Nichirin Tennessee and CADDi Inc. Turn 24 Years of Engineering Data into Manufacturing Intelligence, Reducing Reliance on Tribal Knowledge

New case study reveals how long-time manufacturer Nichirin Tennessee reduced reliance on individual knowledge to improve quoting speed and cross-functional decision making

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CADDi Inc., the global developer of a manufacturing-exclusive AI data platform, announced today that Nichirin Tennessee Inc. has implemented CADDi Drawer to modernize its operations and reduce reliance on individual expertise. Established in April 2002, Nichirin Tennessee is the U.S.-based manufacturer of brake and power steering hoses for use in passenger cars and motorcycles and one of the U.S. subsidiaries of Nichirin Co., Ltd., a century-long leader in automotive hoses for global OEMs. Nichirin Tennessee strategically deployed the platform to build a more transparent, accessible, and self-reliant organization under real operating conditions.

Manufacturers historically rely on individual experience to access drawings, BOMs, and historical data. This approach slows onboarding, delays decision-making, and limits how quickly teams can respond to customer demand. The new case study delves into how Nichirin Tennessee Inc. addressed this constraint by centralizing access to engineering and commercial data with CADDi, enabling faster execution across teams.

Reducing dependency on individual knowledge and manual data retrieval

Historically, accessing drawings, BOMs, and historical data required exact part numbers and a heavy reliance on the "tribal knowledge" of senior Japanese expatriate staff. This concentration of expertise created significant information silos that slowed down onboarding and daily operations for the entire team. In the past, new employees frequently relied on managers to identify relevant data, an approach that was time-consuming for both trainers and trainees.

Centralizing access to engineering and commercial data across systems

By adopting CADDi as an integration layer, Nichirin has successfully democratized its organizational knowledge. By linking drawings, BOM data, quotations, and control cards, the company is ensuring that every department can use CADDi as their single source of truth across disconnected systems.

“Our goal wasn’t just to implement new software—it was to eliminate barriers and operate as one unified team. CADDi is a tool, but the real success comes from our team’s commitment to make knowledge accessible and use it to optimize our workflow,” said Takehiro Ishimoto, Sales Manager at Nichirin Tennessee.

Today, any team member can instantly retrieve drawings, BOM data, and necessary historical information using keywords or similarity search, without relying on drawing numbers or individual experience. Information that was once concentrated among a few veteran engineers is now broadly accessible across departments, supporting cross-functional execution across engineering, procurement, sales, and operations.

Improving quoting speed and enabling independent execution across teams

This structured engineering knowledge has significantly reduced the time required to search for information, directly improving quoting turnaround and allowing a focus on higher-value tasks. Furthermore, the project is fostering a cultural shift toward empowerment where employees are encouraged to first search within CADDi, think independently, and take ownership of their work before relying on supervisors.

Nathan Yifrach, a member of the sales staff, experienced this firsthand: “I was able to start working smoothly from day one. Even without prior knowledge or detailed instructions, the system was intuitive enough to search and navigate on my own”. By turning individual expertise into scalable knowledge reuse and a shared organizational strength, Nichirin is ensuring that every department can leverage expert insight.

The case study, “Democratizing knowledge to empower independence with Nichirin Tennessee” explores how CADDi Inc. and Nichirin Tennessee democratized decades of information, enabling independent work and turning individual expertise into a shared organizational asset. Building on this success, Nichirin is now expanding the initiative to Nichirin Flex USA, spanning manufacturing facilities in El Paso, Texas, as well as Juarez, Chihuahua in Mexico.

About CADDi

CADDi is an AI-powered data platform that makes design and supply chain data accessible and actionable for manufacturing teams. Headquartered in Tokyo and Chicago, the company was founded in 2017 by industry veterans Yushiro Kato and Aki Kobashi, formerly of McKinsey and Apple. Its flagship product, CADDi Drawer, uses advanced AI to centralize and analyze unstructured design and production data, helping manufacturers improve efficiency, reduce redundancies, and unlock innovation. Recognized globally for innovation, CADDi was listed in Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and won the SaaS Award for Best Business Intelligence and Engineering Management Software. To learn more, visit us.caddi.com.