History

~1950s

1949	Established Kaneka Corporation with ¥200 million capital.
	Developed polyvinyl chloride (PVC), KANEVINYL™.
1950	Started first mass production of PVC, KANEVINYL™, in Japan.
	Started first production of PVC wire covering.
1952	Developed and marketed solution-type PVC, KANEVILACK™.
1953	Started large scale production of margarine and shortening.
	Started production of flexible PVC compounds, KANEVINYL™ Compound.
1957	Developed and marketed KANECARON™.
1958	Awarded Deming Application Prize.

1960~

1960	Takasago Manufacturing Site KANEVINYL™ facilities was completed and production began.
1961	Developed and marketed BELCO™.
1964	Developed and marketed KANEACE™ B.
1965	Developed and marketed expandable polystyrene, KANEPEARL™.
	Started sales of Kanekalon wig, Fontaine.
1966	Started first production of rigid PVC compounds, KANEVINYL™ Compound.
	Developed and marketed heat resistant ABS resin, Kaneka MUH (Transferred in 2001).
1967	Developed a PVC paste, which began production and sales as KANEVINYL™ Paste.
1968	Established Europe office and New York office.
	Developed and marketed chlorinated PVC.
	Completed vinyl chloride monomer plant using oxychlorination process.

1970~

1970	Developed and marketed extruded polystyrene foam board, KANELITEFOAM™.
	Established Kaneka Belgium N.V.
1971	Completed KANEPEARL™ plant.
	Established Kaneka America Corporation.
1972	Developed and marketed self-extinguishing ABS resin, Enplex.
1973	Received prize from the Society of Polymer Science of Japan for KANEACE™ B resin manufacturing technology.
	Developed and marketed polyethylene foam using bead method, EPERAN™.
	Developed and marketed bonded magnet, KANEKA FLUX™.
	Completed plant for KANEACE™ B at Kaneka Belgium N.V.
1974	Developed Glutathione, pharmaceutical intermediate for hepatic medicines, using fermentation, and started production.
1977	Developed and marketed Ubidecarenone, pharmaceutical bulk for cardiac medicines.
1978	Developed and marketed weather-resistant MMA resin-based film, SUNDUREN™.
1979	Established Kaneka Singapore Co. (Pte.) Ltd.
	Developed and marketed Silyl terminated polyethers, KANEKA MS POLYMER™.

1980~

1980	Marketed pharmaceutical intermediates, HPG.
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 (now Kaneka North America LLC).
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.
	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 KANEACE™ B at Kaneka Texas.
1985	Developed and marketed polypropylene foam using bead method, EPERAN-PP™.
	Completed plant for EPERAN™ at Kaneka Belgium N.V.
1986	Commercialized blood purification system and commenced production and sale of the SULFLUX membrane-type plasma separator and the LIPOSORBER™ low-density lipoprotein(LDL) absorber.
	Received prize from the Society of Fermentation Technology, Japan for ß-hydroxy fatty acid.
1987	Established Kaneka Germany(now Kaneka Medical Europe N.V.).
	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. (now Kaneka North America LLC).
	Received award from the Society of Polymer Science of Japan for plasmapheresis system.
	Developed modified PET resin, Kaneka HYPERITE™.

1990~

1990	Started production of EPERAN™ and EPERAN-PP™ at Kaneka Texas.
	Started production of APICAL™ at Allied-Apical Co.
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 KANEKA 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.
1994	Manufacturing approval obtained for Lixelle™ plasma purification device for use in the treatment of dialysis-related amyloidosis.
	Established Kaneka Pharma Europe N.V.(now Kaneka Medical Europe N.V.).
1995	Marketed transparent film, ELMECH™.
	Established Kaneka (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.
1996	Established Kaneka Delaware Corporation.
	Established Kaneka Plastics Corporation.
	Established Kaneka Eperan Sdn. Bhd.
1997	Established Kaneka Pharma America LLC(now Kaneka Medical America LLC).
	Kaneka Malaysia began production of EPERAN™ and MBS resin.
	Established Kaneka High-Tech Materials (now Kaneka north America) to carry on the business operations of Allied-Apical.
	Kashima Manufacturing Site production facilities completed for EPION™ liquid polyisobutylene resin.
	Kaneka Belgium began production of KANEKA MS POLYMER™.
1998	Established Kaneka Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (now Kaneka Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.).
1999	Established Kaneka Paste Polymers Sdn. Bhd.

2000~

2000	Completed new Eperan factory in Michigan for Kaneka Texas Corporation.
	Acquired ISO 14001 registration at four plants in Japan.
	Attained ISO 9001 certification for all related company divisions (an industry first) involved in making KANELITEFOAM™.
	Started domestic sales of photovoltaic solar power generation system.
	Constructed life sciences research divisions.
	Developed word's first non-fluorocarbon, non-halogen foaming agent KANELITEFOAM™, JIS category 3 insulation panel.
2002	Began to sell the functional food material Kaneka Coenzyme Q10.
	Began to sell large-area see-through type photovoltaic modules.
	Began to sell nation's first embolization coil.
2003	Established HiHua Fiber Co., Ltd in China.
	Established Suzhou Eperan Plastic Ltd. (now Kaneka Eperan (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.).
	Developed an imide film capable of forming a three-dimensional optical waveguide with a laser.
2005	Developed an industry's first Acryl grafted-Vinyl Chloride copolymer, PRICTMER™.
2006	Industrialized world's first Telechelic polyacrylate.
	Developed a new injection molding resin by applying proprietary nanocomposite technology.
	Developed toughness-enhancing master batches for epoxy resin.
2007	Established Kaneka Pharma Vietnam Co., Ltd. (now Kaneka Medical Vietnam Co., Ltd.) and KSS Vietnam Co., Ltd.
2008	Achieved Zero-emission status at all production facilities in Japan for the second straight year.
	Developed transparent curable resin with heat and light resistance ILLUMIKA™.
	Developed world's most advanced high thermal conductive graphite sheet, Graphinity™.
	Began commercial production of the isobutylene thermoplastic elastomer SIBSTAR™.
2009	Established Photovoltaic & Thin Film Device Research Laboratories.
	Established Solar Cell Research Division in Kaneka Belgium.
	Established KM Transderm Ltd.

2010~

2010	Developed new thermally conductive plastics with electric insulating properties.
	Established Kaneka India Pvt. Ltd.
	Formed a capital alliance with Belgian biotechnology firm, Eurogentec S.A.(now Kaneka Eurogentec S.A.).
	Rolled out Organic EL Lighting Panels Business.
	Established GeneFrontier Corporation.
	Established Kaneka Innovative Fibers Sdn. Bhd.
2011	Developed world's first completely bio-based polymer with soft and heat-resistant properties
	Received prize from the Society of Polymer Science of Japan for Telechelic polyacrylate.
	Established Kaneka Modifiers Deutschland GmbH.
	Established Kaneka Taiwan Corporation.
	Established Kaneka Korea Corporation.
	Established Kaneka (Foshan) High Performance Materials Co., Ltd.
	Received prize from the 21st International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference.
2012	Established Kaneka Asia Co., Ltd., an Asia regional holding company based in Shanghai, China.
	Established Kaneka Americas Holding, Inc., an Americas regional holding company based in Texas, USA.
	Began to sell KANEKA KanCapA™ selected by global pharmaceutical companies.
	Established Kaneka Apical Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
2013	Established Kaneka South America Representative Ltd. in Brazil.
	Established PT. Kaneka Foods Indonesia.
	Established Kaneka US Material Research Center Facility within Texas A&M.
2014	Commenced sale of organic EL lighting panels with the world’s longest service life and excellent color stability.
	Developed Ikazuchi Zero catheter and commenced sale of this product for use in percutaneous coronary arterioplasty.
2015	Signed the United Nations Global Compact, a concept advocated by former UN Secretary-General.
	Kaneka Europe Holding company N.V. was established to accelerate business expansion in Europe, the Middle East and Africa(EMEA).
	Kaneka MS Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., a new KANEKA MS POLYMER™ production plant, was established.
	A research facility specializing in regenerative medicine and cell therapy was established in Kobe.
	Established Kaneka (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
2016	Acquired a shareholding in Cemedine Co., Ltd., which became a consolidated subsidiary.
	Opened Kaneka Africa Liaison office in Ghana to accelerate business development in Africa.
	Established Kaneka US Innovation Center.
	Achieved the world's highest conversion efficiency in a crystalline silicon solar cell module.
2017	Established Kaneka Hokkaido Co., Ltd.
	Acquired a US formulated advanced resin supplier (Kaneka Aerospace LLC).
	Initiated clinical research on regenerative medicine of alveolar bones using Kaneka’s closed-circuit cell culture system.
	Granted the certificate of biodegradability in marine environment for biodegradable plastics .
	Concluded license contract with European company and entered the drug-coated balloon business.
2018	Kaneka Aerospace acquired the composites portfolio of Henkel Corporation.
	Acquired a patent for large scale culturing pluripotent stem cells in Japan.
	Developed genome editing technology jointly with NARO, enabling short term breeding in wheat.
	Entered the dairy products business.
	Invested in AB-Biotics S.A., a Spanish biotech company and concluded a license agreement for production and sales of its probiotics products.
	Started to sell fermented butter in Japan.
	Adopted for JICA’s collaboration program with the private sector for disseminating Japanese technology in Kenya.
2019	Decided to Set Up New Processed Oil Products Factory in Indonesia.
	Increased Production Capacity of Modifiers for Epoxy Resins.
	Started production of EPERAN™ and EPERAN-PP™ at Kaneka (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
	Developed Super Heat-Resistant Polyimide Film for 5G Applications.
	Launched Belgian Yogurt Pur Natur.
	Began trial introduction of Seven Café straws made with Kaneka Biodegradable Polymer.
	Kaneka Biodegradable Polymer was listed in the Plastic Implement Measure of the European Commission for all food types.
	Received the 3rd Japan Bioindustry Award.
	Began to sell a new coil for embolization of brain aneurysms.
	Completed Kaneka Biodegradable Polymer Green Planet™ Plant with annual production of 5,000 tons.
	Developed an exterior system that generates electricity by the outer wall and window surfaces of buildings, T-Green Multi Solar※. ※T-Green is a registered trademark of Taisei Corporation.

2020~

2020	Kaneka’s see-through photovoltaic modules were adopted in the Japan National Stadium.
	Signed an agreement with Japan Tobacco Inc. to acquire assets related to plant biotechnology.
	Developed ultra-heat-resistant polyimide film for 5G millimeter wave zones.
2021	Began to sell Watashi no Chikara (My Energy)™ - Q10 yogurt.
	Began to sell PCR test kit for COVID-19 variants.
	Opened Panmusubi, a mall-type EC site that enables customers to directly buy bread from famous bakeries nationwide.
	Signed official partnership agreement with Kashima Antlers.
2022	Cemedine Co., Ltd. became a wholly owned subsidiary.
	Completed a new plant for medical equipment in Kaneka Medical Vietnam Co., Ltd.
	Developed T-Green Multi Solar※ for balconies with Taisei Corporation. ※T-Green is a registered trademark of Taisei Corporation.
	Started to manufacture and supply intermediates for Shionogi COVID-19 drug.
2023	Development of Polymer Synthesis Technology by microorganisms using CO2 as direct raw material was selected as a NEDO Green Innovation Fund Project.
	Belgian chocolate brand BENOIT NIHANT opened its fragship store.
	Japan Medical Device Technology Co., Ltd. became a wholly owned subsidiary.
2024	Opened its Tomatoh Manufacturing Site in the Tomakomai Tobu Area of Hokkaido.