On Wednesday, a local manufacturing business with deep roots in the Camden community embarks on a bright future under new, American ownership. The former Denkai America Inc. manufacturing facility is now Camden Copper, a new business name that honors the people and community that have produced products critical to the defense industrial base for over 30 years. Camden Copper is the nation’s sole remaining source of defense-grade electrodeposited (ED) copper foil, an essential material for the microelectronics industrial base that is used in critical defense applications, including printed circuit boards (PCBs), advanced radio frequency (RF) systems, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. Camden Copper anticipates building upon the legacy of high-quality products and producing the copper foil the nation needs – American made, American owned.
In November 2024, the Japan-based parent company of Denkai America Inc. (DAI), announced its commencement of bankruptcy proceedings and intentions to dissolve and liquidate DAI and its Camden manufacturing facility. The announcement prompted significant concerns not only from the local community but from the Department of Defense (DoD) and the defense industrial base (DIB), which rely upon its copper foil products.
Principal Mineral, a company focused on developing projects to address strategic gaps in DIB supply chains, saw the strategic imperative to save and revitalize domestic ED copper foil production in Camden.
In April 2025, Principal Mineral acquired the assets of DAI and established a new business, Camden Copper, to continue, modernize and expand domestic ED copper foil production to meet DoD and DIB needs. The new company name honors the city and community responsible for keeping copper foil production in the United States, now and into the future. Camden Copper will retain the employees and invest into the operations at its Camden facility while working to ensure that the operations remain an economic pillar in the local community, providing high-paying manufacturing jobs and supporting local businesses. Beginning on its first day of operations, Camden Copper employs nearly 50 people with an average salary which is 41 percent higher than the average manufacturing wage in Kershaw County and the company has meaningful plans for growth that will drive additional direct, indirect, and induced economic impact for the local community.