Withdrew from the rayon business.
Commercialized biocarrier for wastewater treatment KURAGEL™ (Saijo).
Established Kuraray Medical Inc.
Acquired the PVA-related operations of Clariant AG and transferred them to newly established manufacturing and sales company Kuraray Specialities Europe of Frankfurt, Germany.
2000s
Kuraray accelerated overseas business development by acquiring a PVA-related business portfolio in Germany and starting SEPTON™ production in the U.S.
- 2000
- President Yasuaki Wakui took office.
Commercialized new water-soluble resin EXCEVAL™ (Okayama).
- 2001
-
Signing ceremony for the acquisition of Clariant’s PVA-related operations
- 2002
-
Established Shanghai Office.
SEPTON Company of America began manufacturing SEPTON™.
SEPTON Company of America
- 2003
-
A dirigible employing VECTRAN™ reached the stratosphere.
Dirigible employing VECTRAN™
- 2004
-
Kuraray Research and Technical Center U.S.A. commenced operations.
Enhanced the functions of the Tokyo Head Office and moved it to Otemachi in Chiyoda-ku.
Acquired the polyvinyl butyral (PVB) film business of HT Troplast AG. Operations commenced as a division of Kuraray Specialties Europe GmbH.
Kuraray Research & Technical Center in the U.S.
- 2005
- Acquired the VECTRAN™ high-performance polyarylate fibers business of U.S.-based Celanese Advanced Materials Inc. Operations commenced as a division of Kuraray America Inc.
- 2006
- Kuraray Europe GmbH absorbed Kuraray Specialities Europe GmbH.
- 2007
-
Created a new-generation Kurashiki Plant by moving a large proportion of operations to Tamashima from Sakazu in Kurashiki, where Kuraray was established.
Opened Production and Technology Develpopment Center to consolidate development departments.
Changed stock industrial classification from Fibers and Textiles to Chemicals.
Began running television commercials with “new materials that transform the future” as the tagline.
Production and Technology Development Center opened at the Kurashiki Plant (Tamashima)
- 2008
- Kuraray America, Inc. merged with Eval Company of America and SEPTON Company of America.
Acquired all outstanding shares of POVAL ASIA PTE. LTD. and made it a subsidiary.
President Fumio Ito took office.
Kuraray Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. launched in Singapore.
- 2009
- Kuraray India Private Limited commenced operations.
Commercial launch of environmentally friendly man-made leather TIRRENINA™.
