海外での取組み
Non-fired Brick
Our Drive to Develop a Product
It all started in 2014…
Workers at brick factories in South Asia are suffering severe health problems.
Couldn’t EIKEN develop an eco-friendly, non-fired brick?
Our President, Hideaki HACHIYA, was approached by an acquaintance from South Asia who shared a serious concern:
“Air pollution severely affects people’s health and working conditions in South Asia. The brick industry is a major contributor.”
The EIKEN team couldn’t ignore the issue—they had to respond.
Improving health conditions for brick factory workers would mean more stable income, which in turn would enable their children to continue their education.
We launched this project to spark a cycle of equal opportunity and dignity for all.
To address the air pollution facing our acquaintance’s homeland, EIKEN began taking action.
Inspired by earlier research into soil solidification made possible by the Monozukuri Subsidy, and building on the proprietary material “Flat Plug Resin” developed by President Hachiya in 2000, EIKEN created a new reinforcing agent: ECO5000®.
ECO5000® became the foundation for BRENGA, a new non-fired brick.
Thankfully, BRENGA has attracted interest and support from many countries and companies. Through wide-ranging cooperation, EIKEN continues to steadily advance production and promote wider local adoption, especially in South Asia.
Fired bricks are still commonly used for construction in many countries, despite being a major cause of air pollution.
Remaining committed to solving social challenges, EIKEN strives to improve working conditions and reduce health risks in the brick industry, as well as to build a world where every child can dream freely and reach their full potential.
PM2.5-related deaths in the brick industry are estimated at 1,200–2,800 people
Crop yields decline by 36–77% after soil extraction*
* Varies by region
These non-compliant factories contribute significantly to environmental degradation
Due to their higher cost and inferior quality—particularly substandard structural strength—concrete blocks cannot be widely adopted. This poses a serious risk of slowing economic growth and worsening poverty.
Social Impact Through Our Business*Assuming that around 35% of fired-brick production in Bangladesh transitions to BRENGA
Environmental Benefits
Mitigating climate change and air pollution caused by heavy pollutant emissions
- CO2 emissions reduced by 6.3 million tons.
- 25% reduction in air pollution from coal-fired brick kilns.
Social Benefits
Curbing the loss of harvestable crops
- Soil from fertile farmland is no longer used as raw material, translating into approx. 35 tons more annual rice production, enough to feed 260 people per year.
Improving health damage
Improved working conditions at brick factories and reduced health damage among workers and surrounding residents
- Deaths affected by air pollution in Dhaka will decrease up to 5,250 people.
- PM2.5-related deaths in the brick industry will be decreased up to 420-980 people.
Economic Benefits
Transition to non-fired bricks safeguards jobs in local communities and stimulates related industries in Japan
Promotion of non-fired brick production can:
- Help protect the jobs of approximately 450,000 brick industry workers.
- Support the expansion of Japanese equipment exports for non-fired brick production.
Innovation-driven Impact
A new industry will emerge to produce next-generation building materials
- A shift of around 35% of Bangladesh’s brick industry to non-fired brick production could trigger new waves of innovation.
- A new material in Bangladesh will emerge– by mixing in ECO5000, even when using seawater and sea sand, the material solidifies and becomes dense, making it less permeable to water compared to fired bricks.
Track Record
Lectures and Media Coverage
| Host | Best Floor Association |
|---|---|
| Date | April 11, 2021 |
| Speaker | Hideaki HACHIYA |
| Summary | As one of the founding members of the Best Floor Association, Mr. Hachiya gave a lecture on a technology that forcibly extracts excess bleed water from freshly poured concrete and densifies the surface layer simultaneously using atmospheric pressure (using a vacuum to create a pressure differential). This method allows for rapid processing and enhances the strength of the concrete surface. (NETIS Registration Number: CB-210013-A) |
| Event | Nepal Investment Seminar “Business Potential Beyond Everest” hosted by JETRO and the UNIDO Tokyo Office |
|---|---|
| Date | November 20, 2019 |
| Speaker | Hideaki HACHIYA |
| Summary | Under the theme “Eco-Friendly Non-Fired Brick Business,” Mr. Hachiya presented the background and overview of EIKEN’s operations in Nepal. His lecture was featured as one of the case studies of Japanese enterprises operating in Nepal. |
Projects funded by JICA
| Program | SME Partnership Promotion (FY2016, 2nd Round) |
|---|---|
| Survey | Survey on Introducing Flat Plug Resin for producing non-fired bricks in |
| Period | July 2017 – October 2018 |
| Overview | The survey was conducted with local stakeholders in the brick industry and basic experiments with local soil to assess the applicability of brick production employing inorganic admixtures with soil solidifying properties. |
| Summary & Report |
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| Program | SDGs Business Model Formulation Survey with the Private Sector (FY2019, 1st Round) |
|---|---|
| Survey | SDGs Business Model Formulation Survey with the Private Sector for introducing ECO5000 and non-fired brick machine with manual, for producing non-fired bricks in Bangladesh |
| Period | February 2022 – February 2024 |
| Overview | The aim of this survey was to serve as a base for formulating an ODA project and developing a viable business addressing challenges such as climate change and health risks in the fired-brick industry. It focused on establishing and manualizing production techniques suitable for Bangladesh using manual molding machines and the inorganic admixture ECO5000, with the goal of increasing recognition and encouraging wider adoption of non-fired bricks. |
| Summary & Report |
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Projects funded by METI
| Program | Tobidase Japan! Support Program for Expanding into Growing Global Markets (FY2019, 5th Round of Technology Cooperation-Based Emerging Market Development Project Subsidy – International Joint Development Program for Solving Social Challenges) |
|---|---|
| Study | Brick Solution Business to Support Reconstruction Through the Popularization of Inorganic Admixtures and Non-fired Brick Technology in Nepal |
| Period | August 2019 – March 2020 |
| Overview | In collaboration with local brick manufacturers in Nepal, EIKEN conducted a feasibility study for a business involving the production and sale of non-fired bricks in the country, by introducing a complete set of brick manufacturing equipment and soil solidification agents. |
| Program | FY2021 Industrial Standardization Promotion Program (Strategic International Standardization Acceleration Project: International Standards Development in Industrial Infrastructure Fields) |
|---|---|
| Study | Standardization Study on Specifications and Evaluation Methods for Market Acceptance of Non-fired Bricks |
| Period | May 2021 – February 2022 |
| Overview | The study, primarily focused on Nepal, was aimed at developing an international standardization strategy to support the future global market acceptance of non-fired bricks. It focused on two main areas: (1) establishing technical specification standards for non-fired bricks, and (2) developing evaluation methods for verifying product quality. |
| Program | FY2023 Supplementary Budget – Future-Oriented Co-Creation Program for the Global South (3rd Call for Overseas Infrastructure Deployment Promotion Survey by Japanese Companies) |
|---|---|
| Project | Demonstration Project to Promote Awareness and Wider Adoption of Non-fired Bricks for Air Pollution Mitigation in Bangladesh |
| Period | May 2025 – February 2026 |
| Overview | To help curb emissions of black smoke—a major contributor to air pollution in Bangladesh—from fired-brick kilns, EIKEN is collaborating with a major local brick manufacturer to produce non-fired bricks by employing a Japanese-made molding machine designed with support from EIKEN and EIKEN’s proprietary inorganic admixture. This project aims to introduce these non-fired bricks into the Bangladeshi market and to demonstrate their local applicability by building public facilities with them, thereby increasing recognition and encouraging wider adoption of non-fired bricks as a new building material in the country. |
| Program | Manufacturing, Commerce, and Service Productivity Improvement Subsidy Program for Global Deployment (FY2019 & FY2021 Supplementary Budgets, 11th Round) |
|---|---|
| Project | Sales of a Non-fired Brick Production System Contributing to Environmental Protection in Asia |
| Period | July – December 2023 |
| Overview | The aim of this project was to launch a new business for selling non-fired brick production systems to countries in Asia. The initiative involved transferring the full production process—from mixing and kneading to molding and drying—to brick manufacturers in Nepal and Bangladesh. The project included development of prototype and commercial machines, further development of the ECO5000 reinforcing agent, preparation of manufacturing manuals, sales of machinery and materials, and training programs for local engineers. |
| Program | Manufacturing, Commerce, and Service Innovation Subsidy (FY2014 Supplementary Budget, 1st Round) |
|---|---|
| Project | Capital Investment for Developing Reinforcement Additives to Prevent Freeze-thaw Damage During Public Works in Cold Regions |
| Period | November 2015 – June 2016 |
| Overview | To address persistent freeze-thaw damage issues that plague civil engineering and construction projects in cold regions, EIKEN developed specialized reinforcement additives by modifying its proprietary silica-based admixture, originally formulated to convert soil slurry into paving material. |
Media Coverage
- Asahi Shimbun Digital — “with Planet” section, published on June 14, 2024
“Thick Black Smoke… Japan Joins Efforts to Tackle Air Pollution from the Brick Industry,” reported by Chihiro Ara - Asahi Shimbun Globe, Issue No. 305, published on July 2, 2024
“Bangladesh: World’s Worst Air Pollution—How It’s Harming Children,” reported by Chihiro Ara
Awards and Certifications
Awards
- EIKEN Co., Ltd. received the Special Jury Prize from the Tokyo Credit Union Association in March 2010, recognized under the “Outstanding Enterprise Award Program” for its contributions to regional economic development.
Certifications and Memberships
- Member of Best Floor Association since 1998
- Member of Japan Flooring Technology Research Council since 1998
- Authorized contractor for Milcrete flooring work by AGC Polymer Construction Materials Co., Ltd. since 2012
- Member of the Jolyace Contractors’ Association certified by AICA Kogyo Co., Ltd. since 2019
- Member of the Japan Association of Small and Medium-sized enterprises for Overseas Construction (JASMOC) since 2024
- Supporting member of the Overseas Construction Association of Japan, Inc. (OCAJI) since 2024
Patents and Trademarks
Patents
- Mortar admixture and mortar using the same (Patent No. 5004516)
- Concrete hardening method (Patent No. 5132903)
- Seawater-blended mortar (Patent No. 5530836)
- Construction method employing hardened mortar from soil and solidification agents (Patent No. 6760642)
- Hardened-resin mortar and construction method using the same (Patent No. 5318552)
Trademarks
- Flat Plug Resin (Trademark Registration No. 6055115)
- ECO5000 (Trademark Registration No. 6817524)
