For Immediate Release 

Hitachi Metals, Ltd. 

2-1 Shibaura 1choe, Minato-ku, Tokoyo 

Tel: 81-3-5764-4075 

Hitachi Metals Begins Recycling of Amorphous Transformer Cores 

Recycling Plant To Be Established within Yasugi Works 

TOKYO, Japan, July 31, 2010 – Hitachi Metals, Ltd. today announced the 

development of recycling technology for manufacturing its amorphous metal 

(Metglas®) directly from amorphous cores taken from transformers that have been 

taken out of service. Hitachi Metals has decided to establish a facility to conduct this 

operation within its Yasugi Works in Japan. 

 Ultra-efficient amorphous transformers are garnering attention around the 

world due to their ability to contribute to energy conservation and help countries curb 

greenhouse gas emissions. Hitachi Metals will continue in its efforts to develop a 

recycling framework that will support the further spread of environmentally friendly 

amorphous transformers. 

Amorphous transformers1

 are energy-conserving transformers that use 

amorphous metal in their cores.2

 These environmentally friendly transformers can cut 

power loss - the fixed-rate “no-load loss” that constantly occurs even when power is 

not being distributed - by approximately two-thirds compared with conventional 

transformers manufactured using traditional silicon steel cores. Because of its ultra 

efficient design used by utilities and industry to both reduce CO2 emissions and save 

money over the life of the transformer, the use of amorphous transformers has 

rapidly spread in China, India, the Americas, Japan, Korea and South East Asia, while 

in Europe field trials are now underway with an eye to near-term adoption. 

 The typical life span of distribution transformers is 20 to 30 years. After 

disposal they are often recycled. Many recycling processes for conventional 

transformer steel are not applicable to amorphous cores because of the boron content 

in amorphous metal. For this reason, Hitachi Metals has developed a recycling process 

whereby used cores can be put to the best use possible – in the manufacture of 

amorphous metal ribbon for use in newly constructed transformers. 

In the recently developed process, amorphous cores to be recycled are 

removed from the scrapped transformers at a scrap processing facility. Hitachi Metals 

will then remove any insulating oil and other impurities that may adhere to the cores. 

The cores will then be crushed and melted at a recycling plant to be situated within the 
World’s largest amorphous metal 

transformer - 12 MVA - by Korea’s 

Cheryong / Woojin 

Metglas® Amorphous 

Metal Core

Yasugi Works in Japan. The plant, with an initial processing capacity of approximately 

50 tons per month, is scheduled to go online in 2011. 

 Furthermore, by 2014, Hitachi Metals plans to have to have two amorphous 

core recycling plants in operation. One the plant located within the Yasugi Works in 

Japan and the other operated by Metglas, Inc. in South Carolina, USA. These 

investments will allow the Company to undertake the large-scale processing of all 

scrapped transformer cores worldwide. 

Customer Inquiries 

Metglas Inc., Conway, South Carolina, USA 

Dave Millure (843) 349-7380 

Reference: Explanation of Terms: 

1).Transformer

A transformer is a device that boosts or decreases the 

voltage of alternating current. Substations employ large 

transformers, with those utilized for extra-high voltage 

sometimes reaching 500 tons. Utility poles are equipped 

with pole-mounted transformers that reduce voltage to 

100 or 200 volts for the delivery of electricity to 

homes, small retail shops and small factories. 

2).Core 

As a general example, an iron rod is wound with insulated 

copper wire (conductive wire), and when electric current is 

applied to the conductive wire, the process of 

electromagnetic induction magnetizes iron, which then 

behaves as a magnetic material. If the electric current is 

stopped the iron loses its magnetic force. In transformers, 

the core functions as this iron rod. To temporarily use a 

substance as a magnet is termed “magnetization.”