TOKYO/OSAKA -- After a spell in the doldrums, Japan's mold-making industry has rallied in recent years. Increasingly popular electric vehicles do away with the engines that are many mold-makers' bread and butter. But some manufacturers are honing their techniques to make products for battery-powered cars.
KTX, in central Japan's Aichi Prefecture, has won fans among automakers. "Customers' views on our technology have changed significantly," said Taichi Noda, the company's president and CEO. Its sales have jumped 20% over the past three years, thanks to its porous electroformed molds.
