Sumitomo Chemical: Group Companies of the Americas history

Sumitomo Corporation was originally founded as The Osaka North Harbour Company Limited (later renamed Sumitomo Real Estate Building Company Limited ) in December 1919.

In 1925 the chemical division of the Niihama copper refinery was made an independent corporation and renamed Sumitomo Fertilizer Manufacturing.

When right-wing militarist elements seized power in Japan during the 1930's, they initiated an industrial mobilization for achieving Japanese economic domination of Asia and the western Pacific.

In 1934, the company officially changed its name to Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.

Sumitomo Metal Industries, established in 1935, was called Fusō Metal Industries during the occupation after World War II. The company became a leading manufacturer of steel and steel products, and it diversified into semiconductors and biotechnology.

In 1944 it absorbed the Japan Dyestuff Manufacturing Company, which produced dyes and pharmaceutical products.

When the war ended with the Japanese surrender in September of 1945, Sumitomo emerged as the nation's largest chemical concern.

As part of the dissolution of the Sumitomo Group, Sumitomo Chemical was forced to change its name to Nisshin Chemical Industries in 1946 and refrain from using the igeta, the Sumitomo trademark.

In 1949 Nisshin Chemical acquired Sumitomo Aluminum Reduction, a division of a dissolved affiliate of the Sumitomo group.

Sumitomo Metal Mining, the descendent of the original company, was established in 1950.

Then, the company was renamed Sumitomo Shoji Kaisha Limited in June 1952.

In 1958, Sumitomo Chemical built one of the first ethylene plants in Japan in Ehime Prefecture, thus advancing into the field of petrochemicals.

In 1961 it established a factory in Nagoya for aluminum production, and the following year completed the Ibaraki Plant in Osaka for the preparation of pharmaceuticals.

Sumitomo Chemical continued its expansion in 1965 when it established the Takatsuki special laboratory facility to conduct research in new chemical technologies.

In 1970 the company’s Tokyo Branch Office was renamed the Tokyo Head Office, establishing a dual head office structure with one in Tokyo and the other in Osaka.

Another research facility called Takarazuka was founded in 1971 to develop new pharmaceutical and pesticide technologies.

Fertilizer production had become increasingly unprofitable since the oil crisis in 1974.

Sumitomo Chiba Chemical Co., Ltd. is established and is fully acquired in 1975 at the present-day Chiba Works.

In 1977 Sumitomo's president, Kaneshige Hasegawa, was "promoted" out of operational management to chairman, and the company's successful managing director, Takeshi Hijikata, was named president.

A pharmaceutical and pesticide research facility was added to the Osaka Works in 1980, and two years later a New Products and Systems division was established to reinforce the company's development of new products.

In 1983 production of ethylene and ethylene derivatives at the Ehime Works was curtailed in order to concentrate production at the Chiba plant.

The aluminum operation is transferred to the newly formed Sumitomo Aluminium Co., Ltd., subsequently dissolved in 1986.

The Takatsuki Research Laboratory is completed, serving as the Company's central laboratory (closed in March 2003).

Sumitomo Chemical Takeda Agro Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Sumitomo Chemical and Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd., succeeds Takeda Chemical's agrochemical business and commences operation (fully acquired in 2007).