- Corporate Overview
- History
History
History of Nippon Light Metal
| Period Prior to Nippon Light Metal's Establishment | |
|---|---|
| 1903 | Nasu Aluminium Instrument Factory (later known as Nikkei Aluminium) commences business as an aluminum instrument manufacturer. |
| 1918 | Osaka Aluminium Factory (later known as Osaka Aluminium) commences business as an aluminum instrument manufacturer. |
| 1931 | Aluminium Sumitomo Limited (now Toyo Aluminium K.K.) is established. |
| 1934 | Special Light Alloy Co., Ltd. (later known as Nikkei Aluminium Rolling Company Ltd.) as a light alloy sheet rolling manufacturer is established. |
| 1937 | The Shizuoka Plant of Riken Foundation (now Riken Light Metal Industry Company, Ltd.) commences business. |
| 1938 | The Sakai Plant of Osaka Aluminium (the precursor to the current Nikkei Technology Center Co., Ltd.) commences operation. |
| First Phase of Establishment | |
|---|---|
| 1939 | Nippon Light Metal Co., Ltd. (NLM) is established jointly by Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. and Tokyo Dento (now TEPCO) as an aluminum smelting business. |
| 1940 | NLM commences aluminum smelting at the Kambara Plant (now the Group Casting Center). The Inazawa Plant of Special Light Alloy Co., Ltd. (now NLM's Nagoya Plant) commences operation. |
| 1941 | NLM commences aluminum smelting at the former Niigata Plant. NLM commences alumina production at the Shimizu Plant. |
| 1944 | Hokuriku Light Metal Industry (later known as Hokusei Aluminium) is established. |
| 1945 | Aluminum production suspended due to intensification of the war Nippon Electrode Co., Ltd. is established. |
| 1948 | Commencement of production by the Shimizu and Kambara Plants following the resumption of bauxite imports. Taishin Yoko Co., Ltd. (later known as Taishin Light Metal Co., Ltd.) is established as a secondary aluminum alloy manufacturer. |
| 1949 | Kowa Shokai Co., Ltd. (now Nikkei Sangyo Co., Ltd.) is established. |
| 1950 | Yurin Kogyo Co., Ltd. (later known as Nikkei Shoji Co., Ltd; now Nikkei Sangyo Co., Ltd.) is established. |
| Second Phase of Establishment and Expansion Phase | |
|---|---|
| 1952 | Establishment of capital and technology cooperation with Canada's Aluminium Limited (later known as Alcan; now Rio Tinto) |
| 1958 | Spinning off of ceramic and aluminum sulfate divisions of Shimizu Plant to establish Nikkei Kako Co., Ltd. (now NLM's Chemicals Div.) Resumption of production by former Niigata Plant |
| 1961 | Nippon Light Metal Research Laboratory, Ltd. (later known as Nikkei Techno-Research Co., Ltd.; now Nikkei Research and Development Center) is established. |
| 1962 | Completion of Nikkei Building (former headquarters building) in Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
| 1963 | Formation of technical ties with US-based Fruehauf International Limited. Nippon Fruehauf Co., Ltd. is established. |
| 1964 | The Funabashi Plant of Nikkei Aluminium (now NLM's Funabashi Plant) commences operation. |
| 1969 | The Tomakomai Electrolytic Plant commences operation. |
| 1970 | The Kota Alloy Casting Factory (now the Kota Plant of Nikkei MC Aluminium Co., Ltd.) commences operation The Shiga Plant of Osaka Aluminium (now the Shiga Plant of Nikkei Panel System Co., Ltd.) commences operation. |
| 1971 | Merger between Nikkei Aluminium and Osaka Aluminium |
| 1972 | The Tomakomai Alumina Plant commences operation. |
| 1973 | Kansai Aluminium Alloy Co., Ltd. (later known as Daishin Light Metal Co., Ltd.; now the Mie Plant of Nikkei MC Aluminium Co., Ltd.) commences operation. Nikkal Extrusion Co., Ltd. (now NLM's Kambara Extrusion Plant) commences operation. NLM acquires capital in Hikari Co., Ltd. (now Nikkei Extrusions Company, Ltd.). |
| Phase of Expansion of Fabrication Business | |
|---|---|
| 1974 | NLM merges with Nikkei Aluminium Co., Ltd. and inherits the sales business of Nikkei Aluminium Rolling Company Ltd. to form a total aluminum business system. NLM and Alcan jointly establish Alpack Aluminium in Canada. |
| 1977 | Nikkei Hokusei House Building Materials Co., Ltd. (later known as Shin Nikkei Co., Ltd.) is established. |
| 1978 | Merger between NLM and Nikkei Aluminium Rolling Company Ltd. Nikkei Unyu Soko Co., Ltd. (now Nikkei Logistics Co., Ltd.) is established. |
| 1979 | NLM wins an order for an aluminum smelting plant in China (Guizhou Province Plant) |
| 1980 | Operation of the former Niigata Plant is discontinued, and its electrolytic equipment is disposed of (via sale to South Africa's Alsaf) |
| 1982 | The Niigata East Port Plant (now Nikkei Niigata Co., Ltd.) commences operation as an aluminum extrusion plant. |
| 1983 | NLM sells the Nikkei Building (its former headquarters). Nikkei Tomakomai Co., Ltd. is established. NLM transfers the operations of the Tomakomai Plant (excepting the Electrolytic Division) to the new company. NLM spins off its Computer Systems Div., and establishes Nikkei Information System Co., Ltd. |
| 1984 | NLM moves its headquarters to Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo NLM consolidates the Group's building material businesses, and establishes Shin Nikkei Co., Ltd. |
| 1985 | Operation of the Tomakomai Electrolytic Plant is discontinued. Nikkaru Extrusion Co., Ltd. (now Nikkei Kambara Co., Ltd.) is integrated into NLM. |
| 1986 | The alumina chemicals sales operations of Nikkei Kako Co., Ltd. and Nikkei Shoji Co., Ltd. are integrated to form NLM's Alumina Chemicals Div. Operation of the Tomakomai Alumina Plant is discontinued. Integration of the Sales Div. of NLM Construction Material Department into Shin Nikkei Co., Ltd. Nonfemet International Aluminium Co., Ltd. is established in Shenzhen, China. NLM spins off its Cold Energy System Sales Div. to establish Nikkei Cold Energy Co., Ltd. (now Nikkei Panel System Co., Ltd.). The Kambara Capacitor Foil Plant commences operation. |
| 1987 | NLM forms alliance with US-based Modine, and establishes Nikkei Heat Exchanger Co., Ltd. |
| 1988 | The Kambara Heat Exchanger Plant commences operation. NLM acquires capital in Alcan Thailand NLM merges with Shin Nikkei Co., Ltd. and Hokusei Aluminium Co., Ltd. |
| 1989 | NLM merges with Nikkei Kako Co., Ltd. and Nikkei Tomakomai Co., Ltd. |
| 1991 | NLM merges with Taishin Light Metal Co., Ltd. (now Nikkei MC Aluminium Co., Ltd.) NLM introduces semi-solid forging (SSF) |
| 1992 | NLM merges with Alcan Asean Co., Ltd. NLM acquires a controlling interest in the Aluminium Company of Malaysia (ALCOM) and Alcan Siam NLM acquires capital in Matsuo Kogyo Co., Ltd. (now Nikkei Matsuo Co., Ltd.) |
| 1993 | NLM merges with Nikkei Cold Energy Co., Ltd. (now Nikkei Panel System Co., Ltd.) |
| 1995 | NLM merges with Nikkei Techno-Research Co., Ltd and establishes the Nikkei Research and Development Center (NRDC). |
| 1996 | NLM headquarters is moved to Higashi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo. NLM consolidates Group aluminum consumer products sales divisions to establish Nikkei Products Co., Ltd. NLM acquires capital in Toyo Aluminium K.K. NLM transfers the Building Material Div. of its Funabashi Plant to Shin Nikkei Co., Ltd. In a joint investment with Alcan, NLM establishes Alcan Nikkei Asia Holdings Ltd. (ANAH) and Alcan Nikkei Asia Company Ltd. (ANAC) to oversee companies in the Southeast Asia region. |
| 1999 | The Kambara Alloy Plant discontinues operation. Plant operations are consolidated and restructured, and transferred to NLM's Kota and Mie Plants (now the Kota and Mie Plants of Nikkei MC Aluminium Co., Ltd.) In a joint investment with Daiki Aluminum Industry Co., Ltd., NLM establishes Daiki Nikkei Thai Co., Ltd. for the production and sale of aluminum alloys in Thailand. NLM merges with Toyo Aluminium K.K. and establishes the Toyo Aluminium Central Office. NLM discontinues its capital alliance with Alcan. |
| 2000 | Nikkei Shoji Co., Ltd. is integrated into Nikkei Sangyo Co., Ltd. The Memory Disc Substrate Div. is disbanded. NLM spins off its Landscape Engineering Div. to establish Sumikei Nikkei Engineering Co., Ltd. (now Nikkei Engineering Co., Ltd.) in cooperation with Sumitomo Light Metal Industries, Ltd. (now UACJ Co., Ltd.). NLM makes Shin Nikkei Co., Ltd. a 100% subsidiary. NLM introduces an executive officer system. |
| 2001 | NLM abolishes its central office system. The Commercialization Strategy Project Office is launched. The NLM Communication Mark is established. |
| 2002 |
NLM spins off its Panel System Div. to establish Nikkei Panel System Co., Ltd. NLM spins off its Extrusion Div. and Sheet & Extrusion Fabricated Products Div. (excluding the Container Division) to establish Nikkeikin Aluminium Core Technology Co., Ltd. NLM integrates its Toyal Div. into Toyo Aluminium K.K. |
| Phase of Overseas Business Expansion | |
|---|---|
| 2003 | NLM establishes Alcan Nikkei Siam Ltd. (now Nikkei Siam Aluminium Ltd.) as a consolidated subsidiary. NLM introduces FlexcasterTR, a continuous aluminum strip-casting technology |
| 2004 | NLM enters into a partnership with Nonfemet International Aluminium Co., Ltd. to establish NI Nikkei Shenzhen Co., Ltd. for the fabrication and sale of extruded aluminum materials for automotive parts. |
| 2005 | NLM makes Tokai Aluminum Foil Co., Ltd. a subsidiary. NLM acquires capital in M.C. Aluminum (Kunshan), a secondary aluminum alloy manufacturing subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation in China. M.C. Nikkei Aluminum (Kunshan) Co., Ltd. (now Nikkei MC Aluminum (Kunshan) Co., Ltd.) is established in Kunshan, China. NLM withdraws from its daily necessities business. |
| 2007 | NLM's business in aluminum alloys for casting and die casting is integrated with M.C. Aluminum Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation, and Nikkei MC Aluminium Co., Ltd. is launched as a subsidiary. Toyo Aluminium K.K. establishes Toyal Zhaoqing Co., Ltd. in Zhaoqing, China. NLM makes Tokai Aluminum Foil Co., Ltd. a 100% subsidiary, and transfers all shares in Tokai Aluminum Foil to Toyo Aluminium K.K. |
| 2008 | NLM establishes Nikkei (Shanghai) Body Parts Co., Ltd. in Shanghai, China. |
| 2010 | NLM transfers all shares in Shin Nikkei Co., Ltd. to the JS Group Corporation (now the LIXIL Group Corporation). NLM establishes Nikkei (Shanghai) International Trading Co., Ltd. in Shanghai, China. |
| 2011 | NLM establishes Nikkeikin Kakoh Kaihatsu Holdings Co., Ltd. as an intermediary stock holding company to administer the Group's extrusion and extrusion processing businesses. Nippon Fruehauf Company Ltd. establishes Conglin Fruehauf in Longkou, China. |
| 2012 | NLM establishes Nippon Light Metal Holdings Co., Ltd. as a pure holding company. Nikkeikin Aluminium Core Technology Company, Ltd. establishes Shandong Nikkei Conglin Automotive Parts Co., Ltd. in Longkou, China, and Changchun Nikkei Railway Vehicle Equipment Co., Ltd. in Changchun, China. Nikkei MC Aluminium Co., Ltd. establishes CMR Nikkei India Private Ltd. in India. NML's Shimizu Plant terminates use of bauxite and completes transition to use of aluminum hydroxide as a raw material. |
| 2013 | Nikkei MC Aluminium Co., Ltd. establishes T.S.T. Nikkei Metales S. de R.L. de C.V. in Mexico. |
| 2014 | NLM discontinues its aluminum electrolysis business. |
| 2015 | NLM makes Toyo Rikagaku Kenkyusho, Ltd. a subsidiary. |
| 2016 | Toyo Aluminium K.K. establishes Toyal MMP India Private Limited in India. |
| 2018 | NLM makes Sumikei Nikkei Engineering Co., Ltd. (now Nikkei Engineering Co., Ltd.) a consolidated subsidiary. |
| 2019 | NLM makes Nikkei Heat Exchanger Co., Ltd. a subsidiary. |
| 2019 | NLM transfers its headquarters to Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo. |