KUNIMINE INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
5388・Standard Market・Glass & Ceramics Products
Bentonite Business
Kunimine Industries' core segment. Manufactures and sells bentonite for foundry/molding materials, environmental/construction use, and pet applications.
| Period | Current | Previous | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net Sales (External Customers) | ¥11,842 million | ¥11,094 million | ↑ |
| Segment Profit | ¥1,289 million | ¥1,074 million | ↑ |
| Segment Assets | ¥12,961 million | ¥14,468 million | ↓ |
| Depreciation | ¥472 million | ¥419 million | ↑ |
| Increase in Property, Plant and Equipment and Intangible Assets | ¥642 million | ¥708 million | ↓ |
| Segment Profit Margin | 10.9% | 9.7% | ↑ |
Business Details
The core business handling everything from bentonite ore mining to manufacturing and sales. Consists of three fields: foundry/molding materials (for construction machinery and trucks), environmental/construction (for civil engineering and construction, geothermal power generation, and radioactive waste treatment), and pet litter sand. Includes domestic and overseas mining subsidiaries (Kunimine, Kawasaki Mining, Kanben Mining), sales subsidiaries (Kunimine Marketing, KUNIMINE (THAILAND)), and an overseas investment company (TRANS WORLD PROSPECT CORPORATION). The largest segment, accounting for approximately 69% of consolidated net sales.
Recent Overview
Higher sales and profit driven by demand recovery in the foundry/molding materials and environmental/construction fields and price revision effects. Sales declined in the pet field.
In the Bentonite Business for FY2026 (ending March 2026), net sales were ¥11,842 million (up 6.7% year on year) and segment profit was ¥1,289 million (up 19.9% year on year), representing higher sales and profit. The foundry/molding materials field saw increased sales due to a recovery trend in demand for construction machinery and trucks and price revision effects. In the environmental/construction field, strong geothermal-related demand and price revision effects offset sluggish general civil engineering work, resulting in increased sales. In the pet field, sales decreased due to reduced shipments to some customers following price revisions. Segment assets decreased by ¥1,507 million year on year to ¥12,961 million, due to a decrease in inventory and other factors.
Key Products
Growth Drivers
- Recovery trend in demand for construction machinery and trucks in the foundry/molding materials field
- Expansion of demand for geothermal power generation and radioactive waste treatment projects in the environmental/construction field
- Effects of appropriate price revisions (sales price optimization) in each field
- Expansion into the ASEAN market and overseas markets through KUNIMINE (THAILAND)
- Promotion of capturing infrastructure development projects related to national resilience
- Stable resource securing through mining area development investment and mining technology development
- Expanded sales of related products and enhanced technical services leveraging high domestic market share in the foundry/molding materials field
Risks
- Structural shrinkage of domestic foundry/molding materials demand due to a decrease in the number of cast parts amid the shift to EVs in the automotive industry
- Deterioration in automotive industry performance, decreased exports to the US, and reduced production volumes due to the impact of Trump tariffs
- Continued sluggish demand for general civil engineering work and shipment fluctuations due to delays in the construction period of large-scale public works projects
- Cost increase pressure from persistently high prices for imported ore and various raw materials
- Foreign exchange fluctuations (impact on foreign-currency-denominated procurement costs for imported ore)
- Risk of reduced shipments to some customers in the pet-related field due to price revisions
- Structural cost increases such as labor shortages and rising logistics costs
Last updated: July 3, 2026