IWAMOTO METAL

What IWAMOTO METAL does

IWAMOTO METAL (巖本金属株式会社) is a privately held Japanese metal recycling company headquartered in Kyoto and operating since 1957. Its core business is the collection, sorting, processing, and resale of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal — primarily into Japan’s blast furnace steelmakers, with JFE, Nippon Steel, Sumitomo Metal, and Kobe Steel named as counterparties. The firm runs approximately 13 processing facilities across the Kansai, Hokuriku, and Chubu regions and operates an owned fleet of roughly 190 vehicles (including 80 trailers), giving it direct control over inbound collection and outbound delivery. Stated monthly processing capacity is approximately 90,000 tons.

The company operates three reportable segments. The Metal Recycling segment is the revenue core, anchored by an Eco Center for mixed-metal separation and ongoing R&D into zero-emission processing. IK WASTE provides industrial-waste collection and disposal services (subsidiary formally renamed in 2019), and IK Entertainment is a film production arm whose most prominent credit is co-production of "Parasite," winner of four Academy Awards in 2020. The group is ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certified, holds certified weighing systems, and has invested in social and green bond instruments (JASSO Social Bond, Kyoto City Green Bond). Revenue mechanics are spread-driven: the firm purchases scrap from a fragmented upstream base (manufacturing, demolition, automotive, construction) and sells processed scrap to a concentrated downstream base of Japanese blast furnace operators, earning margin on the spread between buy and sell prices plus processing fees.

Strategically, IWAMOTO METAL is extending its footprint beyond its traditional Kansai/Chubu base via a Tokyo Sales Office (2020), broadening into the circular-construction vertical through a partnership with Takenaka Corporation (2023), and positioning itself within Japan’s sustainable-finance and regulatory-compliance frameworks (Metal Theft Prevention Law readiness by 2026, ESG bond participation 2025–2026). The firm shows no disclosed AI/ML or proprietary technology initiatives; competitive differentiation rests on physical asset density, multi-decade buyer relationships, and vertical integration of logistics rather than software or data assets.

Name

IWAMOTO METAL

Legal name

巖本金属株式会社

Website

https://iwamotokinzoku.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

IWAMOTO METAL is a privately held Japanese metal recycler founded in 1957 and headquartered in Kyoto, collecting and processing scrap through 13 facilities and a 190-vehicle fleet to supply blast furnace steelmakers including JFE, Nippon Steel, Sumitomo Metal, and Kobe Steel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Metal Recycling Services

SIC

Wholesale-Metals & Minerals (No Petroleum) (5050)

akta.pro primary industry

Scrap Metal Collection, Logistics & Aggregation (Yards, Roll-off, Container Programs) (IMAKAMAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Metals Recovery & Sorting Facilities (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (EUAIADAG), Metals Recycling & Processing (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (BPALADAF), Construction & Demolition (C&D) Metal Recycling (Structural Steel, Rebar, Roofing, Wire) (IMAKAMAF)

Keywords

• Metal recycling services
• Ferrous scrap processing
• Non-ferrous metal recycling
• Industrial waste processing
• Scrap metal collection

Headquarters

HQ city

Kyoto

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Metal Scrap Purchase and Resale: The company purchases ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap from customers at its factories or via field collection, processes it, and resells recycled metal materials to domestic steelmakers (高炉メーカー) and other buyers. Prices fluctuate with international commodity markets.
2. Industrial Waste Processing Services: IK Waste Co., Ltd. handles collection, transport, and intermediate processing of industrial waste (産業廃棄物). Services include waste consultation, ISO14001 environmental system support, and processing of plastic, paper, wood, glass, and metal waste streams.
3. Entertainment Production: IK Entertainment produces films and supports young artists. Revenue is generated through film production and distribution, with proceeds from the IK Anniversary Hall rented to filmmakers donated to the UN WFP Association.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IWAMOTO METAL (巖本金属株式会社) purchases ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap from manufacturing plants, construction sites, and demolition contractors through 11 factories and an Eco Center across western and central Japan, processes the material using shredder plants, scrap shears, hydraulic presses, and metal sorting lines, and resells the graded recycled metal to domestic blast furnace steelmakers. The company also operates a wholly-owned industrial waste processing subsidiary (IK WASTE) and a film production division (IK Entertainment) from its Kyoto headquarters.

Product overview

IWAMOTO METAL operates three main business segments: (1) Metal Recycling Business as the core operation handling iron and non-ferrous metal scrap collection, processing, and sales; (2) IK WASTE as an industrial waste processing subsidiary; and (3) IK ENTERTAINMENT for film production and artist cultivation. The company processes approximately 90,000 tons monthly through 13 facilities across Japan (Kyoto, Shiga, Gifu, Mie, Fukui, Osaka, Tokyo), supported by a fleet of 190 vehicles. The Iwamoto Brand represents three core strengths: Mobility (190 vehicles with management systems), Quality (ISO-certified highest-grade products), and Capacity (top domestic market share). Non-ferrous metal offerings include copper, brass, aluminum, stainless steel, and bronze in various forms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• イワモトブランド (Iwamoto Brand): Company brand emphasizing three pillars: MOBILITY (機動力 - fleet of 190 vehicles including 80 trailers), QUALITY (品質 - ISO14001 and ISO9001 certified, top-grade scrap rated by Japanese steel manufacturers), and CAPACITY (取扱能力 - monthly processing capacity of approximately 90,000 tons with leading market share in domestic self-processing scrap production).

Products and services

• Metal Recycling Business (鉄・非鉄リサイクル再生製品の販売) Core business: collection, weighing, processing (using shredders, shears, presses, and sorting lines), and resale of ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap to domestic blast furnace steelmakers including JFE, Nippon Steel, Sumitomo Metal Industries, and Kobe Steel. Customers are manufacturing plants, construction/demolition contractors, and automotive recyclers.
• IK WASTE Industrial Waste Processing Services (産業廃棄物処理事業) Wholly-owned subsidiary service: collection, transport, and intermediate processing of industrial waste including metal, wood, plastic, paper, glass, and concrete. Also provides waste management consulting, ISO14001 environmental system support, and non-ferrous metal purchasing. Target customers are factories and construction sites producing industrial waste.
• IK Entertainment Film Production (IKエンタテイメント事業)

Quantifiable outcome

• Monthly scrap processing capacity: ~90,000 tons, domestic top share
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and flagship.

• Kyoto City (京都市)supportingOthers · 20 February 2026Iwamoto Metal invested in Kyoto City's Green Bond (京都市令和7年度グリーンボンド5年公募公債) as part of its ESG investment strategy, supporting Kyoto's environmental projects.
• Japan Student Services Organization / JASSO (独立行政法人日本学生支援機構)supportingOthers · 9 September 2025Iwamoto Metal invested in JASSO's Social Bond (第80回日本学生支援債券) supporting student financial aid programs, as part of the company's SDGs-aligned ESG investment activities.
• Takenaka Komuten (株式会社竹中工事店)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 December 2023Iwamoto Metal participates in Takenaka Komuten's 'Circular Design Build' initiative alongside 4 other companies, working on optimizing iron scrap circulation cycles in construction using electric furnace steel materials. The 5-company partnership aims for total optimization of the scrap recycling value chain in the building sector.
• Parasite Film Production PartnersflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2020IK Entertainment division co-produced 'Parasite' (パラサイト 半地下の家族), which won Best Picture and three additional Academy Awards at the 92nd Oscars in 2020 — the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture.
• UNICEF (ユニセフ)supportingOthersRevenue from renting IK Anniversary Hall (本社4階) to young filmmakers and artists is donated to UNICEF and the United Nations WFP Association to help save lives in developing countries facing food crises.
• UN World Food Programme (国連WFP協会)supportingOthersDonations from IK Anniversary Hall event revenue support the UN WFP Association's mission to combat global hunger. IK Entertainment Hall on the 4th floor of headquarters is rented to filmmakers and musicians, with proceeds donated.
• SD Partner Support Association (一般社団法人SDパートナー支援協会)supportingOthersIwamoto Metal participates in the SD Partner Support Association, contributing to disaster relief networks that support member companies. As part of SDGs Goal 13 (climate action), this partnership strengthens regional disaster resilience.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sims Limited (Sims Metal Management): Global scrap metal recycler operating yards, shredders, and processing facilities across North America, Australia, and the UK. Comparable as a large-scale ferrous and non-ferrous scrap collector-processor with end-customers in the global steel industry.
• Arai Shoji Co., Ltd. Japanese listed scrap metal trading company handling ferrous and non-ferrous scrap for domestic steel mills and other industrial buyers. Direct peer in the Japanese ferrous/non-ferrous scrap aggregation and resale business.
• EMR Group (European Metal Recycling): UK-headquartered global scrap metal recycler operating yards, shredders, and processing facilities across Europe and the US. Comparable in scale of operations, mix of ferrous and non-ferrous processing, and mill-customer focus.
• Befesa S.A. European recycler specializing in steel dust and salt slags from steelmaking, plus aluminum salt slags. Comparable as a specialty metal recycler serving steel industry customers with processed secondary raw materials.
• DOWA Holdings Co., Ltd. Japanese non-ferrous metals and recycling company with significant operations in scrap collection, smelting, and metal recycling. Comparable in its integrated approach to non-ferrous scrap processing and its domestic Japanese customer base across industrial sectors.
• Radius Recycling (formerly Schnitzer Steel): US-based scrap metal recycler with shredding, shearing, and processing operations supplying ferrous and non-ferrous scrap to steel mills. Directly comparable business model in scrap collection, processing, and mill supply.
• Matsuda Sangyo Co., Ltd. Japanese listed non-ferrous metals recycler and trader that processes and sells recycled precious metals, non-ferrous metals, and electronic materials. Directly comparable as a Japanese non-ferrous and ferrous scrap processor with similar end-customer base in domestic metals manufacturing.

Others

• Hanwa Co., Ltd. Japanese trading company with significant metals, steel, and scrap trading operations domestically and internationally. Adjacent peer in the Japanese ferrous and non-ferrous scrap trading ecosystem, acting as both a buyer and seller in the same supply chain.

Broad incumbents

• JFE Steel Corporation: Major Japanese integrated steelmaker and another named Iwamoto customer. Has its own scrap trading arm (JFE Shoji Metals Trading) and represents both a key customer and a potential vertical-integration threat.
• Nippon Steel Corporation: Japan's largest integrated steelmaker and one of Iwamoto's named blue-chip customers. Operates a scrap procurement subsidiary and is the dominant downstream buyer of ferrous scrap, with significant influence over domestic scrap pricing and quality standards.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/iwamoto_metal
• YouTubeiwamotokinzoku.co.jp/company/policy.html

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 IWAMOTO METAL