Studsvik, Kobe Steel team up for Japanese waste management

Monday, 25 April 2016

Sweden's Studsvik and Kobe Steel of Japan have agreed to extend their existing cooperation by forming a joint venture to provide radioactive waste management solutions to the Japanese nuclear industry.

Since forming a business alliance in 2005, Studsvik and Kobe Steel have been carrying out marketing and research on providing solutions for treating and disposing of radioactive waste in Japan. The two companies have today announced an agreement to establish a joint venture for designing, engineering and implementing waste management solutions to the Japanese nuclear industry.

The joint venture - to be called Kobelco Studsvik - will be 51% owned by Kobe Steel and 49% owned by Studsvik. It will undertake commissioned work and marketing for the overseas treatment and recycling of metals. Kobelco Studsvik will also treat metals, and design and license recycling facilities. It will also design and license high-level radioactive waste treatment processes.

In a statement, Studsvik said the joint venture will "bring together Studsvik's broad design and engineering experience in waste management, including its patented THOR technology for radioactive waste treatment, and metal recycling along with Kobe Steel's industrial and delivery capability in Japan". Kobe Steel said it has over 30 years of experience in radioactive waste treatment and disposal, storage facilities, and transport and storage casks for used nuclear fuel.

Studsvik CEO Michael Mononen said, "Studsvik is motivated by the prospects of growth in the Japanese nuclear waste management market, and we are delighted to be able to strengthen our long-standing relationship with Kobe Steel through this joint venture to enhance Studsvik's delivery of its experience and technology to the Japanese market."

He added, "Our joint venture represents a clear demonstration of Studsvik's strategy to grow profitably in areas where we are technical leaders, and we look forward to realizing a number of exciting opportunities for Studsvik and our partner Kobe Steel."

Kobe Steel director and senior executive officer Shohei Manabe said, "One of the themes under our medium-term management plan to fiscal 2020 is to undertake further initiatives in the waste treatment business in connection with the decommissioning of nuclear plants. The enhanced synergy from the joint venture with Studsvik will be a sincere response to provide solutions for the treatment and disposal of radioactive waste from decommissioned nuclear plants including the treatment and recycling of metals."

Earlier this month, Studsvik agreed to sell its waste treatment assets and facilities for metal recycling, incineration and pyrolysis near Nyköping in Sweden, as well as the metal recycling facility near Workington in the UK, to EDF of France. At the same time, the two companies signed a cooperation agreement on nuclear decommissioning and radioactive waste management.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News