Corporate profile and history

Company name	Kawasaki Kasei Chemicals Ltd.
Date of establishment	December 4, 1948
Capital	6,282 million yen
President & CEO	Toshikazu Yamabe
Number of employees	236
Features	Producing organic acids including the industry-leading phthalic anhydride Producing organic acid derivatives, including plasticizers and MAXIMOL™(polyester-polyol) Conducting business focused on three central quinone products, e.g., SAQ™, a pulp delignification agent, based on our unique technique Accelerating the development of new derivatives using our advanced development potential as a world-leading producer of quinone A group company of the Mitsubishi chemical Company(MCC) group

History

Our company was inaugurated on May 20, 1948 under the corporate name of Chuo Kasei Chemicals Ltd., with the purpose of “refining and processing of tar products and manufacturing of products made of tar as the main raw material”.
Afterwards, on March 31, 1956, Chuo Kasei Chemicals Ltd. merged with its subsidiary, Kawasaki Kasei Chemicals Ltd. and the latter was the surviving corporation. Later, on October 1, 1960, Kawasaki Kasei Chemicals Ltd. merged with Kawasaki Kasei Chemicals Ltd., which was founded on December 4, 1948 and the latter (KKC) was the surviving corporation, as it is today.

1948	Chuo Kasei Chemicals Ltd. was established in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, with the purpose of refining naphthalene.
	The Omori Plant was founded.
1951	Production of phthalic anhydride started.
1953	Production of succinic acid started.
1954	Chidori Plant (presently Kawasaki Plant, Chidori) was founded.
1955	Kawasaki Kasei chemicals Ltd. was established as a 100% owned subsidiary by Chuo Kasei Chemicals Ltd., in Kawasaki City.
1956	Chuo Kasei Chemicals Ltd. merged with Kawasaki Kasei Chemicals Ltd., and the latter was the surviving corporation.
	Production of fumaric acid started.
1957	Shiohama Plant (presently Kawasaki Plant, Shiohama) was founded.
1958	Production of terephthalic acid started as the first in the world using the Henkel process.
1960	Kawasaki Kasei Chemicals Ltd. merged with Kawasaki Kasei Chemicals Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, and the latter was the surviving corporation.
1961	Company stocks were listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
	Company stocks were listed on the Osaka Stock Exchange.
1962	Production of DL-malic acid started.
1971	Production of terephthalic acid was terminated.
	Omori Plant was closed.
1972	Production of crude phthalocyanine blue, an organic pigment, started
1973	Production of anthraquinone and naphthoquinone started.
1976	Market introduction of SAQ™, a pulp delignification agent, started.
1980	Okouchi Memorial Production Prize was given for the “Establishment of a production process for naphthoquinone and anthraquinone from naphthalene as the raw material.”
1987	Award for Technical Excellence of the Japan Chemical Industry Association was given for “Development of a novel production process of tetrahydro-anthraquinone and anthraquinone, and practical application of a pulp delignification agent.”
1988	Perfection of laboratory buildings and large-scale multi-purpose trial production facilities.
1995	Sales of Sulf-control™ started.
1996	Sales of Metal-control™ started.
1998	Acquisition of ISO9002 certificate for the quality management system.
1999	Market introduction of acequinocyl, a pesticide raw material, started.
2002	Production of MAXIMOL™ started.
	Production of crude phthalocyanine blue, an organic pigment, was terminated.
2003	Transition to ISO9001 (version 2000) for quality management system.
	Company stock listed on the Osaka Stock Exchange was withdrawn.
	Production of Anthracure® started.
2004	Declaration of Responsible Care(RC) activity.
2005	Acquisition of ISO14001 (version 2004) certificate, for environmental management system.
2009	Perfection of the office & laboratory buildings in the Kawasaki Plant(Chidori).
	Transition to ISO9001 (version 2008) for quality management system.