Home > Corporate Data > Company History
Company History - Corporate Data
1949
  • Separated from Kanegafuchi Spinning Co., Ltd.
  • Developed polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
1950
  • Started first mass production of PVC, Kanevinyl, in Japan.
1952
  • Developed and marketed solution-type PVC, Kanevilack.
1953
  • Started large scale production of margarine and shortening.
1957
  • Developed and marketed Kanekalon. (Kanecaron)
1958
  • Awarded Deming Application Prize.
1961
  • Developed and marketed Belco.
1964
  • Developed and marketed Kane Ace B.
1965
  • Developed and marketed expandable polystyrene, Kanepearl.
1966
  • Developed and marketed heat resistant ABS resin, Kaneka MUH.
1967
  • Developed and marketed dispersion PVC.
1968
  • Developed and marketed chlorinated PVC.
  • Completed vinyl chloride monomer plant using oxychlorination process.
1970
  • Developed and marketed extruded polystyrene foam board, Kanelite Foam.
  • Established Kaneka Belgium N.V.
  • Listed stock on the Amsterdam Securities Exchange.
1971
  • Established Kaneka America Corporation.
1972
  • Developed and marketed polystyrene foam sheet, Kanefine (Sun fine).
  • Developed and marketed self-extinguishing ABS resin, Enplex.
1973
  • Received prize from the Society of Polymer Science of Japan for Kane Ace B resin manufacturing technology.
  • Developed and marketed polyethylene foam by beads method, Eperan.
  • Developed and marketed bonded magnet, Kaneka Flux.
  • Completed plant for Kane Ace B at Kaneka Belgium N.V.
1974
  • Developed Glutathione, pharmaceutical intermediate for hepatic medicines, using fermentation methods and started production.
1975
  • Won the national championship for office worker's baseball teams in Japan.
1977
  • Developed and marketed Ubidecarenone, pharmaceutical bulk for cardiac medicines.
1978
  • Developed and marketed weather resistant MMA family film, Sunduren.
  • Developed and marketed PVC foamed board, Klegecell.
1979
  • Established Kaneka Singapore Co. (Pte.) Ltd.
  • Started to produce D-para-hydroxyphenylglycine at Kaneka Singapore.
  • Developed and marketed Silyl terminated polyethers, Kaneka MS polymer.
1981
  • Received prize from the Society of Polymer Science of Japan for Kaneka MS Polymer.
1982
  • Marketed PVC sash window, Excel Window.
  • Received award from the Chemical Society of Japan for the technical development of D-para-hydroxyphenylglycine manufacturing technology.
  • Established Kaneka Texas Corporation.
1983
  • Received a "Nikkei Superior Product and Service Award" for Kanekalon's artificial fur from the Nikkei Marketing Journal.
  • Developed and marketed AMMPA Kaneka, intermediate for anti-hypertensive medicine.
  • Received award form the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations and Society of Fermentation Technology, Japan for D-para-hydroxyphenylglycine manufacturing technology.
  • Developed and marketed acrylic silicon polymer, Kaneka Gemlac.
1984
  • Received award from the Society of Fiber Science and Technology, Japan for flame retardant fiber technology.
  • Developed and marketed amorphous photovoltaic modules.
  • Developed and marketed polyimide film, Apical.
  • Completed plant for Kane Ace B at Kaneka Texas.
1985
  • Developed and marketed polypropylene foam by beads method, Eperan PP.
  • Completed plant for Eperan at Kaneka Belgium N.V.
1986
  • Developed and marketed plasmapheresis system.
  • Received prize from the Society of Fermentation Technology, Japan for ß-hydroxy fatty acid.
1987
  • Received prize from the Society of Fiber Science and Technology, Japan for Kanekalon coloring and spinning method.
1988
  • Received Inoue Harushige Award from the Research Development Corporation of Japan for amorphous photovoltaic modules research and commercialization.
1989
  • Established Allied-Apical Co.
  • Received award from the Society of Polymer Science of Japan for plasmapheresis system.
1990
  • Started production of Eperan and Eperan PP at Kaneka Texas.
  • Started production of Apical at Allied-Apical Co.
  • Established Dukan Belgium S.A.N.V., a joint venture with Du Pont.
1991
  • Developed and marketed Selesorb, a selective adsorption column for systemic lupus erythematosus.
1992
  • Received award from the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation for MS Polymer.
  • Established Kaneka Technical Service Co., Ltd. Shanghai.
1993
  • Established Nantong Sunrise Worsted Spinning Co., Ltd. as a joint venture with Kyusyu Kanekalon Co., Ltd. Kanematsu Corporation, and Toyobo Co., Ltd.
  • Received award from the Kinki Chemical Society, Japan, for Apical NPI.
  • Received award from the Society of Fiber Science and Technology, Japan, for Protex, a flame retardant fiber.
  • Received award from the Japan Chemical Industry Association for Gemlac.
  • Established Kaneka Medix Corporation.
1994
  • Established Kaneka Pharma Europe N.V.
  • Established Kaneka Engineering Corporation.
1995
  • Established Hokkaido Kanepearl Co., Ltd.
  • Established Kaneka (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.
  • Established Kaneka Electec Sdn. Bhd.
  • Established Kaneka Creative Consulting Corporation.
  • Established Kaneka Research Associates.
1996
  • Established Kaneka Delaware Corporation.
  • Established Kaneka Plastics Corporation.
  • Marketed Lixelle, a selective adsorption column for dialysis-related amylaidosis.
  • Established Kaneka Eperan Sdn. Bhd.
  • Received a "Japanese Society for Artificial Organs Award" for Liposorber.
  • Established Sun Polymer Corporation with Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. for the production of polystyrene foam paper.
1997
  • Established Kyusyu Kanelite Co., Ltd.
  • Established Kaneka High-Tech Materials, Inc. to succeed the Apical operations of Allied-Apical Company, Inc.
  • Started the production of Epion, an allyl or terminated polyisodutylenes , at the Kashima Plant, Japan.
  • Established Kaneka Pharma America Corporation.
  • Started the production of Kaneka MS Polymer at Kaneka Belgium N.V.
1998
  • Received a "Nikkei Superior Product and Service Award" from the Nikkei Industrial Daily for Epion.
  • Established Kaneka Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
  • Established Kaneka Solartech Co., Ltd.
1999
  • Established Kaneka Paste Polymers Sdn. Bhd.
  • Acquired ISO 14001 registration at four plants in Japan.
2000
  • Established Monbetsu Chemicals Co., Ltd.
  • Completed new Eperan factory in Michigan for Kaneka Texas Corporation.
  • Attained ISO 9001 certification for alol related company divisions (an industry first) involved in making Kanelite Foam.
  • Started domestic sales of photovoltaic solar power generation system.
  • Constructed experimental research building.
  • Constructed life sciences research divisions.
  • Developed word's first non-fluorocarbon, non-halogen foaming agent type Kanelite Foam, the Type 3 insulation panel.
2001
  • Constructed common new research facility, for research on polymers, assembly and electronics.
  • Established Kaneka Eperan marketing Co., Ltd.
2002
  • Began to sell the functional food material "Kaneka Coenzyme Q10."
  • Began to sell large-area see-through type photovoltaic modules.
2003
  • Received award from the Chemical Society of Japan for the technical development of "Kanelite Super-E" high-insulation polystyrene foams extruded with the non-fluorocarbon blowing agent system.
  • Received award from the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation for the invention of "Lixelle."
Page Top