TOKYO - The steel industry has long supported the backbone of global industry and economic growth, but at the same time it accounts for more than 10 percent of worldwide CO2 emissions, making decarbonization an urgent challenge.
Taking aim at that problem is Kazuhiko Nishioka, CEO of Sun Metalon. The company has developed a proprietary heating technology that uses electromagnetic waves to recycle what it calls “metal waste.” The compact furnace can regenerate even high-value and rare metals using relatively little electricity, a breakthrough that could significantly reduce energy consumption in metal processing.
Nishioka is now expanding the business beyond the steel sector, working to integrate the technology directly into manufacturing production lines. The approach could transform how metals are reused across industries, with the potential to trigger a broader industrial revolution.
Major manufacturers are already paying close attention to the technology, which has helped push the startup’s valuation to 1.5 trillion yen. Nishioka, however, dismisses the “decacorn” label as merely a stepping stone.
Source: テレ東BIZ
