Construction Business Review

Ube Industries
Leveraging Chemical Technology to Improve Waterproofing

Masato Izumihara, President & CEO, Ube IndustriesMasato Izumihara, President & CEO
What do a pickup truck, a nail gun, a portable circular saw, a cement mixer truck, and a modern hydraulic excavator all have in common? The obvious answer would be that all these equipment are used in the construction sector. Another appropriate answer would be that all of the equipment have metallic components that are liable to get rusted under prolonged exposure to water.

For this very reason, over the past few years, there have been considerable technological advancements in waterproofing products and systems in the construction sector. High-quality waterproofing is not only essential for preventing structural damage but also for maintaining a sustainable environment. And in that endeavor, companies like UBE Industries are now introducing new, long-lasting, and eco-friendly waterproofing products in the market to both serve the purpose of maintaining the structural integrity of the construction tools as well as keeping the environment safe and healthy.

UBE’s spirit of positively embracing waterproofing technological innovation forms the core identity of the company. However, waterproofing is only a fraction of their vast portfolio of offerings. The company currently covers five fields: chemicals and plastics, specialty chemicals and products, cement, construction, and waterproofing materials, machinery and metal products, and energy and environment. In each of these areas, the company’s main focus is on its core competence guided by the keywords of technology and innovation. Through these, UBE always maintains a bird’s-eye view of the entire construction industry, which ultimately helps them bolster their foothold further in the waterproofing domain.

How it All Began

The history of UBE Industries began at the end of the 19th century in Japan. The company was first established in 1897 under the name Okinoyama Coal Mine. UBE Industries was started by an anonymous union organization, where local people joined forces to develop a coalfield in Ube city located at Yamaguchi Prefecture, a small village in Japan at that time. With the help of locals, Sukesaku Watanabe, the founder of UBE Industries, increased the finite coal that dug up to the limitless value of the industry to create long-term prosperity for the region.

Soon after, UBE started machinery manufacturing and maintenance of machines to support coal mining. Today, the company manufactures injection molding machines and die casting machines used by automobile manufacturers worldwide. Under the able leadership of Masato Izumihara, president, and CEO of UBE Industries, the company also manufactures transport equipment, crushing equipment, and pieces of equipment for bridges. These types of equipment feature high reliability backed by advanced technology.

UBE’s spirit of positively embracing waterproofing technological innovation forms the core identity of the company


Along with the machinery business, UBE also maintains a strong focus on the construction material business. One among them is cement which has gained prominence over many years. The company started utilizing Ube’s coal and abundant limestone in the surrounding area and waste soil from coal mines to produce cement. Besides this, UBE Industries is also utilizing its chemical knowledge to develop a gamut of building material products, including waterproof materials. For instance, the company is engineering plastic nylon resin and polybutadiene rubber to create eco-friendly waterproofing products.

The Epitome of Waterproofing Excellence

Nowadays, waterproofing is becoming a fundamental construction requirement that ensures the safety of the building. On that note, UBE Industries has developed a plethora of waterproof materials on cement-based such as aqua shutter EVA, aqua shutter AC, gradient leveler, beam protector, and caribou base. Aqua shutter EVA is a new resin ethylene-vinyl acetate polymer resin that the company has developed, using which construction companies can benefit from both extremely superior workability as well as the ability to cover cracks in the substrate.

Moreover, UBE Industries has introduced aqua shutter AC, which overcomes the drawbacks of conventional polymer cement-based waterproofing materials, such as weather resistance fatigue resistance, and exhibits excellent waterproof performance over a long period of time.

In addition, it has acquired formaldehyde emission grade F, and is a next-generation waterproof material that can meet various waterproof needs in the room. Additionally, a beam protector is a polymer cement-type foundation coating film material based on a special acrylic resin emulsion and a special cement-type powder that can be used to complete the construction of a building without the need for protective paint.

  • The company is engineering plastic nylon resin and polybutadiene rubber to create eco friendly waterproofing products


UBE Industries also manufactures modified asphalt waterproof torch construction sheets, known as RA sheets. These are self-adhesive waterproofing sheets formed by laminating various substrates such as polyester non‐woven fabrics impregnated with modified asphalt or aluminum film and then laminated with a modified asphalt adhesive layer.

If these were not impressive enough, then the company also boasts a torch-on membrane waterproofing method, used especially in the field of renovation for rooftop and balcony waterproofing. It creates a comparatively strong membrane layer that combines modified asphalt and polyester spun-bond. It also has the feature of compensating for the shortcomings of conventional thermal asphalt waterproofing that protects that layer against moisture and dampness. The product has been widely praised for its excellent cost performance and is compliant with the construction standard specifications of public utilities.

Exhibiting these competencies in the waterproofing domain, UBE has already set itself apart in the industry today. However, the company is not yet ready to hang its boots. Right now, UBE Industries is working with its clients to reach an international level. Although the frontier spirit of UBE has been passed down to bases around the world, including China, Sakai, Spain, and Thailand, the company is looking forward to amplifying its team’s existence in the market to broaden their company’s reach. With such a strong commitment and continuous innovation mindset, the company’s contribution is expected to be progressively visible throughout the waterproofing industry in the coming years.