Company HistorySHOWA KAKO CORPORATION » Company Profile » Company History
Seeking all that's new for 80 years
Since its foundation in 1918 Showa Kako has been focused on developing leading edge products that address society's needs. It's an 80 year history of pure innovation.
| 1918 | Shonosuke Ogura established Ogura Seiyakusho in Toyosaki, Higashi yodogawa-ku, Osaka and started manufacturing different kinds of industrial chemicals and reagents. |
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| 1924 | Production of tartar emetic -antimony potassium tartrate- was first started in Japan. Production of stannous chloride and many other tin compounds was also started. |
| 1928 | Tartaric acid was successfully manufactured on an industrial scale. |
| 1932 | Tartar emetic and tartaric acid production division was independently set up. Showa Seiyaku Co., Ltd. was established with joint investment of Miki Shoten, currently Miki Sangyo Co., Ltd in Suita, Osaka Pref. |
| 1934 | Ogura Seiyakusho's key factory was moved to Juhachijo, Higasiyodogawa-ku, Osaka - now Mikuni Factory. Showa Seiyaku Co., Ltd. started production of citric acid. |
| 1937 | Showa Seiyaku Co. Ltd. started production of lactic acid. |
| 1939 | Ogura Seiyakusho was restructured into Ogura & Co. |
| 1941 | Ogura & Co. was reorganized into Ogura Seiyaku Co., Ltd. |
| 1943 | Ogura Seiyaku Co., Ltd. merged with Showa Seiyaku Co., Ltd., and the company expanded into Showa Chemical Co., Ltd. |
| 1948 | Eiko Dye Mfg. Co., Ltd. was founded mainly to manufacture synthetic dyes and tar intermediates. |
| 1949 | Showa Chemical Co., Ltd. merged with Eiko Dye Mfg. Co., Ltd. |
| 1951 | Headquarters was moved to Dojima, Kita-ku, Osaka. |
| 1959 | The company supported Shin-Kamimura Kagaku Co., Ltd. now Satsuma Kako Co., Ltd. to boost the production of citric acid based on a new fermentation process. |
| 1960 | Kyushu Kako Co., Ltd was established to expand the citric acid business. |
| 1967 | Tokyo Business Office now S. K. Bio. Co., Ltd. was established to expand the production of citric acid. |
| 1974 | Production of naphthol grounder was started. |
| 1980 | Administration office and R&D lab building was added to Suita factory. |
| 1985 | Multi-purpose pilot plant was erected in Suita Factory for the purpose of developing new products and meeting customer's needs. |
| 1989 | A second multipurpose pilot plant was set up in the Suita Plant premises to expand diversified research and development activities. |
| 1996 | Facilities to exclusively deal with medical intermediates was established at the Suita Factory. |
| 1999 | Asia Citrix Co., Ltd, was established in Thailand, through a joint investment with Mitsubishi Corporation, to start the production of citric acid. |
| 2000 | PF Center was established in Juhachijo, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka. |
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