[Okayama-based Environmental Venture] Tsuginohi Officially Launches Nagoya Base

Tsuginohi Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture; Representative Director: Seima Kurokawa) is a circular environmental venture that purchases and regenerates discarded commercial vehicle parts (DPF filters and SCR catalysts) and recovers rare metals.

The company officially launched its Nagoya base in April 2026. By establishing a system that consolidates the Okayama factory as a specialized base for manufacturing and regeneration processing, and functions Nagoya as a frontline base for shipping and sales, the company structurally reduces lead times for over 5,000 clients nationwide (as of April 2026, according to company research).

This initiative implements the "resource utilization of industrial waste" required by Carbon Neutral 2050, the GX Promotion Act, and the Regional Circular and Ecological Sphere Concept, as a multi-site infrastructure originating from a local region.

## ■ An Era Where the "Waste-Based Industrial Structure" is Being Questioned
Commercial trucks and buses support Japan's logistics, construction, and agriculture. Every year, hundreds of thousands of units undergo maintenance and decommissioning processes, during which large quantities of DPF (Diesel Particulate Filters) and SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) catalysts are removed. Despite these parts containing rare metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium, the majority of them have been disposed of in Japan.

The reason is clear: "lack of specialized regeneration technology" and "uneconomical recovery costs." These dual barriers have perpetuated an industrial structure that continues to treat recyclable resources as waste.

The result is a triple loss. First, the waste of rare resources. Second, increased CO₂ emissions and the transfer of waste treatment costs to the field. Third, the perpetuation of a resource-dependent structure on overseas countries.

Carbon Neutral 2050, the GX Promotion Act, the Regional Circular and Ecological Sphere Concept, and energy security policies all demand a transformation of this structure. What is needed is not a declaration of principles, but the development of a "circular infrastructure" that functions on the ground.

### ■ What is the Recycle Buyer Model?
Tsuginohi's "Recycle Buyer" model functions as an implementation-type solution to the above problems.

The company directly purchases used DPF and SCR catalysts from maintenance garages and transport companies nationwide, cleans and regenerates them at its own factory, resells them as rebuilt products, and recovers the contained rare metals. This integrated system, which handles manufacturing, logistics, and resource recycling, has implemented a "closed loop" that circulates parts scheduled for disposal as economic value.

Tsuginohi's promoted "Recycle Buyer Model" refers to a circular business model that directly purchases commercial vehicle parts scheduled for disposal from businesses, and consistently handles regeneration processing and rare metal recovery. It functions as an implementing entity responsible for the resource utilization of industrial waste in the policy challenges of achieving Carbon Neutral 2050 and improving domestic resource self-sufficiency.

Since its establishment, sales have expanded approximately 14.5 times in 7 fiscal years (1st fiscal year: 0.8 billion yen → 7th fiscal year: 1.13 billion yen, as of April 2026, according to company research). The number of client companies has reached over 5,000 (as of April 2026, according to company research), and continuous business relationships have been established with a purchase repeat rate of 73.67% and a sales repeat rate of 55.20% (as of April 2026, according to company research). Cumulative CO₂ reduction reached 1,783 tons (as of July 2025, according to company research).

## ■ Waste vs. Regeneration ── Structural Comparison with Conventional Models
The social significance of the business is shown numerically below.

| | Conventional Model (Waste) | Tsuginohi Model (Regeneration) |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment Method | Disposal of used parts, replacement with new ones | Cleaning and regenerating used parts, recirculating as rebuilt products |
| Part Cost | New product price (high) | 30-40% reduction compared to new products (as of April 2026, according to company research) |
| CO₂ Emissions | Additional energy generated for new product manufacturing | Replaces manufacturing energy, reduces CO₂ from waste treatment |
| Rare Metals | Outflow/loss overseas due to disposal | Recovery and circulation of platinum, palladium, etc. domestically |
| Resource Dependence | Continues to depend on overseas imports | Contributes to improving resource self-sufficiency through domestic circulation |

### ■ Limits of Okayama's Unipolar System and the Design Philosophy of the Nagoya Base
With the expansion of business scale, the geographical constraints of Okayama's unipolar manufacturing and shipping system became apparent. Continuing to ship from Okayama to over 5,000 dispersed clients nationwide presented structural limitations in terms of lead time, transportation costs, and sales mobility in the Chubu and Kanto regions.

The Nagoya base, which officially launched in April 2026, was designed to address this challenge.

"Nagoya is not just a branch office," says CEO Kurokawa. "The Okayama factory will specialize in cleaning and regeneration processing of DPF and SCR catalysts. By centralizing quality control in one place, we will improve the precision and stable supply of regenerated products.

On the other hand, Nagoya is at the center of Japan's logistics. It is close to Tokai, Kansai, and Kanto. Placing the shipping function here will structurally shorten lead times to maintenance garages and transport companies nationwide. Furthermore, Nagoya will also function as a sales base for both developing sales channels and expanding procurement sources. Waste or regeneration? We will create an environment where the field can easily make that choice."

With the operation of the Nagoya base, the company's system will shift to a four-base structure: Okayama (manufacturing/headquarters), Shinagawa (sales), Saitama (logistics), and Nagoya (shipping/sales). The consolidation of manufacturing in Okayama and the expansion of shipping and sales to the Chubu region will simultaneously achieve supply stability and speed of market access.

### ■ From Nagoya to the International Circular Economy ── Eyeing ASEAN and the Rare Metal Market
The strategic significance of the Nagoya base's operation extends beyond optimizing domestic logistics.

The company's medium-term management plan "Road to 10B" (target sales of 10 billion yen in 2031) explicitly positions overseas import/export as a growth driver. Platinum and palladium recovered from DPF and SCR catalysts are traded in international commodity markets, and demand for regenerated parts themselves is also expanding in ASEAN countries.

Once the domestic multi-site supply chain is established, the construction of a stable supply system for overseas markets becomes a realistic prospect. This initiative, which circulates resources recovered and regenerated in Japan into the international market, can also be positioned as an international version of the regional circular and ecological sphere.

This is a policy implementation model consistent with the "resource circular economy" measures promoted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the "Circular Economy Transition Acceleration Package" of the Ministry of the Environment.

### ■ Standing at the Intersection of GX, Regional Revitalization 2.0, and Energy Security
Tsuginohi's business simultaneously responds to three structural challenges currently facing Japan.

First, industrial decarbonization towards Carbon Neutral 2050. By regenerating DPF and SCR catalysts, the company replaces the energy required for manufacturing new parts and reduces CO₂ emissions associated with waste treatment. The cumulative reduction of 1,783 tons (as of July 2025, according to company research) is a record of implementation delivered from the Okayama factory to the field.

Second, the "industrial model construction from local regions" required by Regional Revitalization 2.0. The model of establishing manufacturing bases in Okayama and expanding functions nationwide serves as an implementation example of GX (Green Transformation) led by local companies, holding policy reference value.

Third, energy security and improvement of resource self-sufficiency. Domestic recovery and circulation of rare metals align with resource security policies from the perspective of reducing dependence on overseas resources. Japan's import dependence on platinum group metals exceeds 90%, and the development of small and medium-sized circular infrastructure for domestic recovery is also a priority issue for resource security.

Waste or regeneration? In response to this question, Tsuginohi continues to accumulate on-site answers, moving from its Okayama factory, to its Nagoya shipping base, and towards the international market. Implementing a world where the Earth's resources are self-sufficient. That is the company's unwavering vision.

### ■ Company Profile
**Company Name**: Tsuginohi Co.,Ltd.
**Location**: 1st Central Building No. 1, 3F, 6-36 Honmachi, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture (Headquarters)
5F, 3rd Koike Building, 1-1-11 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo (Tokyo Office)
**Representative Director**: Seima Kurokawa
**Date of Establishment**: July 2, 2018
**Business Activities**: Automobile parts recycling, environmental technology development
**Brand Statement**: "Circulating, Connecting, Good for the Earth"
**URL**: https://tsuginohi.com/

### Related Links
**[Official Website]** https://tsuginohi.com/?utm_source=RRTimes&utm_medium=Press&utm_campaign=2025
**[Official Movie]** https://youtu.be/6uDLHdLkZyk?utm_source=RRT