Up to this point, I’ve been listening to this as a story about Ukraine.

However, as I listened, I began to wonder if this wasn’t just about Ukraine. That’s what I’m asking about at the end.

After all, tiles are fired, aren’t they?

That’s right. You knead the clay, shape it, and put it in a kiln. That’s how it’s always been done all over the world. Firing makes them hard and waterproof.

Our Raimix isn’t fired.

If they aren’t fired, how do they harden?

We compress powdered lime with tremendous force. After that, it slowly hardens while absorbing carbon dioxide from the air. It becomes about as hard as marble, so it can even be used for floors.

What changes if you don’t fire it?

You don’t need a kiln.

Is that a big deal?

It’s a big deal. For a tile factory, the kiln is the biggest expense. It costs a lot to build, and it constantly requires fuel to operate.

That entire aspect disappears.

Oh, and that’s not limited to Ukraine.

That’s right. And there’s one more thing.

At a tile factory, broken pieces and defective tiles come out every day. The more you produce, the more you get. We had no choice but to throw them away.

But now, that becomes raw material, too.

It does. And the carbon dioxide emitted by the factory can be redirected to be absorbed during the solidification process.

So, in other words, debris is produced even without a war, right?

Exactly.

How far along is the project in Ukraine right now?

Our on-site survey was completed this past July. From here, we’ll move into the demonstration phase. The deadline is March 2028.

If things go well there, a local company will expand the production line on its own. We’ll transfer the technology and supply some of the raw materials. The local company will be the sole owner of the plant.

And after that?

Europe, of course. It’s a market where there’s demand for environmentally friendly building materials.

We’re also starting to get inquiries from the Middle East little by little. They have a culture of using stone there, and white is preferred.

Are there any talks about establishing a base in Europe?

It’s still just a wish at this point, but we’d like to open a branch office. Personally, I’m thinking Bologna.

Why Bologna?

It’s the heartland of tiles. There’s a major trade show there every year. It’s not because I like it, but because that’s where the industry is centered.

Listening to you, I’m starting to get the sense that Ukraine is one of the entry points.

Technically speaking, that’s correct. Whether it’s ash, sand, or broken tiles, they can all be mixed in the same way.

However, the rubble from there can’t be treated the same way as the rest. It used to be someone’s home. That feeling has stayed with me ever since the day I stood at that processing site.

One last thing. Our company has been mining limestone in Tagawa, right? And now we’re trying to turn the rubble from Kyiv into flooring.

That’s right.

We take what comes from the ground, burn it, mix it, and turn it into walls. We’ve been doing that for a hundred years. I feel like we’ve been doing the same thing all along.

The method hasn’t changed.

I don’t think it’s changed. Even though it seems like we’ve come a long way.

To be honest, how are things right now?

I haven’t accomplished anything yet. I don’t have a factory, and I still need to secure contracts. It’ll take several months before the machinery arrives.

To be honest, I don’t even know if it’ll work out. That’s just how proof-of-concept projects go.

Even so, I went there three times.

I did go, didn’t I? I took the overnight train, slept in a shelter, and looked for machinery.

I first heard from an acquaintance in early 2024, so it’s been two and a half years. This is how far we’ve come.

So, I’m still in the middle of it.

If there’s a follow-up, I’ll write about it again.