リカザイ Company Profile

Towards the creation of the future.

In 1947, Rikazai focused on foil, which held infinite possibilities as a metal material, and started a rolling business to commercialize it. Our metal foil has been used as spacers for magnetic heads in tape recorders, as well as in various applications such as electrical resistance films, burst membranes, and speaker diaphragms, responding to the diverse needs of the industry. Currently, we are capable of producing high-quality foil with a thickness of up to 0.3μm (3 micrometers). The meticulous finishing of each metal foil through precision ultra-thin rolling can be described as a delicate "artisan's skill," treating metal as if it were a living entity. So, how can such ultra-thin foil be produced? Kanazawa gold leaf is made by repeatedly hammering it until it is spread thin and wide, much like rolling out pie dough. While it does become quite thin, it is not uniform overall and is primarily used for decorative purposes, such as being applied to Buddhist statues. In contrast, the typical precision rolling method for metals involves passing the material between upper and lower rolling rolls, where the pressure from the rolls stretches it. This process can be done cold or hot, and various techniques are required depending on the type and amount of metal and the scale of rolling, making it a world of "skills" backed by years of experience and expertise.