2026.05.22
Honda Trading enters into business alliance with PathAhead, the developer of Rising Sand, the world’s first artificial aggregate made using desert sand, to commercialize next-generation pavement and construction materials
—Creating sustainable infrastructure by combining each company’s strengths, from planning and development to construction of a sales/supply system
Honda Trading Corporation (head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President & CEO: Katsuto Hayashi; hereinafter “Honda Trading”) is proud to announce that it has concluded a business alliance agreement with PathAhead Co., Ltd. (head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Masayuki Iga; hereinafter “PathAhead”), a startup launched through Honda Motor’s new business creation program “IGNITION,” to jointly promote businesses related to pavement and construction materials using PathAhead’s newly developed world’s first*1 technology Rising Sand (patent pending), high-quality artificial aggregate made from granulated desert sand.
Background and Purpose of Business Alliance
PathAhead is pushing ahead with researching and developing innovative pavement and construction materials. This alliance will combine PathAhead’s product development capabilities with Honda Trading’s global procurement and sales network with an eye toward growth for both companies. Through this alliance, the two companies will cooperate in numerous fields, ranging from product planning and research and development to manufacturing and product supply, while examining related businesses.
Details of Business Alliance
Through this alliance, the two companies will promote business development based on the following division of roles.
- Planning, research, development and manufacturing of products, etc. (led by PathAhead): Develop and manufacture next-generation pavement and construction materials using PathAhead’s proprietary technology
- Procurement and sales operations (led by Honda Trading): Leverage Honda Trading’s expertise to procure raw materials and handle sales of products domestically and internationally
In addition, both companies will work together to build a production system and develop new customers.
Comments by Each Company
PathAhead CEO Masayuki Iga
“I am very pleased to partner with Honda Trading, which has an extensive track record in global business development. I am also confident that by combining our development capabilities with Honda Trading’s trading company functions, we can provide new value to the pavement and construction industries.”
Honda Trading Operating Officer (New Business) Yuji Mineno
“I am honored to be a part of a project that will contribute to the economic growth and improved quality of life in emerging countries. By providing innovative pavement materials made using PathAhead’s proprietary technology, we will contribute to the development of the mobility environment.”
About Rising Sand, a high-quality artificial aggregate made from granulated desert sand
As construction demand increases globally, the shortage of natural aggregates (sand and gravel), which are essential for pavement, is growing more serious. On the other hand, desert sand, which is inexhaustible, has not been extensively used as a construction material due to issues related to its grain size and shape. Particularly in Africa, the percentage of roads that are paved remains low at about 20%,*2 and reliance on natural resources that lack uniform strength makes the roads more susceptible to wear and tear, resulting in higher logistics costs and other economic losses.
To solve this problem, PathAhead has developed Rising Sand, the world’s first*1 artificial aggregate made from desert sand. Having acquired knowledge of materials research and development of steel sheets for automobiles over eleven years at Honda’s Materials Research Center, Masayuki Iga, PathAhead’s representative, is applying that knowledge to the construction field.
Proprietary granulation technology (patent pending): The technology uniformly granulates fine spherical desert sand of about 100 μm into grain sizes of several tens of millimeters.
Unparalleled high durability: The aggregates are 2.5 times more durable than conventional natural aggregates, which significantly extends the lifespan of roads from approximately ten years, the lifespan of roads made using conventional natural aggregate, to more than twenty years.*3
Significant cost reduction: By reducing the frequency of road repairs, life cycle costs can be cut to approximately 60%*2 of current costs. The goal is to offer the product at the same price as natural aggregates by using locally available resources such as desert sand.
*2 PathAhead’s own calculations based on the Central Intelligence Agency’s “The World Factbook”
*3 Based on PathAhead research
Outline of Each Company
PathAhead Co., Ltd.
| Location | Sumitomo Fudosan Tokyo Mita South Tower 10F, 3-5-27 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
| Representative | CEO Masayuki Iga |
| Business activities | Research and development of pavement and construction materials |
| Official website | https://pathahead.jp/en |
Honda Trading Corporation
| Location | Akihabara UDX South Wing 18F, 4-14-1 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo |
| Representative | Representative Director, President & CEO Katsuto Hayashi |
| Business activities | Global procurement and supply of raw materials, parts, equipment, vehicles, etc., as well as processing and manufacturing of some raw materials |
| Official website | https://www.hondatrading.com/en |
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