30 Fastest Growing Companies in Asia 2019 30 Fastest Growing Companies in Asia 2019 | Page 8

A top-notch provider for procuring precious metals
TANAKA Precious Metals
T
he movement to protect the
environment has gained
traction worldwide and
switching to or partly using next-
generation energy sources that do
not rely on fossil fuels is becoming
an urgent priority. Hydrogen
production technology, which allows
the use of renewable energy, has
garnered attention as well. In Japan,
the government has indicated its
support for achieving a hydrogen-
based society, and related research
is said to be making progress
around the world. TANAKA Precious
Metals has been developing
electrode catalysts for fuel cells
for years, and it boasts some of
the highest shipment quantities in
the world for electrode catalysts
used in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel
Cells (PEFCs). PEFCs, which are
small, lightweight, and offer high
output, are used in fuel-cell vehicles,
domestic fuel cells, and so on, and
demand is expected to increase.
In conversation with
Isao HIRANO Director &
Senior Corporate Officer
of TANAKA Precious
Metals
Can you tell your company’s
history in brief?
8
TANAKA Precious Metals was
founded in 1885 in Tokyo as a
money-exchange business that
deals in precious metals. Ever
since, we have supported society’s
development by providing
industrial products made from
precious metals. In 1907, we
succeeded in industrializing the
DECEMBER 2019
platinum filaments used in light
bulbs. Afterwards, we produced
micro Profiles for communications
device contacts, and other products
composed primarily of precious
metal materials. We have since
succeeded in productization of
gold ultrafine wires for bonding,
sensors for automobiles, catalysts
for exhaust gas purification,
catalysts for fuel cells, crucibles for
manufacturing sapphire substrates
for LEDs, and more, and we have
made progress in developing and
turning precious metalmaterials
into products.
What are the services that
you offer?
Our services include procurement
of precious metals, purification,
development, manufacture, sale,
export of precious metals industrial
products. We also handle precious-
metal assets, products and jewelry
in Japan only.
What do you feel are
the reasons behind your
company’s growth?
Throughout our long history dealing
in the materials known as precious
metals, the core of TANAKA Precious
Metals has been trust and reliability.
Through our technology, products,
services, and employees, we have
met our customers’ needs in an
effort to serve as a representative
of high-quality Japanese brands.
In addition, we welcomed Metalor
Technologies International SA,
which is engaged in the global
refining business, as a group
company in 2016, and we have
reaffirmed our relationship with our
group companies to create a “new
alloy” from TANAKA and Metalor.
We will give form to the TANAKA
brand through a skillful combination
of steady business development and
active global expansion, with an eye
toward the company we will become
in the next 300 years.
Fostering a culture of
feedback is crucial to
the success of every
organization. How is this
true with your company?
TANAKA Precious Metals conducts
business activities that take CSR
into consideration, which includes
human rights, the environment,
safety, hygiene, and ethics. We have
established the “TANAKA Precious
Metals Conduct Charter,” which
conforms to the content of the
“RBA (formerly EICC)” to meet the
demands of our global customers
as well as societal expectations.
In fiscal 2018, we had several of
our domestic plants and overseas
plants be audited by RBA-certified
“The future is
precious. We
will continue
to pursue the
potentials of
precious metals
and brighten
the future”