Muroosystems completes purchase of Nukem Technologies
Tokyo-based IT company Muroosystems Corporation has completed its acquisition of Germany's Nukem Technologies Engineering Services GmbH, which specialises in decommissioning, waste management and engineering services.
Nukem Technologies Engineering Services was bought by Russia's Atomstroyexport in 2009 and transferred in 2019 to TVEL, which is the fuel division of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom.
In April this year, Nukem filed for insolvency under self-administration and was under creditor protection, saying the challenges the company was facing were "attributable to the deteriorating business environment due to the ownership structure following the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022" and said at that time that efforts at a sale could not be finalised "mainly due to legal uncertainties related to the Russian ownership and the permissibility of such an acquisition".
Japan's Muroosystems signed an acquisition agreement for Nukem on 29 May.
"As part of the closing process, all necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained and commitments to third parties have been diligently fulfilled," Nukem said. "The effective date of the economic transfer of the company to the new owner is 25 September 2024."
It added: "The completion of this acquisition by Muroosystems Corp heralds a new beginning for Nukem during these turbulent times. This transition allows Nukem to re-enter markets that were previously inaccessible under the former ownership structure, ensuring that the company's expertise and long-standing experience can once again be fully leveraged."
Muroosystems acquired the company from the insolvency administrator of Nukem's previous German parent, Nukem Technologies GmbH.
Nukem Managing Director Thomas Seipolt said: "With Muroosystems, we will continue to build on our strong foundation in nuclear decommissioning and radioactive waste management while seeking new growth opportunities. We are particularly excited about expanding into innovative areas like nuclear fusion technology, which aligns with the global shift toward sustainable energy solutions."
Muroosystems Executive Board Member Nobuaki Ninomiya added: "By integrating advanced technologies with our expertise in IT, we will create new synergies that will boost our competitiveness in developing next-generation energy solutions. In the future, we plan to solidify our business base in Europe and actively expand into the Asian market."
Muroosystems said that in addition to enhancing technologies for radioactive waste management and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, it will also focus on "the development of next-generation clean energy utilising TRISO technology". The company announced it also plans to establish a new R&D center in the Hama-dori region in Fukushima Prefecture "to promote research and development with the aim of expanding Japanese nuclear technology overseas".
