company’s car information display products include displays for in-car audio, visual head units and rear seat screens. It has developed its own decorating and molding technology to shape the display products into luxury designs that could be integrated with the internal design of luxury cars.
Audio Products
In-car Sound Systems
The company provides in-car sound systems, including products, such as amplifiers and speakers with high-resolution technology to mitigate vehicle interior noise, and small and light sound system products with high-power output and dynamic sound.
In-car Audio Products
The company manufactures in-car audio products, including CD tuners and audio head units, that play music and videos that are recorded on various media, such as smartphones, portable music players and USB memory sticks.
OEM Production
For both information and communication products as well as audio products, the company’s products in the automotive infotainment segment are largely sold to automobile manufacturers on an original equipment manufacturing basis.
Logistics
This segment engages in integrated logistics services, primarily with respect to electronic components. Such services include the transportation, warehousing and forwarding of electronic components, and other items, as well as the manufacturing and sale of packaging materials. The company also engages in businesses, such as system development services, office services and financing and leasing services. The company provides integrated logistics services to third-party customers in and outside Japan, specializing in electronic components. The company provides transportation, storage and forwarding services. The company provides transport, warehousing and forwarding services relating to electronic components and other items. It also sells packaging materials.
Other
The company engages in various businesses, including the system development services, such as the development and sale of software that supports companies’ internal administration and operation, as well as information security systems; office services, such as staffing services, as well as training programs and services for clients’ employees; and financing services, such as factoring, as well as leasing services, including those relating to manufacturing facilities and vehicles.
Sales Channels
For products in the electronic components segment, the company sells its products directly to its customers through its own sales functions, as well as through agents and e-commerce channels. The products in the automotive infotainment segment are sold by Alpine. It provides its services directly to customers.
Seasonality
The company sees increased demand from its customers in the second and third quarters of its fiscal year (year ended March 31, 2019) due to their increased production needs in anticipation of high shopping seasons, such as Black Friday and Christmas, and the timing of the introduction of new products and car models. In turn, the company experiences decreased net sales at the end and the beginning of the calendar year, primarily due to reduced production at its customers resulting from fewer operating days at its customers at that time on account of the Christmas, New Year and Lunar New Year holidays.
Regulation
The company’s operations and many of its products are subject to various regulations that have been adopted with respect to the environment, such as the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive; the RoHS Directive; and the EU REACH Regulation.
Significant Events
In September 2019, The radar technology company Acconeer AB and ALPS ALPINE have signed a strategic partnership agreement with the focus of develop products for the automotive industry.
In April 2020, TactoTek and Alps Alpine announced that they have collaborated to develop an IMSE human-machine interface (HMI) solution for a premium German automotive OEM. In this project, Alps Alpine started the development with the industrial design and HMI of an existing serial production part of the premium German automotive OEM. TactoTek worked with Alps Alpine to transform their design thinking into an IMSE electromechanical design and deliver an IMSE solution that meets demanding automotive cosmetic and functional requirements.
History
The company was founded in 1948. It was formerly known as Kataoka Electric Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Alps Electric Co., Ltd. in 1964. Further, the company changed its name to Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. in January 2019. The company was incorporated in 1948.