January 17, 2025
DOWA HOLDINGS CO., LTD.

 

DOWA ECO-SYSTEM CO., LTD. (14-1 Sotokanda 4-Chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Capital: 1 billion yen; President: YANAI Yasuharu; hereinafter "DOWA ECO-SYSTEM"), a subsidiary of DOWA HOLDINGS CO., LTD. (same location; Capital: 36.4 billion yen; President: SEKIGUCHI Akira), has decided to construct the Kumamoto New Plant (hereinafter "the new plant") of ECO-SYSTEM RECYCLING CO., LTD. (1781 Nitte, Honjo, Saitama; Capital: 300 million yen; President: ESHIMA Koichiro; hereinafter "ECO-SYSTEM RECYCLING") in Uki City, Kumamoto Prefecture. 

The new plant will be constructed within the building of the Kumamoto Plant of Act-B Recycling Co., Ltd. (278-6 Shiohama-cho, Minamata, Kumamoto; Capital: 200 million yen; Representative Director: TSUCHIDA Ikari; hereinafter "Act-B") that is being built on the site of the Kumamoto Plant of DOWA ECO-SYSTEM. The aim is to address the growing need for recycling by operating the precious metal recycling business mainly for semiconductor manufacturers, which are expected to concentrate in the Kyushu region. Prior to the commencement of work for the new plant, DOWA ECO-SYSTEM signed a company location agreement with the Uki City in the presence of Kumamoto Prefecture on January 16, 2025.

DOWA's Environmental management & Recycling facilities in the Kyushu region
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DOWA's Environmental management & Recycling facilities in the Kyushu region

Precious metals are indispensable materials for a number of industries because of its excellent physical and chemical properties, such as high corrosion resistance and electric conductivity. However, natural resources containing precious metals face issues of depletion and maldistribution, and recycling is becoming increasingly important for a stable supply. In the semiconductor industry, precious metals are widely used in final products, and recycling is required for waste products and plating waste liquids generated in the manufacturing process.
Having three plants (East Japan Plant in Honjo City of Saitama, West Japan Plant in Okayama City of Okayama, and North Japan Plant in Kosaka Town of Akita) in Japan, ECO-SYSTEM RECYCLING recycles precious metal, rare metal, and base metal derived from the recycled raw materials such as electronic components. With the new plant as its fourth domestic facility, the company will bolster its recycling network in Japan to become more capable of meeting the growing need for recycling in the Kyushu region. Moreover, the new plant will be able to handle a wide variety of recycled raw materials through a combination with processes performed at the Kumamoto Plant of Act-B sharing the building, such as crushing, sorting, plastic pellet molding, and RPF (solid fuel) manufacturing. Both the new plant and the Kumamoto Plant of Act-B are scheduled to start operation around July 2025.

 

The DOWA Group fully launched its Environmental management and Recycling business in the Kyushu region in 2006, and has been expanding the business through increasing the added value of nonferrous metals and plastics and conducting RPF manufacturing, among other initiatives. The DOWA Group will continue to expand the businesses of ECO-SYSTEM RECYCLING and Act-B at the Kumamoto Plant of DOWA ECO-SYSTEM and consider future new business development such as the recycling of Lithium-Ion Batteries and solar panels, which are expected to be discarded in large quantities in the future, to enhance the Environmental management and Recycling business in the Kyushu region.

 

The DOWA Group will continue contributing to building a sustainable world by strengthening its Environmental management and Recycling business in Japan and overseas.


[Overview of the new plant]
1. Location: Hagio, Matsubasemachi, Uki, Kumamoto (within the Kumamoto Plant of DOWA ECO-SYSTEM)
2. Building area: Approx. 500 m2
3. Construction start date: March 2025 
4. Start of operation: July 2025 (planned) 
5. Investment amount: Approx. 300 million yen 
6. Number of newly employed: Approx. 5 (at the start of operation) 

The building where the new plant is constructed (conceptual drawing)
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The building where the new plant is constructed (conceptual drawing)

[Overview of DOWA ECO-SYSTEM CO., LTD.]
1. Head office: 14-1 Sotokanda 4-Chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
2. Founded: October 2006
3. Capital: 1 billion yen 
4. Representative: YANAI Yasuharu  
5. Number of employees: Approx. 2,700 (DOWA ECO-SYSTEM consolidated, as of end of December 2024) 
6. Shareholder: DOWA HOLDINGS CO., LTD. 100%
7. Business: Environment and Recycling business (Resource recycling, Waste treatment, Soil remediation, Logistics, Consulting)

 

[Overview of ECO-SYSTEM RECYCLING CO., LTD.]
1. Head office: 1781-3, Nitte, Honjo, Saitama
2. Founded: April 1989
3. Capital: 300 million yen 
4. Representative: ESHIMA Koichiro  
5. Number of employees: Approx. 100 (as of end of December 2024) 
6. Shareholders: DOWA HOLDINGS CO., LTD. 92%, DOWA HIGHTECH CO., LTD. 8%
7. Business: Precious metal recycling, Jig cleaning, Manufacturing of precious metal plating chemicals

 

[Past press releases related to this release]
 DOWA ECO-SYSTEM Launches Recycling Business Base in Uki, Kumamoto Prefecture
– Strengthening Environmental Management & Recycling in Kyushu Region –

Contact for inquiries

 DOWA HOLDINGS CO., LTD.

 https://hd.dowa.co.jp/en/contact/contact1.html