Asahi Refining exists because of a 2015 acquisition: Japan's Asahi Holdings, formed in 1952 and already an established recycler and refiner of precious metals from scrap materials, bought Johnson Matthey's entire gold and silver refining business for $186 million. That purchase handed Asahi the Salt Lake City, USA and Brampton, Canada refineries that had operated under the Johnson Matthey name since 1817 — the same refineries, the same equipment and expertise, now under new ownership and a new brand. Johnson Matthey's LBMA London Good Delivery status transferred directly to both facilities, so Asahi Refining inherited an accreditation pedigree rather than building one from scratch.
For a buyer comparing Asahi Refining to the now-discontinued Johnson Matthey brand it descended from, the practical difference is mainly branding: the physical refineries, their LBMA Good Delivery status, and much of the underlying operational expertise carried over directly. Asahi Refining is the active, currently-producing continuation of that lineage, which makes it the natural modern alternative for a buyer who likes the idea of Johnson Matthey's reputation but wants a bar that's actively in production rather than a fixed-supply discontinued brand.
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Start tracking freeYes — Asahi Holdings acquired Johnson Matthey's entire gold and silver refining business in 2015, including its Salt Lake City and Brampton, Canada refineries, which now operate under the Asahi Refining name.
Yes — Johnson Matthey's LBMA London Good Delivery status transferred directly to both refineries when Asahi acquired them.
For buyers wanting an actively-produced bar with a similar refining pedigree, yes — the physical refineries and much of the expertise behind Johnson Matthey's old bars carried over directly to Asahi Refining.