On September 9, 2024, Muroosystems Corporation (Headquarters: Tokyo,CEO: Pan Zhongxin) officially completed the acquisition of the main assets of NUKEM Technologies Engineering Services GmbH, a German nuclear engineering company.
Founded in 1960 in Germany, NUKEM is highly regarded worldwide for its expertise in radioactive waste management, spent nuclear fuel management, and decommissioning technologies for nuclear facilities. The company successfully decommissioned Germany’s first commercial nuclear power plant and is currently managing five decommissioning projects.
With this acquisition, Muroosystems aims to leverage NUKEM’s advanced technologies to drive further innovation in the next-generation energy sector. In particular, the company plans to enhance technologies for radioactive waste management and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, while also focusing on the development of next-generation clean energy utilizing TRISO technology.
Additionally, Muroosystemswill establish a new R&D center in the Hama-dori region in Fukushima Prefecture to promote research and developmentwith the aim of expanding Japanese nuclear technology overseas.
Muroosystems’ Executive Officer, Nobuaki Ninomiya, stated, “NUKEM’s headquarters of Karlstein am Main is located on the site of Germany’s first nuclear power plant. The decommissioning process on this site and site restoration were also carried out by NUKEM. By combining their advanced technology with our IT capabilities, we will create new synergies and enhance our competitiveness in next-generation energy development. We plan to strengthen our business foundation in Europe and actively expand into the Asian market.”
Furthermore, Thomas Seipolt, Managing Director of NUKEM, commented, “Under the new ownership, we aim to continue our existing operations while also exploring new fields such as nuclear fusion technology.”
Since 2022, NUKEM has faced geopolitical issues stemming from the situation in Ukraine, which halted new business developments in Europe and other regions. Additionally, funding from its parent company, the Russian state-owned nuclear corporation ROSATOM, was ceased, leading NUKEM to file for bankruptcy in a German court in April 2024. As a result, NUKEM transitioned away from ROSATOM’s management and was under the control of a bankruptcy trustee. Muroosystems negotiated with the bankruptcy trustee and, after careful examination and discussions, signed the acquisition agreement on May 29, 2024. Following the necessary approval procedures, the company obtained authorization from the German government on September 9, completing all processes.
In line with the “Basic Policy for Realization of GX (Green Transformation) ” promoted by Japanese government,Muroosystems will proceed with development of the safe use of nuclear power and the next-generation energy technologies while also focusing on the expansion of renewable energy.
