MOBY was formed through the merger of Metal One Tinplate & Container, which was engaged in tinplate and tin free steel (TFS) service center operations and oil drum sales and leasing, and Tsukuba Tinplate Coil Center (the current Tsukuba Branch) in October of last year.

Most Corporation, the previous incarnation of Metal One Tinplate & Container, was formed through the merger of Ginyo Shoji Co., Ltd., which was Mitsubishi Corporation's leading secondary wholesaler of tinplate, and Kotobuki Metals Co., Ltd. in 2002. In 2007, Most merged with Asahi Container Co., Ltd., an oil drum retailer, to form Metal One Tinplate & Container. Since then, Metal One Tinplate & Container has greatly contributed to the container industry through its tinplate steel service center and the sale, leasing, and rental of oil drums.

MOBY's predecessor, Most, used the merger as an opportunity to build a new plant in Shiohama, Ichikawa, where it moved its operations. Most installed a state-of-the-art leveller line at the plant and became the largest tinplate steel service center in the Kanto area, with a processing capacity of 6,000 tonnes per month. Through the recent business merger with Tsukuba Tinplate Coil Center, MOBY acquired approximately 40% of the Kanto area's tinplate processing market and became the undisputed leader in the industry.

Discussing the merger's aims, President Yosuke Kamekawa says, "Along with demonstrating the impact of our presence by increasing our share of the domestic tinplate and TFS market, which has been trending downward, we want to achieve the highest level of competitiveness."

Tinplate and TFS are mainly used in manufacturing containers. As with the rapid expansion in the use of PET bottles in the beverage sector, where cans were used predominated until recently, diversification of container materials, such as plastic or paper, in other sectors has proceeded. This has caused domestic demand for tinplate and TFS to shrink to 1 million tonnes a year, approximately half its peak. Therefore, industry restructuring with regard to processing and products has naturally been an urgent issue for the company. For the time being, the headquarters' plant and the branch in Tsukuba will be maintained independently, but a future integration of these two bases will be considered as a way to rise to the top of the industry in terms of both market share and cost competitiveness.

In the container sector, MOBY is engaged in the sale, leasing, and rental of oil drums, pails, and 18-liter cans and is the only oil drum distributor that has business locations nationwide (in Tokyo, Osaka, Yokkaichi, and Mizushima). The broad product lineup the company offers, from new to recycled cans as well as cans for lease or rental, is another of its special feature. For its stainless steel oil drum rental operations in particular, the company has devised a recycling system in which used oil drums are collected, cleaned, and even repainted before being reused.

President Kamekawa mentions overseas expansion as a future goal. Glowing with enthusiasm, he says, "The domestic tinplate market is declining year by year, but demand growth can still be anticipated in such places as India and the Middle East. Working together with Metal One, we hope to employ our technology and expertise overseas."