The Information Technology 100
42
NIDEC
This Kyoto-based leader in drive-technology products -- an array of small precision motors that power hard-disk drives, including those used in Apple's iPods -- is on a roll. In the fiscal year that ended in March, operating profits vaulted 143%, to $501 million, on a 75.1% jump in revenues, to $4.54 billion.
Nidec founder and CEO Shigenobu Nagamori is gunning to more than double revenues by 2010 by turning out lighter, faster, and more energy-efficient precision motors for a variety of storage devices as well as laser printers. A trend in Nidec's favor: the ongoing digitization of office and networking equipment -- copiers, fax machines, printers -- which is spurring the demand for sophisticated motors. Nidec wants to dominate the drive-technology market for "everything that spins and moves."
Company Info
| STOCK INFO | NJ |
| Revenues* | $4.5 BILLION |
| Revenue Growth | 75.1% |
| Return on Equity | 16.2% |
| Total Return | 7.1% |
| Profits* | $311.5 MILLION |
| Industry | COMPUTERS AND PERIPHERALS |
| CORPORATE WEB SITE | |
All figures are for the most recent available 12 months.
* Latest available data for the 12-month period ended Dec. 31, Jan. 31, Feb. 29, Mar. 31, or Apr. 30. For companies that do not report quarterly, the most recent annual data were used.
Data provided by Standard & Poor's Compustat, BusinessWeek
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Company Snapshot
NIDEC Corp. engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of small precision motors, small precision fans, midsize motors, machinery, and other products. NIDEC also sells its products to the manufacturers of various automation equipment, electric household appliances, home video-game consoles, and telecommunication and audio visual equipment. The company’s manufacturing operations are located primarily in China, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. It has sales subsidiaries in Asia, North America, and Europe. NIDEC was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Kyoto, Japan.
No. of Employees
NA
Data provided by 
Shigenobu Nagamori
Bio
Shigenobu Nagamori has served as Nidec’s President, Chief Executive Officer, and Representative Director since its establishment in July 1973. In June 1995 he became Chairman and Director of Simpo Industries Co. Ltd., currently Nidec-Shimpo Corp., and from October 2003 became Chairman and Representative Director of Nidec-Shimpo Corp.