As Long-lived and Rigid as a “Lobster”

Lobtex- The Japanese Innovative Tool Maker

As a nation with powerful industrial and manufacturing sectors, Japan has always been parallel to the U.S. and Europe with its unique and culture-blended innovations in R&D and new products. Japanese hand tool and power tool corporations are no exception, and they always keep releasing new designs that are more ergonomic, durable, powerful, and most of all, more considerate and convenient. We cannot help but be amazed by Japan’s in-depth creativity to revolutionize the traditional and come up with brand-new features that no other nation has yet thought of, all for the purpose to touch the hearts of users and satisfy their potential needs. However, let us not forget that Japan’s manufacturing is one of the most successful industries in fulfilling environmental protection within the corporate structure, production lines, and products.

Introducing Lobtex Co. Ltd.

In this issue, Fastener World Magazine is pleased to introduce one of the giant hand tool & power tool makers in Japan, Lobtex Co. Ltd., to our esteemed readers. Founded in 1888 in Osaka , Lobtex has stood for over 120 years. Its main products include riveters for blind rivets, nutters, and other fastening tools, wrenches, to name a few. The products are widely and frequently used for one-sided fastening, and are sold in Japan, Europe, and the U.S. Lobtex produces both fasteners and tools and is advantageous in offering the best solution for maximizing product functionality. The environment-protecting company has obtained ISO14001 for minimal pollution in production and ISO9001:2000 for high quality products.

Riding on the Challenge

In our interview with Lobtex, the company told that its domestic sale in 2013 was positive and smooth, while the foreign sales went through a bitter battle in H1 due to the influence of currency exchange, but it later turned well and smooth in H2. When we asked about its opinion on the industrial conditions and challenges in 2013, Lobtex pointed out that the Japanese tool market in 2013 trended for the development of labor-saving and energy-saving tools. Consequently, the challenge for 2013 was to create and sell cordless tools that meet the needs and power requirement by the users. In response to that, Lobtex released the R1A1/2・R1B1/2 series.

As we move on to the year of 2014, Lobtex continues to understand the needs of various users and strives to invent new products for customers. The brand logo, “LOBSTER”, has a significant and profound meaning and relationship to Lobtex. In Japan, lobsters with rigid and bendable bodies are believed to bring good fortune and are symbolic of "longevity" and "strength"; the image of a lobster is used as a brand to imply that its tools are "durable" and "heavy-duty”. So far, “LOBSTER” brand has earned high public awareness in Japan, but the future challenge for Lobtex is to proactively expand and promote the brand awareness overseas (especially in Europe and the U.S.) where the demand for blind rivets is high.

Lobtex Goes for the World

As everyone may have seen in the global trend, the emerging nations have powerful and potential market growth. Those nations in Latin America and ASEAN are currently experiencing the boom of infrastructure, which means the demand for tools will rise subsequently, and therefore, global corporations are entering the emerging markets to increase their market shares. In terms of the emerging economic regions, Lobtex thinks fasteners for one-sided fastening, such as blind rivets and nuts, are indispensable for infrastructure projects. Lobtex is manufacturing high quality products in Japan and supplying users with them through agents all over the world.