History

The Japanease Geon Co., Ltd. founded to manufacture and sell plastics with starting capital of 5 million yen. Head Office set up within Nippon Light Metal Co., Ltd. (7-3 Ginza Nishi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo).

Technical assistance contract for the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride resins (PVC) concluded with BF Goodrich Chemicals Co. of the U.S.A.

PVC production begins at Kanbara Plant (Shizuoka Prefecture).

Technological Research Laboratory opens.

PVC production begins at Takaoka Plant (Toyama Prefecture).

Production of Japan's first synthetic rubbers begins at Kawasaki Plant (Kanagawa Prefecture). Central Research Laboratory opens.

Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Listed on the Osaka and Nagoya Stock Exchanges in October.

Head Office moves to Marunouchi 2-6-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.

Butadiene and SBR production using the GPB Process (Zeon's proprietary technology for extracting butadiene) begins at Tokuyama Plant (Yamaguchi Prefecture).

BR production begins at Tokuyama Plant.

Kanbara Plant closed.

PVC production begins at Mizushima Plant (Okayama Prefecture).

All stock of The Japanease Geon held by BF Goodrich Chemical Co. of the U.S.A. transferred to Japanese interest.

English company name changed to Nippon Zeon co., Ltd.

GPI (Zeon's proprietary technology for extracting Isoprene) facility completed in Mizushima Plant and production of IR begin at the plant.

C5 hydrocarbon resin production begins at Mizushima Plant

Production of NBR begins at Tokuyama Plant

Synthetic aromatic chemicals production begins at Mizushima Plant.

Electronic materials business launched.

Production of Zetpol® (hydrogenated NBR) begins at Takaoka Plant.

Entire company awarded Deming Prize for TQC.

Production of Quintac® (thermoplastic elastomer SIS) begins at Mizushima Plant.

Production of polymerized toner begins at Kawasaki Plant.

Solution-polymerized SBR production begins at Tokuyama Plant.

Nitrile rubber operations of BP Chemical Ltd. in U.K. purchased.

RIM products business launched.

Specialty rubber business of BF Goodrich Chemicals Co. of the U.S.A. purchased.

Company becomes first enterprise in the world to receive approval to manufacture ventricular-assist devices.

A comprehensive medical equipment plant completed within the Takaoka Plant.

ZEONEX (COP, Cyclo Olefin Polymer) plant completed within the Mizushima Plant.

Environmental materials business launched in its entirety.

Takaoka and Tokuyama Plants acquire ISO 9002 certification. (Kawasaki and Mizushima Plants acquire it in 1995.)

Combined septic tank production facility completed at Mizushima Plant.

PVC business via transfer to Shin Dai-ichi Vinyl Corporation spun-off.

Construction of C5 hydrocarbon resin plant of Zeon Chemicals (Thailand) Co., Ltd. completed.

Sales of ZEONOR® (COP) , begin.

Takaoka Plant acquires ISO 14001 certification. (Tokuyama, Mizushima, and Kawasaki Plants acquire it in 1999.)

Production facility for ZEORORA® completed at Takaoka Plant.

The U.S. DSM Copolymer's NBR business purchased.

Specialty rubber business from the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company of the U.S.A. purchased.

PVC production at Mizushima Plant discontinued. Company withdraws from vinyl chloride business.

Company logo changed and English company name changed to ZEON CORPORATION to mark the 50th anniversary.

COP processing facility completed in Takaoka Plant.

ZeonorFilm® (LCD Plastic film) launched.

RIMTEC Corporation founded

Construction of a polymerized color toner plant begins.
Construction of the facility for LCD diffusion plates made with COP completed.

Construction of a new CMB (Carbon Master Batch) factory completed in Guangzhou, China.

A new Low-k dielectric material for inter-layer insulation film was developed.

COP production capacity improved to 15,000 tons.

Construction of Precision Optics Laboratory and ZeonorFilm® Complex No.5 at Takaoka Plant completed.
Relocated Head Office to current location.

Constructs new manufacturing facility and launches sales of New Ether Solvent.

Completed R&D building No.10.

Won METI Minister's Prize of the second Monozukuri Nippon Grand Award for Plastic films.

New facility for Plastic films constructed in Himi city, Toyama Pref.

Completed the construction of Intergrated Product Center (IPC) at Mizushima Plant.

Zeon absorps Optes Inc,.

Zeon Chemicals Singapore Pte. Ltd. founded.

ZEON KOREA CO.,LTD.founded.

Zeon Manufacturing Vietnam Co., Ltd. founded.

New facility for Plastic films constructed in Tsuruga city, Fukui.

Completed the construction of facility for S-SBR at Zeon Chemicals Singapore.

New facility for optical films constructed in Himi city, Toyama Pref.

Zeon India Private Limited founded.

Completed the construction of facility for Carbon Nanotube at Tokuyama plant.

Joint Venture between Zeon and Sumitomo Chemical started operations.

Zeon Specialty Materials lnc. founded.

Discontinued of UK production.

Zeon Taiwan Co., Ltd. founded.

Zeon Chemicals Asia Co., Ltd. founded.

Signed the UN Global Compact.

70th anniversary