Asahi Refining is the newest precious metal producer to refine gold and silver for the global marketplace. The company struggled to get its products on the marketplace in 2015 as demand for silver bullion products drove down available supplies. Johnson Matthey is the previous owner of Asahis refining locations, having been bought out by Asahi in 2015. The acquisition was announced in December 2014, and resulted in Asahi taking control of locations in Salt Lake City and Brampton, Ontario, Canada. On the obverse face of the bar youll find the brand logo for Asahi Refining at the top. Organized vertically down the face of the bar, there are additional engravings identifying the weight, purity, and metal content of the bar. Each of these bars has a rustic appearance and lacks any engravings or markings on the reverse. The bars surfaces have a matte finish. Asahi Refining has a rich history in the precious metals industry, even though it is not well known globally. Asahi Refining completed its purchase of Johnson Matthey assets in the first quarter of 2015. The purchase, valued at $180 million, included Asahi taking control over refining facilities in Salt Lake City, Utah and Brampton, Ontario, Canada. An additional facility in Canada was taken over by Asahi. Each of these products came from Asahis first major production effort, and originated at the Salt Lake City facility.