What Toyo Tanso does

Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd. (Tokyo Stock Exchange ticker 5310; consolidated FY2025 workforce of 1,678 employees; headquartered in Osaka, Japan) is a specialty carbon and graphite materials manufacturer operating as a vertically integrated B2B supplier to industrial OEMs and process-equipment builders. The company was founded in 1941 and became the first firm worldwide to mass-produce isotropic graphite in 1974, an attribute that underpins its position as one of the top five global suppliers in the extruded graphite market. Its product portfolio spans eight categories: isotropic graphite, C/C composites, graphite sheets under the PERMA-FOIL brand, mechanical carbon, carbon brushes, porous carbon under the CNovel brand, surface treatment coatings (GLASTIX KOTE, PYROGRAPH, PERMA-KOTE), and new developed products (KLASTA MATE, EVEREDKOTE-K, EVEREDKOTE-B). Manufacturing is concentrated at three domestic plants (Takuma, Hagiwara, Iwaki), with processing and finishing performed at 14 overseas subsidiaries across the United States, Mexico, Italy, France, Germany, China (four subsidiaries), Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia.

The underlying technology is grounded in specialty carbon materials science rather than digital or AI-native architectures. Isotropic graphite delivers equivalent physical properties in any direction due to its randomly-oriented hexagonal structure, supporting high-temperature, chemically aggressive semiconductor and furnace applications. C/C composites sustain temperatures above 2,000°C in non-oxidizing atmospheres and are used in semiconductor process equipment and heat-treatment fixtures. CNovel porous carbon uses a proprietary MgO casting mold technique to produce mesopores with customizable diameters (3.5–150nm) for fuel cell catalyst supports and secondary-battery electrodes. Surface coatings (glass-like carbon, pyrolytic graphite, SiC, TaC) extend oxidation, chemical, and wear resistance. Core intellectual property is held through registered trademarks rather than disclosed patents, and ISO 9001 / ISO 14001 certification covers operations globally. No AI/ML capability, platform, or data-flywheel is disclosed in the source material.

Toyo Tanso operates an enterprise go-to-market combining direct field sales — eight domestic Japanese sales offices plus 14 overseas subsidiaries — with inquiry-routed processing at the nearest regional facility. Pricing is opaque and quote-based with no publicly disclosed catalog; a noted capability is custom single-piece manufacturing of carbon brushes. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of carbon/graphite products, supplemented by technical services (machining, heat treatment, high-purity treatment, surface treatment, impregnation, forming, measurement). Customer concentration is diversified across semiconductor manufacturers, industrial furnace builders, automotive/EV (including brush holders, bus bars and electronic locks for EVs via Shanghai Yongxin), nuclear reactor developers (X-energy Xe-100 SMR), batteries and fuel cells, and rotating equipment (railway, hydro, wind, thermal, geothermal power generation). A flagship commercial milestone is the November 2025 $40 million Definitive Supply Agreement with X-energy to supply IG-110 graphite for the Long Mott Generating Station Xe-100 SMR project in Texas, in partnership with Dow and with U.S. Department of Energy backing.

Name

Toyo Tanso

Legal name

Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd.

Website

https://toyotanso.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd. manufactures and globally distributes specialty carbon and graphite materials — including isotropic graphite, C/C composites, PERMA-FOIL graphite sheets, carbon brushes, and CNovel porous carbon — to semiconductor, industrial furnace, automotive/EV, nuclear, and energy-storage customers via 19 direct sales and processing subsidiaries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Osaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices19 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Carbon and Graphite Product Sales: Toyo Tanso generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of specialty carbon and graphite products including isotropic graphite, C/C composites, graphite sheets (PERMA-FOIL™), mechanical carbon, carbon brushes, porous carbon (CNovel™), and surface-treated products. Products are sold directly through the company's global sales network.
2. Technical Services: Machining, heat treatment, high purity treatment, surface treatment, impregnation, forming, and measurement services are offered as technical services supporting the core product lines, providing additional revenue through processing and value-added services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Toyo Tanso manufactures and sells specialty isotropic graphite, carbon fiber-reinforced carbon (C/C) composites, flexible graphite sheets (PERMA-FOIL), mechanical carbon, carbon brushes, porous carbon (CNovel), and proprietary surface treatment coatings for industrial applications. Products are sold directly through wholly-owned subsidiaries across 12+ countries, supported by in-house technical services including machining, heat treatment, purification, impregnation, forming, and measurement. The company's products serve semiconductor manufacturing, industrial furnaces, nuclear reactors, EV/energy storage, and automotive/transportation end markets.

Product overview

Toyo Tanso is a specialized carbon and graphite materials manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of carbon-based products. The company operates as a single unified product line centered on carbon materials, with its core offerings including Isotropic Graphite (the first mass-produced globally in 1974), C/C Composite, Graphite Sheets (PERMA-FOIL®), Mechanical Carbon, Carbon Brush, Porous Carbon (CNovel™), Surface Treatment coatings, and New Developed Products like KLASTA MATE™ and EVEREDKOTE™. The portfolio is supported by Technical Services including machining, heat treatment, and purification. Toyo Tanso's products serve diverse industrial applications spanning semiconductors, automotive, industrial machinery, home electronics, medical equipment, aerospace, nuclear power, and renewable energy sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PERMA-FOIL®: Graphite Sheets product line
• CNovel™
• GLASTIX KOTE®
• PYROGRAPH™
• PERMA-KOTE™
• KLASTA MATE™
• EVEREDKOTE™-K
• EVEREDKOTE™-B

Products and services

• Isotropic Graphite High-density graphite with randomly-oriented hexagonal structure providing equivalent physical properties in all directions, with high resistance to high temperatures and chemicals, excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, and resistance to friction and wear. Used across semiconductor, industrial furnace, nuclear, and general industrial applications.
• C/C Composite Carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite material capable of withstanding temperatures above 2000°C in non-oxidizing atmospheres. Used in high-temperature industrial furnace components (trays, baskets, heaters), heat treatment jigs, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
• Graphite Sheets (PERMA-FOIL) Flexible graphite sheet products available in thicknesses from 0.05mm to 5mm in sheet and roll formats, RoHS compliant. Used as sealing materials in gaskets and packing, protective layers for crucibles, and release agents or heat/pressure equalizing materials in hot press applications.
• Mechanical Carbon Carbon sliding material with self-lubrication, heat resistance, and chemical resistance. Used in bearings for various pumps and compressors, seal rings and packing for mechanical seals, with applications in industrial machinery and automotive components.
• Carbon Brush Electrical carbon brushes for power transmission and sliding contact applications, ranging from compact types for home appliances and machinery to large-scale brushes used in power generation (hydro, wind, thermal, geothermal), industrial motors, and railway applications. Custom manufacturing available from single piece.
• Porous Carbon (CNovel) Unique mesoporous carbon material with inter-connected pore structure; mesopore diameter customizable within 3.5 to 150 nm range. Used as catalyst support for fuel cells, electrode material for secondary batteries, and in adsorption, pigments, and biotechnology applications. Platinum-loaded variant MH-18-PT50 available.
• Surface Treatment Coatings Proprietary coating services and products including glass-like carbon coating (GLASTIX KOTE), pyrolytic graphite coating (PYROGRAPH), and SiC coated graphite (PERMA-KOTE) to enhance oxidation resistance, chemical resistance, and wear resistance of graphite products.
• New Developed Products (KLASTA MATE, EVEREDKOTE) Advanced composite materials including Metal/Carbon Composites (KLASTA MATE), TaC/Ta Composite (EVEREDKOTE-K), and TaC-coated Graphite (EVEREDKOTE-B) for specialized high-performance applications including SiC crystal growth and semiconductor manufacturing.
• Technical Services Comprehensive technical services including machining, heat treatment, high purity treatment, surface treatment, impregnation, forming, and measurement services for carbon and graphite products.

Quantifiable outcome

• First company worldwide to mass produce isotropic graphite (1974)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Gifu UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Toyo Tanso established the 'Toyo Tanso Carbon Recycling Design Joint Research Laboratory' with Gifu University to advance research in carbon recycling technologies. This partnership supports Toyo Tanso's sustainability and circular economy initiatives.
• X-energy Reactor CompanyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2025X-energy Reactor Company announced a $40 million Definitive Supply Agreement with Toyo Tanso USA (subsidiary of Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd.) for fine-grain graphite components. Toyo Tanso will supply IG-110 isotropic graphite essential to the Xe-100 small modular reactor's design as both a neutron moderator and structural component. The graphite will be used at the proposed Long Mott Generating Station on the Texas Gulf Coast in partnership with Dow, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.
• Dow ChemicalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDow Chemical is partnered with X-energy for the Long Mott Generating Station project on the Texas Gulf Coast where Xe-100 small modular reactors will be deployed using Toyo Tanso's graphite components. This positions Toyo Tanso as a critical supplier in the U.S. SMR supply chain.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Ibiden: Ibiden is a Japanese advanced materials manufacturer producing specialty carbon, ceramics, and electronics components for semiconductor and industrial customers. It is a comparable Japanese peer with overlapping specialty graphite and SiC-adjacent material offerings, though serving a broader product portfolio.

Direct peers

• Tokai Carbon: Tokai Carbon is a major Japanese producer of carbon black, graphite electrodes, fine carbon, and specialty carbon products for industrial, automotive, and semiconductor markets. It is one of the largest domestic competitors named in the global extruded graphite market alongside Toyo Tanso.
• Mersen: Mersen is a French global expert in electrical specialties and advanced materials, producing carbon brushes, graphite components, and industrial materials for semiconductor, energy, and transportation customers. It is a direct competitor to Toyo Tanso's carbon brush, mechanical carbon, and specialty graphite lines.
• Schunk Group: Schunk is a German specialty materials group producing carbon and graphite components, including carbon brushes, mechanical carbon, and SiC-coated graphite for industrial and semiconductor customers. It overlaps directly with Toyo Tanso's carbon brush, mechanical carbon, and surface-treated product lines.
• SGL Carbon: SGL Carbon is a German manufacturer of specialty graphite, carbon fibers, and composite materials serving automotive, aerospace, semiconductor, and industrial applications. It is a closely comparable peer to Toyo Tanso across specialty graphite, C/C composites, and surface-treated carbon components.
• GrafTech International: GrafTech is a leading global producer of graphite electrodes and specialty graphite products serving steel, automotive, and energy storage end markets. It is one of Toyo Tanso's most direct competitors in specialty and extruded graphite, competing head-to-head on product specifications and scale.
• Nippon Carbon: Nippon Carbon is a Japanese specialty carbon manufacturer producing graphite electrodes, fine carbon, and carbon fiber products for industrial, semiconductor, and energy applications. It is one of the key global players cited alongside Toyo Tanso in the synthetic graphite market.

Broad incumbents

• Resonac (formerly Showa Denko): Resonac is a major Japanese chemical and advanced materials company producing specialty carbons, graphite, and electronic materials for semiconductor, automotive, and industrial markets. It is a broader incumbent with overlapping specialty carbon and graphite offerings relevant to Toyo Tanso's semiconductor and battery anode material customers.
• Morgan Advanced Materials: Morgan Advanced Materials is a UK-headquartered manufacturer of advanced ceramics, carbon, and composite components for industrial, energy, healthcare, and electronics markets. It competes with Toyo Tanso in specialty carbon and SiC-coated graphite used in semiconductor, nuclear, and high-temperature industrial applications.

Emerging players

• Entegris: Entegris is a U.S.-based supplier of specialty materials and fluid handling solutions for semiconductor and electronics manufacturing. While broader in scope, it competes with Toyo Tanso in providing high-purity graphite and consumable components into SiC and wafer processing customer workflows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYMGHdwJFyzJA0A2WEX8ExQ/featured?disable_polymer=1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/toyo-tanso-co-ltd

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries17 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 Toyo Tanso