What Reprocessing Equipment does

Reprocessing Equipment Co., Ltd. (RECO / 再処理機器株式会社) is a Tokyo-based joint venture founded in November 1991 and equally owned by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Orano Projets SAS of France. The company specializes in manufacturing specialized equipment for nuclear fuel reprocessing, primarily serving Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited (JNFL) at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant—Japan's only commercial nuclear reprocessing facility. RECO has delivered over 1,000 units of custom-engineered process equipment to Rokkasho, including the proprietary MERC (Mobile Equipment Replacing Cask) remote-handling system, centrifugal pumps, bellows-sealed valves, mixer-settler stirrers, sampling benches, and radiation monitors designed for remote maintenance in high-radiation environments.

RECO's product portfolio extends beyond reprocessing into radiation shielding windows (sourced exclusively from France's CORNING SAS for the Japanese market) and the Clean Air Shelter® (CAS) family of nuclear emergency air shelters, co-developed with Teijin Frontier. The CAS line includes variants for emergency evacuation sheltering (CAS), contamination inspection (EvAS), nuclear facility maintenance work (GrHAS), medical isolation (Me-CAS), and mobile deployment (M-CAS). The company's technology is characterized by extreme specialization: HEPA filters achieving 99.97%+ particle capture, iodine filters at 99.99%+ methyl iodide efficiency, and CDC-compliant negative-pressure medical isolation to -2.5Pa.

The business operates on a project-based B2B model with direct sales to enterprise nuclear operators, national research agencies, electric utilities, defense OEMs, and municipal/prefectural governments. Revenue is generated through one-time equipment sales, ongoing spare parts supply, and maintenance and technical support services for installed equipment. Long sales cycles and safety-critical regulatory requirements create high barriers to entry but also concentrate the business around a small number of large institutional customers. The company maintains two offices (Tokyo headquarters and Rokkasho operations support office) and employed 39 people as of April 2025.

Name

Reprocessing Equipment

Legal name

再処理機器株式会社 (Reprocessing Equipment Company, Ltd.)

Website

https://reco-ltd.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Reprocessing Equipment (RECO) is a Tokyo-based 50/50 joint venture between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and France's Orano that manufactures specialized nuclear reprocessing equipment, MERC remote-handling systems, radiation shielding windows, and Clean Air Shelters for Japan's nuclear fuel cycle and emergency preparedness markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nuclear Reprocessing Equipment and Radiation Safety Systems

NAICS

Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334)

SIC

Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561), Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)

akta.pro primary industry

Reprocessing Plant Technology, Equipment & Remote Handling (EUAKAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spent Fuel Transportation (Casks, Rail/Road/Sea Logistics & Security) (EUAKAHAD), Decontamination & Dismantling (D&D) of Nuclear Facilities (EUAKAFAB)

Keywords

• Nuclear reprocessing equipment
• Radiation shielding windows
• Clean air shelter
• Remote maintenance systems
• Nuclear process pumps

Headquarters

HQ city

Minato

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Nuclear Reprocessing Equipment Sales: One-time sale and delivery of specialized nuclear reprocessing process equipment (pumps, valves, stirrers, samplers, monitors, filters, MERC systems) to nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Equipment is custom-designed and built to order for specific nuclear plant installations.
2. Spare Parts Supply: Ongoing supply of replacement components, filter cartridges, MERC canisters, and spare mechanical assemblies for installed nuclear reprocessing equipment. Supports long-term facility maintenance contracts.
3. Maintenance & Technical Support Services: On-site maintenance, inspection, and repair services for installed RECO equipment at nuclear facilities, particularly at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant. Includes equipment overhaul, modernization, and upgrade services.
4. Radiation Shielding Windows & Lead Glass: Sale of CORNING SAS-designed radiation shielding windows and lead glass products, including design, manufacturing, and on-site installation guidance. Sold to nuclear facilities, research institutions, and industrial users.
5. Clean Air Shelters (CAS/EvAS/GrHAS/Me-CAS): Sale of nuclear emergency air shelters and medical isolation shelters to municipal governments, prefectural governments, nuclear facilities, and hospitals. Includes air purification units as standalone products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Reprocessing Equipment (RECO) designs, manufactures, and maintains specialized nuclear fuel reprocessing process equipment — including MERC shielded remote-handling casks, PAAC pumps, bellows-sealed valves, mixer-settler stirrers, sampling benches, and alpha/gamma/U-Pu monitors — for Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited's Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant. The company also supplies CORNING SAS radiation shielding windows and lead glass to nuclear facilities and research institutes, and produces the Clean Air Shelter® (CAS) family of nuclear emergency and medical isolation air shelters sold to municipal governments, prefectural governments, and hospitals.

Product overview

Reprocessing Equipment Co., Ltd. (RECO) is a joint venture between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Orano (France) that provides specialized nuclear reprocessing equipment for Japan's nuclear fuel cycle. The product portfolio centers on four core offerings: (1) the MERC System for remote replacement of radioactive process equipment using shielded casks; (2) Process Equipment including pumps, valves, samplers, stirrers, monitors, and filters for the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant; (3) Radiation Shielding Windows and Lead Glass sourced from France's CORNING SAS; and (4) Clean Air Shelter® line for nuclear disaster prevention and medical isolation applications. The Clean Air Shelter family includes the standard CAS for evacuation, EvAS for decontamination inspection, GrHAS for facility maintenance, Me-CAS for medical isolation, and M-CAS for mobile deployment. RECO also provides standalone air purification units with HEPA and iodine filters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MERCシステム (MERC): Mobile Equipment Replacing Cask - Shielded remote exchange cask for high-level radiation environment maintenance at reprocessing facilities
• クリーンエアシェルター® (Clean Air Shelter®)
• EvAS（エヴァース）
• GrHAS（グラース）
• Me-CAS（エムイーCAS）
• M-CAS（エムCAS）

Products and services

• MERC System (Mobile Equipment Replacing Cask)

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 1,000 units of RECO equipment delivered and installed at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

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

• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (三菱重工業株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 1991Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) holds 50% of RECO's shares and co-founded the company alongside Orano in November 1991. MHI provides manufacturing capabilities, technical cooperation, and engineering support. RECO is a member of the MHI group, benefiting from its corporate infrastructure, procurement systems, and nuclear sector expertise. MHI also procures shielding windows from RECO for use in its special vehicles and defense equipment divisions.
• Orano Projets SAS (フランス)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 1991Orano Projets SAS (formerly part of AREVA group) holds 50% of RECO's shares and co-founded the company alongside Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in November 1991. Orano provides technology transfer for nuclear reprocessing process equipment and the MERC remote maintenance system, originally developed and proven at the La Hague reprocessing facility in France. As a world-leading nuclear fuel cycle company, Orano enables RECO to adapt and localize French reprocessing technology for Japan's Rokkasho plant.
• CORNING SAS (旧SOVIS OPTIQUE社, フランス)coreTechnology or IntegrationRECO has a partnership with France's CORNING SAS (formerly SOVIS OPTIQUE) for radiation shielding windows and lead glass products. CORNING's products are used in nuclear and RI facilities in over 30 countries worldwide. RECO serves as the exclusive importer, designer, manufacturer, and on-site installation guide for CORNING shielding windows in Japan. RECO adds value through customization for Japanese nuclear facility requirements, local regulatory compliance, and on-site installation services.
• Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd. (帝人フロンティア株式会社)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRECO co-developed the Clean Air Shelter fabric with Teijin Frontier, utilizing ultra-lightweight high-strength polyester material. This material enables the air shelter to be compactly stored and rapidly deployed. The partnership produces the shelter's air chamber structure, combining Teijin's material science expertise with RECO's nuclear safety engineering.
• Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) / 三菱UFJ銀行supportingOthersMitsubishi UFJ Bank serves as RECO's primary transaction bank, providing corporate banking services including financing and transaction banking for the company's operations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BWX Technologies (BWXT): U.S. nuclear components manufacturer supplying fuel, components, and specialty equipment to government and commercial nuclear programs. BWXT's specialty nuclear manufacturing scale and regulatory expertise make it a comparable for RECO's process equipment business serving nuclear facility operators.
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Nuclear Division): RECO's 50% parent and one of Japan's largest nuclear plant constructors and PWR steam supply system providers. MHI's nuclear division encompasses a much broader portfolio than RECO but operates in the same Japanese nuclear supply chain and has historically provided RECO with manufacturing support and shared customers.
• Curtiss-Wright (Nuclear Operations Division): Provides engineered equipment, specialty components, and services for nuclear power and naval nuclear programs. Curtiss-Wright's nuclear division addresses similar safety-grade engineered equipment needs as RECO in adjacent segments such as reactor internals and valve qualification.
• Mirion Technologies: Global leader in radiation detection, shielding, and nuclear safety products. Mirion's portfolio of lead glass shielding, containment systems, and radiation-monitoring instruments competes in adjacent categories with RECO's CORNING SAS-sourced shielding windows and process monitors used at Rokkasho and other Japanese facilities.
• Framatome: French nuclear reactor and fuel cycle supplier and sister company to Orano. Framatome competes with RECO across the broader nuclear fuel cycle and shares French technology lineage with RECO via the Orano relationship.

Direct peers

• Holtec International: Designs and manufactures shielded casks, transfer systems, and storage equipment for spent nuclear fuel and high-radiation process equipment. Holtec's casks and remote-handling systems are functionally analogous to RECO's MERC system and compete for nuclear-fuel-cycle handling business globally.
• Robatel Industries: French manufacturer of shielded containers, glove boxes, hot cells, and nuclear mechanical handling equipment, including casks used in reprocessing plants. Robatel's product line is highly analogous to RECO's MERC casks, shielding windows, and process equipment, serving the same fuel-cycle customer base with French-origin technology.
• NAC International: Supplies nuclear fuel transport casks, storage systems, and consulting services for the nuclear fuel cycle. NAC's cask and containment portfolio competes with RECO's MERC and related shielded-handling offerings in fuel-cycle infrastructure projects.
• Orano (Orano Projets SAS): RECO's 50% parent and the original developer of the MERC remote-handling technology and La Hague reprocessing process equipment. Orano directly competes by operating La Hague and supplying reprocessing plant technology globally, providing the closest technical and commercial comparable to RECO's core business.

Emerging players

• AAF Flanders (Air Filter / Nuclear Filtration): Major manufacturer of HEPA and ULPA filtration products used in nuclear, semiconductor, healthcare, and industrial applications. Competes with RECO's in-house HEPA filtration technology integrated into Clean Air Shelters and nuclear-facility air handling equipment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Reprocessing Equipment