Mitsuishi High-Ceram Launches Small-Scale Carbonization Test Service with New Superheated Steam Biochar Plant

Mitsuishi High-Ceram Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture; President: Saori Maki) will install a small superheated steam carbonization test plant in June 2026 and begin offering a carbonization test service.

The installation of this test plant makes small-scale carbonization testing possible. Furthermore, by enabling testing with superheated steam, it allows verification of the manufacturing potential for semi-carbonized and functional biochar, moving beyond merely focusing on applications for highly carbonized materials.

Under the philosophy of "creating one good system," our company has been manufacturing and selling superheated steam carbonization equipment. In September 2025, we opened the "Biochar Circulation LAB" to help more people understand the diverse applications of biochar. We are working to revitalize the entire market by widely disseminating useful information related to biochar.

We believe that this new small carbonization test plant will lower the hurdles for implementing carbonization while simultaneously expanding the possibilities for the effective utilization of biochar.

Biochar Circulation LAB: https://biochar-lab.com/

Rising Attention to Biochar and New Possibilities Unlocked by Adjusting Carbonization Levels

As a highly effective measure against climate change toward realizing a decarbonized society, attention to biochar is rapidly increasing.

Generally, it is often recognized as fully carbonized "biochar" intended for agricultural soil application. However, the potential applications of biochar are not limited to that. By precisely adjusting conditions such as temperature and time during the carbonization process and controlling the residual components, it is possible to create carbonized materials with diverse functions tailored to specific purposes.

Our company has focused strongly on these "new possibilities of biomass materials expanded by adjusting carbonization conditions." At the information dissemination platform "Biochar Circulation LAB" established in September 2025, we are taking on the role of broadcasting the value and use cases of diverse biochar that are not bound by complete carbonization, thereby creating new cycles together with everyone.

Superheated Steam Carbonization: An Effective Method for Discovering Biochar's Potential

To unlock new possibilities for biochar through the adjustment of various conditions, "superheated steam" carbonization technology is a highly effective method.

Carbonization itself refers to the process of thermally decomposing non-carbon components contained in a material through high-temperature heating. Therefore, depending on the temperature and time settings applied to the material, the range of components to be removed can be freely controlled. Moreover, the optimal conditions for evaporating moisture vary depending on the target properties of the final carbonized product (such as carbonization degree and porosity). However, with conventional methods using combustion heat as the heat source, such precise condition adjustments were difficult. As a result, the production of "biochar" with extreme carbonization degrees has traditionally been the mainstream.

In contrast, the greatest strength of our superheated steam carbonization lies in its ability to freely control variables such as temperature and processing time. In addition, it possesses the advantage of eliminating the pre-drying process that is often required in conventional carbonization furnaces. In other words, by flexibly optimizing the condition settings, the latent potential of the material can be drawn out from multiple angles.

June 2026: New Small Batch Test Plant Established. Offering Small-Scale Carbonization Tests

Until now, our company has proposed tests using a continuous superheated steam carbonization test plant.

While the continuous type has the advantage of reproducing the operational image and behavior after installation with high accuracy, the fact that a substantial amount of sample material is required to conduct the test has been a challenge during the initial consideration stages.

Currently, as efforts toward decarbonization accelerate, we have received earnest requests from many businesses saying, "We want to verify the possibility of carbonization with a small sample first." To respond to these needs and further strengthen the movement connecting the effective use of biochar to social implementation, we have newly installed a small batch-type superheated steam test plant on the premises of our existing test plant. The operation of this plant enables small-scale carbonization testing, which was previously difficult to accommodate.

Specifically, carbonization testing is now possible starting from a minimum sample size of 5kg. (As this varies depending on the properties of the material to be carbonized, please consult with us on a case-by-case basis.)

Exhibiting "Biochar Circulation LAB" at Environmental Exhibition 2026

Our company will be exhibiting at the "2026 NEW Environmental Exhibition / 2026 Global Warming Prevention Exhibition" held at Tokyo Big Sight from May 20 to May 22, 2026.