Mitsubishi Materials announced that it will suspend production at its copper processing site in Malaysia and consolidate operations at its Japanese sites. The move comes as the Malaysian government strengthens resource protection measures and moves to tighten export restrictions.
Mitsubishi Materials will suspend processing at its Malaysian site, Ryoshindo Manufacturing (RM), and end RM's operations in March 2027. As a result, copper cutting and processing currently performed by RM will be consolidated at Wakamatsu Seisakusho (Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture), with products expected to continue being supplied to RM's customers from Wakamatsu.
The decision follows tighter Malaysian government restrictions on scrap exports from the site, making exports to Japan more difficult. The business environment in Malaysia is also changing, including expected increases in sales tax rates on certain items, prompting the company to proceed with the restructuring.