SEC Carbon
- Company typePublic
- Founded1934
- HeadquartersAmagasaki, Japan
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What SEC Carbon does
SEC Carbon, Limited. (TYO: 5304) is a Japanese specialty carbon and graphite manufacturer founded in 1934, headquartered in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, with its principal production complex at the Kyoto Factory in Fukuchiyama — one of the world's largest integrated carbon production facilities at approximately 500,000 m². The company operates a single-segment business built around four product lines: SK-B® graphitized cathode blocks for aluminum electrolytic smelting (its flagship, holding an estimated 40% global market share excluding China), artificial graphite electrodes for electric arc furnace steelmaking and ash melting, high-purity fine graphite powder for seals, brushes, brake materials, and coatings, and a broad portfolio of specialty carbon and graphite products for molten salt electrolysis, metallurgy, thermal processing, and advanced applications including aerospace. Underlying technology is centered on proprietary graphitization know-how and integrated in-house manufacturing that spans raw material processing through finished components.
SEC Carbon generates revenue through direct B2B sales of consumable and capital carbon components to industrial manufacturers worldwide, with no disclosed pricing transparency — contracts are negotiated directly with customers based on specifications, volumes, and terms. The company's primary customer segments are aluminum smelting plants (SK-B® cathode blocks) and steel manufacturers using electric arc furnaces (graphite electrodes), with secondary segments in thermal processing, semiconductor and clean energy materials supply, and specialty industrial applications. The 1992 Quality Agreement with Pechiney (now Rio Tinto) cemented SK-B® as a global standard in aluminum smelting. Revenue is geographically diversified across Asia-Pacific and other global regions, with overseas customers representing a significant share of the consolidated FY2024 net sales of 31.1 billion yen.
The company's strategic posture emphasizes sustainability positioning — positioning graphite electrodes as enablers of steel scrap recycling (lower CO2 versus primary steelmaking), and through its 2020 acquisition of university-launched startup IMSEPP, pursuing CO2-to-carbon material conversion research aligned with carbon neutrality themes. SEC Carbon trades publicly on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, maintains an active IR and ESG disclosure cadence, and operates with a board-led governance structure; recent 2026 announcements indicate leadership transitions at the representative director level. The company has no controlling parent and operates as an independent public corporation.
SEC Carbon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SEC Carbon
- Legal name
- SEC CARBON, LIMITED.
- Website
- https://sec-carbon.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1934
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SEC Carbon industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Carbon and Graphite Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Carbon and Graphite Product Manufacturing (335991), Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (3241)
- SIC
- Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Carbon Black & Bulk Pigments (IMAEAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialty Carbon & Pitch Products (Petroleum Pitch, Carbon Binders for Anodes) (EUALAKAK), Synthetic Graphite Feedstocks (Petroleum Needle Coke & Pitch) (IMAKAFAE)
Keywords
Where SEC Carbon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amagasaki
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
SEC Carbon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Carbon & Graphite Specialties: Sale of special carbon products used in molten salt electrolysis, aqueous electrolysis, metallurgy/metal refining, heat treatment furnaces, electrochemical applications, mechanical applications, electrical applications, and chemical structural applications.
- Fine Powder: High-purity graphite powder products used in seal materials, carbon brushes, brake materials, and various paints. Produced with advanced graphitization technology achieving exceptional purity and crystallinity.
- Graphitized Cathode Block SK-B®: Cathode blocks for aluminum electrolytic furnaces used in aluminum smelting. The company's flagship product with 40% global market share (excluding China).
- Artificial Graphite Electrodes: Electrodes for steelmaking electric arc furnaces and ash melting furnaces. Consumable materials that contribute to iron resource circulation and carbon neutrality by enabling recycling of steel scrap with lower CO2 emissions than primary production.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
SEC Carbon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SEC Carbon manufactures and sells carbon and graphite products for industrial use, including SK-B® graphitized cathode blocks for aluminum electrolytic smelting furnaces, artificial graphite electrodes for steelmaking electric arc furnaces, high-purity graphite and carbon fine powders, and specialty carbon/graphite products used in molten salt electrolysis, metallurgy, thermal processing, and electrochemical/mechanical/chemical applications. Production is centered on the company's integrated Kyoto Factory and is sold directly to industrial manufacturers globally.
Product overview
SEC Carbon operates as a single unified carbon products portfolio rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The company manufactures four core product lines: (1) special carbon/graphite products (特殊炭素製品) for molten salt electrolysis, aqueous electrolysis, metallurgy, metal refining, thermal processing, electrochemical, mechanical, electrical, and chemical structural uses, including large extruded materials; (2) fine powder (ファインパウダー) including graphite powder and carbon powder for seals, carbon brushes, brake materials, and coatings; (3) the SK-B® graphitized cathode block (アルミニウム製錬用カソードブロック SK-B®) for aluminum electrolytic furnaces, representing the company's flagship product with an estimated 40% global market share excluding China; and (4) artificial graphite electrodes (人造黒鉛電極) for steelmaking electric arc furnaces and ash melting furnaces, serving as consumable components that contribute to iron resource circulation and carbon neutrality. The Kyoto factory spans approximately 500,000 m² and is one of the world's largest integrated carbon production facilities. Founded in 1934 (as Showa Electrode), SEC Carbon conducts business globally with overseas transactions representing a significant portion of sales.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use SEC Carbon
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SEC Carbon technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
SEC Carbon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Rio Tinto (formerly Pechiney)coreIn 1992, SEC Carbon signed a 'Quality Agreement' with Pechiney (now part of Rio Tinto), a global leader in aluminum smelting technology. Pechiney recognized the company's cathode blocks for their quality and recommended them for use at world-class smelting plants. This quality certification was pivotal in establishing SEC Carbon's cathode blocks as a global standard in the aluminum industry.
- IMSEPP (アイ'ямпセップ)coreIn 2020, SEC Carbon acquired IMSEPP, a university-launched startup, as a subsidiary to advance carbon neutrality research. The company is conducting joint research to produce carbon materials using CO2 as a raw material, transforming carbon dioxide into carbon and graphite particles.
- Sumitomo Chemical (、住友化学)coreJoint development partner for SK-B® graphitized cathode block. SK-B stands for Sumitomo Kyowa Block, derived from the initials of both companies. Development began in 1961, patent filed in 1970, and product name adopted in 1971. This collaboration established the foundation for SEC Carbon's market-leading position in aluminum smelting cathode blocks.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SEC Carbon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SEC Carbon social profiles
Digital presenceSEC Carbon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SEC Carbon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
SEC Carbon subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
SEC Carbon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SEC Carbon M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SEC Carbon
What does SEC Carbon do?
SEC Carbon manufactures and sells carbon and graphite products for industrial use, including SK-B® graphitized cathode blocks for aluminum electrolytic smelting furnaces, artificial graphite electrodes for steelmaking electric arc furnaces, high-purity graphite and carbon fine powders, and specialty carbon/graphite products used in molten salt electrolysis, metallurgy, thermal processing, and electrochemical/mechanical/chemical applications. Production is centered on the company's integrated Kyoto Factory and is sold directly to industrial manufacturers globally.
Is SEC Carbon a public or private company?
SEC Carbon is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was SEC Carbon founded?
SEC Carbon was founded in 1934. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is SEC Carbon based?
SEC Carbon is headquartered in Amagasaki, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does SEC Carbon make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Carbon & Graphite Specialties are the primary driver. The others are fine Powder, graphitized Cathode Block SK-B® and artificial Graphite Electrodes.
Does SEC Carbon have an API?
No public API is recorded for SEC Carbon.
What industry is SEC Carbon in?
SEC Carbon's product category is Industrial Carbon and Graphite Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAAAF, Carbon Black & Bulk Pigments, with a secondary code of EUALAKAK, Specialty Carbon & Pitch Products (Petroleum Pitch, Carbon Binders for Anodes). Its NAICS code is 335991 and its SIC code is 2860.