The Brief

Hyperlast, the UK manufacturer of specilaist automotive suspension components, identified Japan as an important strategic market, but needed an immediate presence on the ground to liaise with customers and drive commercial discussions at a local level.

Hyperlast asked Intralink to provide a turnkey Japan office and sales team with the objective of understanding the opportunity, identifying potential customers, and securing license agreements.

The Approach

Intralink engaged the leading suppliers of rubber and polymer suspension components in Japan while at the same time creating “pull” for the Hyperlast's technology by talking to key influencers inside the Japanese automotive OEMs.

The Result

Hyperlast successfully concluded an agreement to sell finished components to one of the three potential tier-1 licensees, and later secured a license and supply agreement under which the Japanese company adopted Hyperlast's advanced manufacturing system and purchased its unique microcellular polyurethane material.

The Brief

Ceramex provides efficient and environmentally-responsible cleaning service for the particulate filters on diesel trucks and buses (DPFs). The company had identified Japan as a large and growing market and appointed Intralink to investigate the opportunity and recommend a go-to-market strategy.

The Approach

We researched the market by reaching out to the manufacturers of heavy-duty diesel vehicles, the independent providers of vehicle repair and maintenance services, and the suppliers of “remanufactured” parts, including DPFs. In the context of the commercial and regulatory landscapes, we concluded that the opportunity was significant and that Ceramex should partner with a local company that already supplies parts into the operators of truck and bus fleets.

The Outcome

After reducing a list of over 40 potential partners to a short-list of just two companies, we accompanied the senior management of both companies on separate visits to Ceramex’s facility in the UK. Following reciprocal visits by Ceramex to Japan, we worked with our client to conclude a joint venture agreement with the favoured candidate. The JV company is now established and building a local facility to offer its DPF cleaning services to Japanese OEMs and fleet operators.