Koa Kogyo

What Koa Kogyo does

Koa Kogyo Co., Ltd. (興亜工業株式会社) is a privately held Japanese paper manufacturer founded in May 1941 and headquartered in Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The company operates a single-site integrated mill with four paper machines — three producing corrugated base paper (medium and liner) and one producing writing paper (zaragami) — with a combined annual nameplate capacity of approximately 580,000 tons. Approximately 100% of raw material input is recycled paper sourced from domestic waste streams, and the company runs a closed-loop recycling system that converts incineration ash to cement and steel raw materials and reuses process heat for paper drying and self-generation supplying ~40% of factory electricity. Proprietary technology includes high-concentration beating that raises fiber concentration from 5% to 30% via dewatering concentrators, and an ISO/IEC 27001-certified confidential document dissolution service that integrates document security destruction into the paper production feedstock.

The business model is B2B and primarily transactional, with revenue generated from one-time sales of medium paper, liner paper, zaragami (over 20 varieties for manga and commercial printing), e-KOA private brand paper towels and cushioning materials, and fee-based confidential document dissolution services. Customers span corrugated box manufacturers, printers and publishers, paper product converters, and government/financial/enterprise clients requiring secure document destruction. Distribution combines direct sales through Tokyo and Nagoya sales offices, a nationwide Marubeni Corporation channel partnership established in 1970 with capital participation from 1971, and a proprietary logistics fleet that performs reverse collection of waste paper on delivery routes. The company holds ISO 14001 (1998), ISO 27001 (2009), and FSC Chain of Custody (FSC-C129512, 2016) certifications, operates four wholly-owned subsidiaries (Koa Ryutsu, Koa Processing, Koa Shizai, Sara Factory), and employs approximately 270 people as of April 2026 across an ~190,000 m² factory footprint.

Name

Koa Kogyo

Legal name

興亜工業株式会社 (KOA KOGYO CO., LTD.)

Website

https://koa-kogyo.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Koa Kogyo is a Japanese recycled paper manufacturer producing ~580,000 tons annually of corrugated base paper, writing paper, and eco-friendly paper products. Founded 1941 in Shizuoka, it serves packaging manufacturers, publishers, and government institutions via direct sales and Marubeni Corporation distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Paper Manufacturing

NAICS

Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills (3221), Paper Mills (322120), Sanitary Paper Product Manufacturing (322291)

SIC

Paper Mills (2621), Paperboard Mills (2631), Papers & Allied Products (2600)

akta.pro primary industry

Recycled Paperboard & Containerboard (IMAMAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Recycled Printing/Writing & Specialty Paper Manufacturing (IMAMAEAH), Specialty Household Paper (Recycled, Bamboo, Premium/Ultra-soft) (CRAJAFAJ), Recovered Paper Collection & Sorting (OCC, ONP, Mixed Paper) (IMAMAKAA), Recycled Paper Converting & Finishing (Cut/Size, Coating, Laminating) (IMAMAKAL)

Keywords

• Recycled paper manufacturing
• Corrugated base paper
• Writing paper production
• Confidential document dissolution
• Paper recycling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fuji

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Corrugated cardboard base paper sales: Sale of medium paper (中芯原紙) and liner paper (ライナ) for corrugated cardboard packaging. Raw material is approximately 100% recycled paper. Includes general medium, reinforced medium, and water-resistant medium variants.
2. Writing paper (更紙/ざらがみ) sales: Sale of zaragami writing paper used mainly for manga magazines, commercial printing. Company stocks 20+ varieties. Includes rough and glossy variants.
3. e-KOA brand paper towel and cushioning material sales: Sale of recycled paper-based private brand products including paper towels and cushioning materials under e-KOA brand. Growing demand due to environmental benefits over plastic alternatives.
4. Confidential document dissolution service: Fee-based service for secure destruction and recycling of confidential documents from government agencies, financial institutions and enterprises. Documents are dissolved and recycled into paper products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Koa Kogyo manufactures and sells recycled-content paper products — cardboard base paper (kraft liner and corrugated medium), writing paper (zaragami), and e-KOA branded items such as kitchen towels and cushioning materials — primarily to Japanese corrugated box makers, printers, and converters. It also provides a confidential document dissolution service that combines on-site secure shredding/transport with paper recycling, enabling customers to outsource compliance-grade document destruction.

Product overview

Koa Kogyo is a leading Japanese paper recycling manufacturer producing cardboard base paper (liner and core paper), rough paper for manga magazines and printing, and e-KOA brand paper towel and cushioning materials. Nearly 100% of raw materials come from recycled paper. The company also operates a confidential document dissolution service certified under ISO 27001, and operates a closed-loop recycling system that converts waste materials into usable resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• e-KOA (エコア): Private brand paper towel and cushioning material products made from recycled paper.

Products and services

• Cardboard base paper (kraft liner and corrugated medium) Kraft liner and corrugated medium grades used as the base paper for manufacturing corrugated boxes and shipping containers; sold to corrugated converters and sheet plants, primarily in Japan.
• Writing paper (zaragami) Recycled-content writing paper produced using approximately 100% recycled pulp, sold to commercial printers, publishers, and converters in Japan.
• e-KOA branded paper products Finished consumer and industrial paper goods sold under the e-KOA brand, including kitchen towels and paper cushioning/buffer materials made from recycled paper by Koa Kogyo.
• Confidential document dissolution service Secure shredding and dissolution of confidential paper records handled under ISO 27001 information security controls, with the destroyed material then recycled back into Koa Kogyo's paper manufacturing process; sold to enterprises and government agencies requiring compliance-grade records destruction.

Quantifiable outcome

• Annual production capacity approximately 580,000 tons of recycled paper products
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Fuji City — National Factory Night View Summit in Fuji (全国工場夜景サミット in 富士)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 April 2026Sponsorship of the National Factory Night View Summit in Fuji, scheduled for November 14, 2026. Event includes KOA's factory and 116.5m tall chimney as a landmark. Pre-event chimney light-up was held December 2025.
• Japanese Government — Partnership Building Declaration PortalminorOthers · 4 September 2025Registered with the Cabinet Office / Small and Medium Enterprise Agency's Partnership Building Declaration initiative, committing to co-prosperity across the supply chain and fair business practices.
• Fancl Corporation (株式会社ファンケル)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023Circular economy partnership: Fancl collects used cardboard from its logistics center, KOA processes it into 100% recycled liner paper, which Fancl uses for shopping bags distributed at directly managed stores and via mail-order. Launched April 1, 2023.
• Shimizu Esparzas (清水エスパルス)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 January 2023J-League club partner agreement signed January 2023. KOA logo appears on stadium LED vision and entrances during home games. Also received placement on Shimizu Esparzas staff uniforms. Supports local professional sports development as part of regional contribution strategy.
• Marubeni Corporation (丸紅株式会社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1970General sales agency contract signed in 1970 (Showa 45) with Marubeni Corporation. Capital participation by Marubeni followed in 1971. Marubeni's nationwide sales network serves as a major distribution channel for KOA products.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Koa Kogyo