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Dai-ichi Ceramo

MaterialsHigashiomi, JapanFounded 1988· One of 955 Materials companies tracked by AMPulse

Specialized manufacturer of Powder Injection Molding (PIM) feedstocks and advanced 3D printing materials for metal and ceramic additive manufacturing.

CEO / Founder
Koji Kawakita
Team Size
1-10
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$335K
Latest Round
Corporate Round
Key Investors
DKS Co. Ltd. (100% parent company)

Technology & Products

Key Products

Ceramic Powder Injection Molding (CIM) Feedstocks; Metal Powder Injection Molding (MIM) Feedstocks; CeraFila SUS316L Stainless Steel Filament; CeraFila Zirconia Ceramic Filament; Custom Pellet-shaped Feedstocks for MEX 3D Printers; Multi-material Metal and Ceramic Pellets; Contract Manufacturing Services for Specialized Feedstocks

Technological Advantage

Combines 36+ years of PIM feedstock development expertise with advanced material science capabilities; achieves mass-production quality (±0.5% dimensional accuracy, ≥95% relative density) for precision components; offers both standard materials (zirconia, alumina, SUS316L) and custom alloy development; small-batch contract manufacturing capability for specialized applications; integrates seamlessly into existing MEX 3D printing workflows.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Leverages 36+ years of proprietary binder and mixing technology expertise to deliver high-precision PIM feedstocks (±0.5% accuracy, ≥95% relative density) and innovative 3D printing filaments that enable complex metal and ceramic component production with superior material properties.

How They Differentiate

Leverages 36+ years of proprietary binder and mixing technology from DKS Group to deliver high-precision PIM feedstocks (±0.5% accuracy, ≥95% relative density) and innovative CeraFila 3D printing filaments; uniquely bridges traditional powder injection molding with modern MEX additive manufacturing; offers custom small-batch feedstock development with rapid turnaround for specialized applications

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Industrial manufacturers, precision component producers, PIM processing companies, 3D printing service bureaus, optical communication equipment makers, and medical device manufacturers

Industry Verticals

["Optical Communications (ferrules, sleeves)","Electronics (yarn guides, electronic parts)","Medical Devices (orthodontic parts)","Watch Manufacturing (precision components, weights)","Industrial Machinery","Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing","Aerospace (tungsten components)","Automotive (printer parts, precision components)"]

Competitors

BASF (Catamold); INMATEC Technologies GmbH; Nanoe (Zetamix)

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

36+ years operational history with stable production; recent expansion into 3D printing materials market via UltiMaker partnership (June 2025); active participation in industry events (Formnext Forum Tokyo 2024); joint research collaborations with Kindai University

Major Milestones

["Company founded as 100% subsidiary of DKS Co. Ltd. (October 1988)","US Patent US5278250A filed for organic binder preparation process (1991)","Joint research with Kindai University, Shimadzu, and S-Lab for MEX 3D printer development (2021-2022)","Participated in Formnext Forum Tokyo 2024","CeraFila SUS316L added to UltiMaker Marketplace (June 2025)","Scheduled exhibition at TCT Japan 2026"]

Notable Customers

Optical communication equipment manufacturers; Medical device companies; Watch manufacturers; Electronics manufacturers; UltiMaker (strategic partnership)

https://www.dai-ichi-ceramo.co.jp

Why this company matters

Dai-ichi Ceramo occupies a narrow but defensible niche: it applies 36-plus years of proprietary binder and mixing technology from parent company DKS Group to produce high-precision powder injection molding (PIM) feedstocks and, more recently, materials for material extrusion (MEX) additive manufacturing. The company's core competence lies in achieving ±0.5% dimensional accuracy and ≥95% relative density in sintered parts, a quality standard that positions it between commodity feedstock suppliers and custom compounders.

The product line includes ceramic and metal PIM feedstocks (CIM and MIM), pellet-shaped feedstocks for MEX 3D printers, and the CeraFila brand of filaments in SUS316L stainless steel and zirconia ceramic. These materials are designed to drop into existing MEX workflows, allowing users to produce complex geometries with internal lattice structures that reduce weight without sacrificing mechanical strength. The company also offers custom small-batch feedstock development and contract manufacturing for specialized applications.

Customers span optical communications (ferrules, sleeves), electronics, medical devices (orthodontic parts), watchmaking, industrial machinery, and aerospace (tungsten components). A strategic partnership with UltiMaker added CeraFila SUS316L to the UltiMaker Marketplace in June 2025, giving the filament distribution through one of the largest desktop 3D printing ecosystems. Joint research with Kindai University, Shimadzu, and S-Lab has focused on MEX 3D printer development, and the company participates in events such as Formnext Forum Tokyo and TCT Japan.

Dai-ichi Ceramo's main competitive risk is that larger chemical players such as BASF (Catamold) and Nanoe (Zetamix) also target the intersection of PIM and AM. The company's counterweight is its deep binder chemistry know-how, its ability to develop custom alloys in small batches, and its long-standing relationships with Japanese precision manufacturers. Whether it can scale beyond its domestic base and the desktop MEX segment remains an open question.