Established Sekisui Sangyo Co., Ltd. in order to run a general plastic business. Changed the company name to Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. Started the plastic automatic injection molding business. In 1950, developed Japan......Established Sekisui Sangyo Co., Ltd. in order to run a general plastic business. Changed the company name to Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. Started the plastic automatic injection molding business. In 1950, developed Japans first cellophane tape, which acquired a favorable reputation. In 1952, started full scale production of "Eslon Pipe," a hard PVC pipe, which greatly contributed to infrastructural developments such as water supply/drainage, power supply and gas distribution systems. In 1953, became listed on the Osaka Stock Exchange, and in 1954, on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. In 1955, succeeded in molding injection of PVC pipe fittings. In 1956, developed Japans first plastic rain gutters ("Eslon Rain Gutters"). In 1959, opened an office in New York. In 1962, established Sekisui Chemical Deutschland, an export, import and sales company for the European market. In 1969, started production of plastic bathtubs. For the first time Sekisui entered an overseas market by establishing a local plant. Sekisui Plastics Corporation (SPC) was opened in Pennsylvania, U.S., for the manufacture of expandable polystyrene paper. SPC was the very first plant to be set up in the U.S. by a Japanese manufacturer. In the same year, Sekisui Malaysia Co., Ltd. was established in Singapore for the manufacture of pipes for the supply of water to tin mines. This marked the beginning of an overseas advance by Sekisui that continued until the mid 1970s. Sekisui Singapore (PTE) Ltd., formerly Sekisui Malaysia Co., Ltd. Sekisui Plastics Corporation (Pennsylvania, U.S.) In 1970, developed Japans first modular house ("Heim M1"). Cumulatively sold more than 400,000 houses. Developed polyethylene products. The companys plastic garbage bin products of "Poly-Pail" and "Poly-Bucket" greatly contributed to beautification of towns in Japan. Sekisuis "Softlon," a radiation cross-linked foamed polyolefin product, became widely used in IT, automotive and building industries. Exported the companys technology to the U.S. and Europe. Expanded production and sales networks through joint management with local companies. Actively promoted overseas operations. In 1979, awareded the Deming Prize, the highest honor for quality management, including production, sales and service, for the companys active promotion of TQC activities. 1973 Alveo B.V. (currently Sekisui Alveo B.V.), established in Holland in 1973 for the manufacture and sale of Softlon. Sekisui currently boasts 13 manufacturing bases across the globe with more than 40 sales offices. 1974 The oil shock brought with it the need to review the concepts of mass-production and large-scale consumer spending and led to the advance of energy conservation and heightened functionality in the field of piping machinery and materials, heralding the development of a wide range of products using new materials and technologies. One of the products to emerge from these developments was the wide-diameter Reinforced Compound Plastic pipe (RCP). At the same time, Fiber-reinforced Foamed Urethane (FFU) was developed in the field of functional materials. Sekisui is growing on global scale with the current RCP also manufactured by XINJIANG YONGCHANG-SEKISUI COMPOSITES CO., LTD. in China, and FFU is now coming into use for railroad sleepers throughout the world. RCP construction in process FFU is used for deodorizing lids in sewage processing facilities. In 1987, developed "Two-U Home," a wooden structured modular house made using the companys unit technology and 2x4 technology, and started its sales. The companys consolidated net sales greatly increased during the 10s, from 335.5 billion yen (1980) to 808.6 billion yen (1990). In 1996, acquired ISO 9000 series quality system certification. In 1996, the companys capital exceeded 100 billion yen. The year 1997 marked the 50th anniversary of the companys founding. In 1996, started the companys first overseas factory for "S-LEC FILM," an interlayer film, in the Netherlands. As part of the companys social action program, started providing support for the nature conservation project of Nippon Keidanren. Introduced the environmental management system and acquired an ISO 14001 certification. 1997 Construction of Sekisui Home factory in Thailand completed. Sekisui industry in China Two-U Home factory in Kuban completed. 1999 S-LEC B.V. interlayer film factory completed in Europe. In 2000, Interlayer film manufacturing and sales company established in Thailand. Started a 3-company system, an internal company system which consists of a housing company, an urban infrastructure and environmental products company and a high-performance plastics company. Started local production and sales, in China, of many types of high-performance plastic products for infrastructural development, medical applications and automotive uses, such as water supply and drainage pipes, vacuum blood-collecting tubes and interlayer films.