What TANAKA does

TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL GROUP Co., Ltd., founded in 1885 in Tokyo and headquartered at the original Kayaba-cho founding site, is a privately-held Japanese conglomerate that manufactures, refines, and recycles precious metals across gold, platinum, palladium, and silver. The company is structured as a holding entity over wholly-owned operating subsidiaries — notably TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES (manufacturing), TANAKA Denshi Kogyo (bonding wires), TANAKA ELECTRONICS (Singapore/Malaysia bonding wire production), Electroplating Engineers of Japan (EEJA), and the Swiss-acquired Metalor Technologies — with 5,001-10,000 employees and operations spanning Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, India, Korea, the United States, and Switzerland.

Its product portfolio is anchored in five industrial segments: semiconductor interconnect and packaging materials (the world's #1 share in ultrafine gold bonding wire, AuRoFUSE™ sintered Au preforms, ENEPIG electroless plating chemistries, silver sintering pastes, sputtering targets, and TRuST Ru CVD/ALD precursors); automotive and energy catalysts (world's #1 shipment volume in PEFC electrode catalysts, exhaust purification catalysts, PEM water electrolysis catalysts, and the HPM-L111 palladium hydrogen-permeable membrane); medical and diagnostic materials (Visi Fine radiopaque alloys for catheters/implants, gold colloid-based in-vitro diagnostic test kits); brazing and joining solutions (active brazing fillers and copper composites for power semiconductor thermal management); and a closed-loop recovery and refining business operating under LBMA/LPPM Good Delivery Referee authority, supplying the 100%-recycled RE Series. Pricing is quote-based, tied to underlying precious-metal market prices and customer specifications, and not publicly disclosed.

The company generates revenue through direct enterprise sales supported by regional sales subsidiaries (Singapore, India/Mumbai covering IMEA, Korea/Seoul, USA/Chicago, China/Shanghai) and trade-show-driven lead generation across SEMICON, PCIM, MD&M, and H2&FC EXPO. Strategic investments in medical venture funds (Ambix, Global Vascular, DMC1 Fund) and the August 2025 JEPLAN circular-economy partnership signal continued vertical and ecosystem expansion. Group-wide reorganization was initiated in January 2025 to support sustainable growth, with a stated 2050 carbon-neutrality target underpinning the recycling-heavy capital allocation strategy.

Name

TANAKA

Legal name

TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL GROUP Co., Ltd.

Website

https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1885

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL GROUP, founded 1885, is Asia's largest precious metals manufacturer producing bonding wires, catalysts, plating chemistries, and hydrogen membranes for semiconductor, automotive, medical, and energy OEMs across a global network of wholly-owned subsidiaries and Metalor Technologies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precious Metals Manufacturing

NAICS

Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (332), Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers (332812)

SIC

Primary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3330), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Electroplating & Metallization Chemicals (Cu/Ni/Au plating, additives) (IMAEAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Non-Ferrous Scrap Processing & Brokerage (Aluminum, Copper, Brass/Bronze, Lead, Zinc, Nickel) (IMAKAMAB), Precious & Specialty Metal Recovery (Smelting, Refining, Hydrometallurgy) (EUAIAIAD)

Keywords

• Precious metals manufacturing
• Semiconductor bonding wires
• Fuel cell catalysts
• Precious metal recycling
• Industrial plating solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Precious Metal Materials and Components: TANAKA manufactures and sells a broad portfolio of precious metal materials including bonding wires, plating solutions, catalysts, sputtering targets, thick film pastes, electrical contacts, and specialty materials to industrial customers in semiconductor, automotive, medical, and electronics sectors.
2. Precious Metal Recovery and Refining Services: TANAKA provides recovery, refining, and remanufacturing of precious metals from industrial scrap and end-of-life products, operating a closed-loop circular economy model. The company is appointed as Good Delivery Referee by LBMA (gold/silver) and LPPM (platinum/palladium).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TANAKA manufactures and sells a comprehensive portfolio of precious metal materials — including bonding wires, plating solutions, catalysts, sputtering targets, thick film pastes, electrical contacts, hydrogen-permeable membranes, and specialty alloys — to industrial customers in semiconductor, automotive, medical device, and energy sectors. The company also operates a closed-loop precious metal recovery, refining, and remanufacturing service (RE Series 100% recycled materials) backed by LBMA/LPPM Good Delivery Referee status.

Product overview

TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES is a diversified precious metals manufacturer and materials supplier offering a comprehensive portfolio of industrial products across semiconductor, automotive, electronics, medical, energy, and recycling sectors. The core offerings include: (1) Semiconductor materials and packaging solutions including AuRoFUSE™ sintered gold bonding technology, bonding wires (gold, palladium-coated copper, silver alloy, aluminum), silver sintering paste, sputtering targets, plating technologies, and hydrogen permeable palladium membranes; (2) Catalyst products including fuel cell catalysts (world-leading PEFC shipment volume), exhaust gas purification catalysts, and water electrolysis catalysts; (3) Joining and brazing solutions including active brazing filler metals and composites for ceramics and power devices; (4) Advanced materials including TRuST CVD/ALD precursors, nano silver pastes, and Visi Fine radiopaque medical materials; (5) Recovery and refining services for precious metal recycling; and (6) 100% recycled precious metal materials (RE Series). The company operates manufacturing facilities in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and China, and maintains group companies including TANAKA ELECTRONICS, EEJA (electroplating), and Metalor Technologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AuRoFUSE™: Gold sintering bonding technology using gold micro-particles for semiconductor packaging applications
• AuRoFUSE™ Preforms
• HPM-L111
• HPM-H211 (PdCu39)
• HPM-H310 (PdCu40)
• RE Series
• TRuST
• TK-SR
• TK-SK
• Visi Fine Series
• TANAKA Memorial Foundation (田中貴金属記念財団)

Products and services

• AuRoFUSE™ Preforms
• HPM-L111 Hydrogen Permeable Membrane
• HPM-H211 Hydrogen Permeable Membrane (PdCu39)
• Bonding Wires
• Silver Sintering Paste
• Sputtering Targets
• Probe Pins Materials
• Plating Technologies
• Fuel Cell Catalysts
• Exhaust Gas Purification Catalysts
• Active Brazing Filler Metals
• TRuST (CVD/ALD Precursor)
• RE Series (100% Recycled Precious Metals)
• Recovery and Refining Services
• Power Device Bonding Wires (Aluminum, Copper)
• In-Vitro Diagnostic Test Kits (Contract Manufacturing)
• Low-Temperature Sintering Nano Silver Paste
• Visi Fine Series
• TK-SR Rhodium Material
• TK-SK Palladium Alloy
• Platinum Materials for Glass Melting Equipment
• Electrical Contact Materials
• Thick Film Pastes and Precious Metal Powders

Quantifiable outcome

• HPM-L111 enables hydrogen purification at ~100°C, eliminating need for 300°C+ heating, significantly reducing energy consumption
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Gannon & ScottcoreOthers · 1 March 2026Metalor Technologies (TANAKA's Swiss subsidiary) completed the acquisition of Gannon & Scott, a North American precious metal refining and recovery company, making it a wholly owned subsidiary. This integration strengthens TANAKA's vertical capabilities in North America, expands sourcing and recycling channels, and enhances service offerings for customers worldwide.
• JEPLANstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 August 2025TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL GROUP and JEPLAN entered into a business partnership to promote a decarbonized circular economy. JEPLAN specializes in precious metal recycling and resource circulation, and the partnership aims to establish a global recycle network for precious metals.
• National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2020Joint development with QST on 'Development of Hydrophobic Precious Metal Catalysts' applied to room-temperature hydrogen oxidation technology in ITER and other nuclear fusion research facilities. This collaboration won the 2020 Catalyst Industry Association Technology Award.
• Yeungnam University (Professor Soo-Hyun Kim)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2020Collaboration with Professor Soo-Hyun Kim from Yeungnam University's Department of Advanced Materials Engineering on the development and optimization of deposition characteristics for TRuST ruthenium precursor materials for CVD/ALD applications.
• TANAKA Precious Metal (India)strategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 December 2019TANAKA established TANAKA Precious Metal (India) in Mumbai as a new strategic sales base covering India, Middle East, and Africa markets, with a target of 3 billion yen in annual sales by 2024.
• Mitomo Semicon Engineering Co., Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2019TANAKA integrated the electroplating equipment business of Electroplating Engineers of Japan Ltd. (EEJA) into Mitomo Semicon Engineering Co., Ltd. to strengthen business structure and enhance customer service in the plating equipment segment.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Broad incumbents

• DuPont (Electronics & Industrial): Large diversified materials company whose Dow Electronic Materials division is one of the top 5 players in electroless plating solutions for package substrates. Broader portfolio than TANAKA but directly overlaps in semiconductor plating chemistries.
• BASF: Global chemical company with a broad catalysts portfolio serving automotive emissions, fuel cells, and industrial catalysis. Competes with TANAKA in precious metal catalysts as part of a much larger chemical portfolio, providing a benchmark for scaled incumbent competition.

Direct peers

• Umicore: Belgian materials technology group that recycles and refines precious metals and manufactures automotive catalysts, fuel cell catalysts, and electroplating solutions. Closest global peer to TANAKA across the precious metals value chain, with overlapping positions in PGM refining, automotive catalysis, and recycling.
• Heraeus: German family-owned precious metals and technology group operating across precious metals trading, refining, recycling, and industrial materials including bonding technologies. Closest privately-held European analog to TANAKA in scope, scale, and product breadth.
• Asahi Refining: Global precious metals refiner holding LBMA Good Delivery Referee status alongside TANAKA as one of only five worldwide. Direct competitor in gold, silver, platinum, and palladium refining services and a peer in the global precious metals regulatory trust ecosystem.
• Mitsui Mining & Smelting (Mitsui Kinzoku): Japanese non-ferrous metals and functional materials manufacturer with copper/semiconductor materials, precious metal catalysts, and recycling. Explicitly cited as a TANAKA competitor in silver powder markets and shares Japanese enterprise customer relationships in semiconductor and automotive.
• Atotech: Global leader in electroless plating solutions for package substrates, including ENEPIG chemistries. One of the top 5 players (>82% combined market share) alongside TANAKA in the highly concentrated electroless plating market for advanced semiconductor packaging.
• Johnson Matthey: UK-listed precious metals and catalysts company with leading positions in fuel cell catalysts, automotive emission catalysts, and PGM refining. Directly competes with TANAKA in PEFC catalysts and shares the LBMA/LPPM Good Delivery Referee status among the global five.
• DOWA Holdings: Japanese non-ferrous metals company with precious metals recycling, silver powder for solar cells, and semiconductor materials. Named in source data as a direct competitor to TANAKA in silver powder for PERC/TOPCon cells, electronics, and competes head-to-head in Japanese semiconductor materials.
• Uemura & Co. Japanese precious metals refiner and plating solutions specialist, one of the top 5 players alongside TANAKA in the global electroless plating market for package substrates. Direct Japanese competitor in plating chemistry.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@tanakapreciousmetals1505
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tanaka-precious-metals

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about TANAKA