TOKYO(February 28, 2002)--NITEC Corporation (Head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Sukeyoshi Watanabe; a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nissho Iwai) will commence sales of pinhole detectors developed and manufactured by Joven Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Head office: Toyonaka-shi, Osaka; President: Masahide Ozawa).

Conventional pinhole inspection employs a detection method which uses conducting electricity to determine whether pinholes are present, which results in destruction of the inspection subject through such errors as making the pinholes larger. On the other hand, Joven detectors have adopted a new method unique to Joven (*1), which enables simultaneous inspection of both sides of a package without destroying the inspection subject. (patent granted *2) 

The pinhole detectors, with which pinhole detection of packages is conducted with the new method, enables detection in 'wet' and 'thin' subjects, which have been difficult to measure conventionally. Utilization of such pinhole detectors is being considered in various fields such as food, beverages, medicine and sundries. In the food and medical industries especially, where sealed packaging is widely used, there have been no established pinhole detection methods. As can be understood from the introduction of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) - a comprehensive safety control system for production processes, an ISO9000 series (International Organization for Standardization) that assures quality, and prevention of MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus/hospital infection), full inspections are becoming critical for reliability and quality improvement. For this reason, there are great hopes for the utilization of Joven pinhole detectors. 

NITEC CORP. forecasts that 70% of its entire sales will be new demand and 30% will be demand from switching from conventional detectors. As a distributing agent, NITEC CORP. expects that sales will be approximately 500 million yen (50 units) for the first fiscal year, and that for the second year onward will be 1 billion yen (100 units) after commencing export to the U.S. and European countries in which patents have been obtained. 

(*1) 
The detector uses charged alternate and direct currents on the surface of the inspection subject, and inspects with the use of a sensor (electrode). Pinholes are detected when the sensor detects minute electrical currents that flow through the pinhole. 

(*2) 
The basic and device patents for this pinhole detection method have been applied for or obtained in Japan, U.S., Europe, Canada, Australia, China, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.