History
1950s
April, 1950
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).
January, 1951
Technical assistance contract for the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride resins (PVC) concluded with BF Goodrich Chemicals Co. of the U.S.A.
April, 1952
PVC production begins at Kanbara Plant (Shizuoka Prefecture).
September, 1953
Technological Research Laboratory opens.
November, 1956
PVC production begins at Takaoka Plant (Toyama Prefecture).
July, 1959
Production of Japan's first synthetic rubbers begins at Kawasaki Plant (Kanagawa Prefecture). Central Research Laboratory opens.
1960s
September, 1961
Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Listed on the Osaka and Nagoya Stock Exchanges in October.
June, 1965
Head Office moves to Marunouchi 2-6-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
August, 1965
Butadiene and SBR production using the GPB Process (Zeon's proprietary technology for extracting butadiene) begins at Tokuyama Plant (Yamaguchi Prefecture).
November, 1965
BR production begins at Tokuyama Plant.
March, 1967
Kanbara Plant closed.
July, 1969
PVC production begins at Mizushima Plant (Okayama Prefecture).
1970s
September, 1970
All stock of The Japanease Geon held by BF Goodrich Chemical Co. of the U.S.A. transferred to Japanese interest.
November, 1971
English company name changed to Nippon Zeon co., Ltd.
November, 1971
GPI (Zeon's proprietary technology for extracting Isoprene) facility completed in Mizushima Plant and production of IR begin at the plant.
August, 1973
C5 hydrocarbon resin production begins at Mizushima Plant
February, 1978
Production of NBR begins at Tokuyama Plant
1980s
April, 1980
Synthetic aromatic chemicals production begins at Mizushima Plant.
July, 1982
Electronic materials business launched.
April, 1984
Production of Zetpol® (hydrogenated NBR) begins at Takaoka Plant.
November, 1985
Entire company awarded Deming Prize for TQC.
December, 1985
Production of Quintac® (thermoplastic elastomer SIS) begins at Mizushima Plant.
March, 1986
Production of polymerized toner begins at Kawasaki Plant.
August, 1986
Solution-polymerized SBR production begins at Tokuyama Plant.
March, 1989
Nitrile rubber operations of BP Chemical Ltd. in U.K. purchased.
September, 1989
RIM products business launched.
October, 1989
Specialty rubber business of BF Goodrich Chemicals Co. of the U.S.A. purchased.
1990s
February, 1990
Company becomes first enterprise in the world to receive approval to manufacture ventricular-assist devices.
October, 1990
A comprehensive medical equipment plant completed within the Takaoka Plant.
November, 1990
ZEONEX (COP, Cyclo Olefin Polymer) plant completed within the Mizushima Plant.
July, 1994
Environmental materials business launched in its entirety.
October, 1994
Takaoka and Tokuyama Plants acquire ISO 9002 certification. (Kawasaki and Mizushima Plants acquire it in 1995.)
October, 1994
Combined septic tank production facility completed at Mizushima Plant.
July, 1995
PVC business via transfer to Shin Dai-ichi Vinyl Corporation spun-off.
June, 1998
Construction of C5 hydrocarbon resin plant of Zeon Chemicals (Thailand) Co., Ltd. completed.
September, 1998
Sales of ZEONOR® (COP) , begin.
November, 1998
Takaoka Plant acquires ISO 14001 certification. (Tokuyama, Mizushima, and Kawasaki Plants acquire it in 1999.)
December, 1998
Production facility for ZEORORA® completed at Takaoka Plant.
December, 1998
The U.S. DSM Copolymer's NBR business purchased.
September, 1999
Specialty rubber business from the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company of the U.S.A. purchased.
2000s
March, 2000
PVC production at Mizushima Plant discontinued. Company withdraws from vinyl chloride business.
July, 2000
Company logo changed and English company name changed to ZEON CORPORATION to mark the 50th anniversary.
December, 2001
COP processing facility completed in Takaoka Plant.
October, 2002
ZeonorFilm® (LCD Plastic film) launched.
August, 2003
RIMTEC Corporation founded
April, 2004
Construction of a polymerized color toner plant begins.
Construction of the facility for LCD diffusion plates made with COP completed.
August, 2004
Construction of a new CMB (Carbon Master Batch) factory completed in Guangzhou, China.
October, 2004
A new Low-k dielectric material for inter-layer insulation film was developed.
November, 2004
COP production capacity improved to 15,000 tons.
February, 2005
Construction of Precision Optics Laboratory and ZeonorFilm® Complex No.5 at Takaoka Plant completed.
Relocated Head Office to current location.
October, 2005
Constructs new manufacturing facility and launches sales of New Ether Solvent.
May, 2006
Completed R&D building No.10.
August, 2007
Won METI Minister's Prize of the second Monozukuri Nippon Grand Award for Plastic films.
September, 2008
New facility for Plastic films constructed in Himi city, Toyama Pref.
June, 2008
Completed the construction of Intergrated Product Center (IPC) at Mizushima Plant.
January, 2009
Zeon absorps Optes Inc,.
2010s
December, 2010
Zeon Chemicals Singapore Pte. Ltd. founded.
February, 2011
ZEON KOREA CO.,LTD.founded.
February, 2012
Zeon Manufacturing Vietnam Co., Ltd. founded.
October, 2013
New facility for Plastic films constructed in Tsuruga city, Fukui.
April, 2014
Completed the construction of facility for S-SBR at Zeon Chemicals Singapore.
February, 2015
New facility for optical films constructed in Himi city, Toyama Pref.
July, 2015
Zeon India Private Limited founded.
November, 2015
Completed the construction of facility for Carbon Nanotube at Tokuyama plant.
April, 2017
Joint Venture between Zeon and Sumitomo Chemical started operations.
October, 2017
Zeon Specialty Materials lnc. founded.
March, 2018
Discontinued of UK production.
June, 2018
Zeon Taiwan Co., Ltd. founded.
September, 2018
Zeon Chemicals Asia Co., Ltd. founded.
July, 2019
Signed the UN Global Compact.
2020s
April, 2020
70th anniversary