TBM
TBM, which produces the environmentally friendly material “LIMEX,” and Greenore, which has carbon recycling technology, sign a business partnership agreement to popularize CCU calcium carbonate.
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TBM Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and CEO: Atsuyoshi Yamazaki, hereinafter referred to as TBM) and Greenore Limited (Headquarters: New York, USA, CEO: Xiaozhou (Sean) Zhou, hereinafter referred to as Greenore) have announced that they will use the LCA developed by Greenore. (Environmental Impact Assessment) Business partnership aimed at the development of next-generation LIMEX*2, a low-carbon material whose main raw material is calcium carbonate (hereinafter referred to as CCU calcium carbonate), which is expected to be carbon negative*1, and the spread of CCU calcium carbonate. agreed to do so.
*1 A state in which the amount of greenhouse gases removed and absorbed is greater than the greenhouse gas emissions from economic activities.
*2 Next-generation LIMEX also falls under the definition of
conventional LIMEX materials, which is an inorganic filler-dispersed composite material that contains 50% or more of inorganic substances such as calcium carbonate.
Carbon recycling technology, which separates and captures emitted CO2 and reuses it as various carbon compounds, is attracting attention both domestically and internationally as an important technology for reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. This partnership is based on the technology that TBM has cultivated through the development of LIMEX, an environmentally friendly material that uses calcium carbonate derived from minerals whose main raw material is limestone, and the CCU (Carbon Capture and Utilization) developed by Greenore. The aim is to popularize and expand carbon recycling products that reduce environmental impact by combining technologies. By recovering CO2 from exhaust gas and chemically synthesizing it, it is possible to produce CCU calcium carbonate, which is expected to be carbon negative in LCA.
[Image 1: https://prtimes.jp/i/16815/327/resize/d16815-327-ede2400c4279d88a26d9-0.png&s3=16815-327-bfa450ff216d78260188ef61cadb384a-1920×1080.png ]
■ Background
TBM’s mission is to “build a bridge to the future we want to move towards,” and we aim to promote the use of environmentally friendly new materials “LIMEX” and recycled materials “CirculeX” domestically and internationally, operate material recycling factories, and develop resource circulation platforms. We are working on construction and operation. In recognition of our business development in addressing global social issues such as global warming, resource depletion, and environmental pollution caused by plastics, we will participate in the World Economic Forum (Davos) Unicorn Community in 2023, which will be managed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. We have been selected as one of 30 companies for the impact startup development support program “J-Startup Impact.” In material development using CCU technology, we will utilize NEDO’s “local technology seeds and technology seeds in the energy and environment fields, etc.” based on the strategies and roadmap of the Japanese government’s “Basic Policy for Realizing GX.” We have been working on the production of calcium carbonate by fixing CO2 emitted from factories and power plants, through our selection in the “Startup Commercialization Promotion Project” and through joint research with Tohoku University. Ta. Greenore is a spin-off company from Columbia University in 2016, co-founded by Professor Alissa Park and Dr. Sean Zhou, a Columbia University research team that was working on developing CCUS technology. In 2023, through a joint venture with Chinese state-owned steelmaker Baotou Steel, Greenore launched the world’s first mass production plant for CCU calcium carbonate.
■ Partnership details
TBM is produced by Greenore and is expected to be carbon negative based on LCA by recovering CO2 emitted from chemical plants and chemically synthesizing it with calcium ions contained in steel slag, a byproduct emitted from steel plants. We have developed “next generation LIMEX” that uses calcium carbonate as the main raw material for LIMEX. This innovative product was unveiled as a prototype at the 2024 Davos conference.
In this partnership, TBM and Greenore leverage their respective strengths to promote efforts to popularize CCU calcium carbonate. ・Development of next-generation LIMEX using CCU calcium carbonate as main raw material by TBM
・Exclusive promotion of test marketing aimed at popularizing CCU calcium carbonate in Japan
・Feasibility study to verify the exclusive possibility of producing CCU calcium carbonate in Japan in the future
These initiatives embody both companies’ vision of carbon neutrality, and aim to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.
[Image 2: https://prtimes.jp/i/16815/327/resize/d16815-327-8084f87b125cdf192f9d-1.jpg&s3=16815-327-29100edcfcebb4900a1df4d62765871a-2500×812.jpg] Next generation LIMEX using Greenore’s CCU calcium carbonate ■Comment from Atsuyoshi Yamazaki, CEO of TBM
[Image 3: https://prtimes.jp/i/16815/327/resize/d16815-327-903aab6d0a10c0c96468-2.jpg&s3=16815-327-506b8c6abc6edc9db8cc53b27c6deab0-456×490.jpg] Now, we have a prospect of developing next-generation LIMEX, which uses CCU calcium carbonate as the main raw material, which absorbs CO2 in exhaust gas and is expected to be carbon negative.Furthermore, we hope to spread not only LIMEX but also this CCU calcium carbonate widely. We are very pleased to announce our partnership with Greenore, a company with the same aspirations as us, to contribute to the creation of a decarbonized society.
Greenore’s mission is to create a better earth for humanity, and we believe that it is a powerful partner that shares our vision for TBM, which aims to become a leading company in the sustainability field for future generations. TBM will continue to work on innovative technology development and social implementation to achieve decarbonization and a circular economy.
■ Comments from Greenore Limited CEO Xiaozhou (Sean) Zhou
[Image 4: https://prtimes.jp/i/16815/327/resize/d16815-327-05ef7693664b4572d800-4.jpg&s3=16815-327-f5fe4efccb8f6a9ab2c628e464d6d938-654×703.jpg] It is a great honor to be able to partner with TBM to develop and popularize products using CCU calcium carbonate, such as LIMEX. Greenore has been working on commercializing the technology in its Columbia University lab for the past 10 years, and hopes to
successfully launch the world’s first commercial carbonation plant using steel slag in 2023. I am. This partnership can take carbon dioxide carbonation technology to the next level. We can’t wait to see LIMEX products using CCU calcium carbonate widely used in our daily lives. Sharing the goal of global sustainability with TBM, Greenore will continue its efforts to launch CCU plants around the world and contribute to global decarbonization.
■ TBM Co., Ltd.
Representative: Atsuyoshi Yamazaki
Location: 15F, 1-2-2 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Established: August 2011
Capital: 100 million yen (including capital reserve, 12,035,460,000 yen) Business content: Development of environmentally friendly materials, manufacturing and sales of products, business promoting resource circulation, etc.
URL: https://tb-m.com/
2013 Selected for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s innovation center location promotion project “Subsidy for advanced technology demonstration and evaluation equipment maintenance costs, etc.”
Obtained a domestic patent in 2014 and is currently registered in over 40 countries including China, the US, and Europe. Over 100 other patent applications filed
2015 First plant constructed in Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture (LIMEX production capacity: 6,000 tons/year)
2015 Selected for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s “Subsidy for the location of companies that create employment in areas affected by tsunami and nuclear disasters (manufacturing industry location support project)”
2016: Received the first “Social Impact Award for the company with the most social impact in the world” at “Plug and Play” in Silicon Valley, USA
2018 Participated in COP24 (24th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties) as a Japanese government delegation
Exhibited at the “G20 Innovation Exhibition” held in Karuizawa in 2019. LIMEX products adopted as operating products at the G20 Osaka Summit 2019 venue
2019: Basic agreement signed for LIMEX business in Henan Province, China and Mongolia
2020 Announced “CirculeX”, a material containing more than 50% recycled materials such as used plastics
2020 Launch of EC business “ZAIMA” for BtoC
2020 Constructed second plant in Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture (LIMEX production capacity: 23,000 tons/year)
2021: Agreed on a 13.5 billion yen capital and business alliance with South Korean conglomerate SK Group
2021: Convert all electricity used at our manufacturing bases to virtually 100% renewable energy
2022 Start of resource circulation coordination service “MaaR” 2022 Obtained Science-Based Target (SBT) certification
2022 Signed “The Climate Pledge” established by Amazon
2022 Launch of “ScopeX”, a service that visualizes greenhouse gas emissions 2022: Construction of a recycling factory that automatically sorts and recycles LIMEX and plastics in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture (processing capacity: 40,000 tons/year)
2022: Obtained “B” certification in CDP’s “climate change” and “water security” survey
2023 Selected for the impact startup development support program “J-Startup Impact” run by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry *Company names and product/service names mentioned in this release are trademarks or registered trademarks of each company.
*The information contained in this release is current as of the date of announcement. It is subject to change without prior notice. More details about this release:
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