Copper and Copper Alloy ProductsMaterials Business Area

Oxygen-free copper is a high-purity copper product that contains virtually no oxygen or oxides and is a material with excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, weldability, and processability. Due to its excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, oxygen-free copper is used as a high-conductivity component and cooling materials. In the future, applications for this material are expected to expand further in line with the growing demand for high-voltage, high-current, and thermal management associated with the advancement of automotive electronics and EVs. The Copper & Copper Alloy Products business of the Company, including the Luvata Group acquired in 2017, possesses world-leading oxygen-free copper manufacturing technology and production scale, and has the capacity to mass-produce high-class oxygen-free copper with oxygen concentration reduced to the limit by using high-grade copper cathode produced at the Naoshima Smelter & Refinery and the Onahama Smelter & Refinery, as well as casting technology cultivated over many years. Utilizing this technology, we are able to cast various high-performance copper alloys by adding oxygen-active elements such as magnesium (Mg) and zirconium (Zr), which are easily oxidized and difficult to alloy. In addition, we are maximizing alloy performance by making full use of superior rolling, extrusion, and deformation-processing technologies. Going forward, the Group will continue to contribute to customers around the world through marketing activities that integrate development, manufacturing, and sales to meet growing demand for oxygen-free copper.

The MSP series of solid-solution-strengthened copper alloys containing magnesium is used in automotive terminals, busbars, and relays.

MSP™1 has been popular for many years. MSP™5 offers higher strength, excellent bend formability, and lower density, making it suitable for miniaturized terminals. MSP™8 features high electrical conductivity and excellent stress relaxation resistance, and is suitable for high-voltage, high-current busbars and high-voltage terminals.

In 2025, MSP™5-ESH was newly developed. This alloy is used by customers as a world-class copper-magnesium alloy capable of replacing beryllium copper and titanium copper.

MOFC‑HR (Heat Resistance) is an oxygen‑free copper with a world‑class level of strength and heat resistance, making it ideal for components used in electrical equipment for EVs, data centers, AI, next‑generation energy, and other applications that require high current capacity and high heat dissipation under harsh environmental conditions. It can also be used as a replacement for copper alloys with low electrical conductivity.In 2025, the multi-gauge strip type, "MOFCHR Multigauge Strip," was newly developed. It is a copper alloy that makes it possible to manufacture the heat sink and contact parts of lead frames, terminals, and connectors from the same material and to mold them simultaneously.

We contribute to reducing environmental impact by developing the lead-free copper alloy ECOBRASS™, which complies with lead regulations (RoHS, ELV) in North America and Europe, and we have established a supply system aimed at promoting its global adoption. We have concluded licensing agreements with Wieland in Europe and Chase Brass in the United States.While maintaining the excellent machinability and high strength of ECOBRASS™, we also developed GloBrass™, a lead‑free brass that reduces metal costs by revising the copper‑to‑zinc composition ratio, in 2020. We have concluded an agreement to grant exclusive licensing rights in Europe and North America to Luvata Oy, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and are strategically engaged in product development and marketing in the European and North American markets.