History

1964 April
  • Founding of Nippon Engelhard Ltd. (headquartered at Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo) as a joint venture between Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. and Engelhard Corporation (currently BASF Corporation).
  • Nippon Engelhard executed a technology cooperation agreement for chemical catalysts and other products with Engelhard Corporation.
（primary businesses: production and sale of chemical catalysts, precious metal coating chemicals, liquid gold etc, and recovery and refining of precious metal based on technologies introduced from Engelhard Corporation）
December Construction of Ichikawa Laboratory was completed.
1970 March The Head Office was relocated to the World Trade Center Building in Hamamatsu-cho, Minato-ku, Tokyo.
July Construction of Numazu Factory (currently Numazu Plant) completed, manufacturing of precious metal catalysts, and recovery and refinement of precious metals.
1978 March Nippon Engelhard executed a non-exclusive license agreement for auto exhaust catalysts production technology in Japan with Engelhard Corporation.
1979 October Nippon Engelhard launched production of auto exhaust catalysts in Numazu Factory (currently Numazu Plant).
1989 June The corporate name was changed to "N.E. CHEMCAT Corporation".
September N.E. CHEMCAT's shares were registered the over-the-counter market in Tokyo.
1991 September N.E. CHEMCAT executed an exclusive distribution agreement for base metal catalysts with Engelhard Corporation.
1996 December ISO 9002 certification was registered for the manufacture of Chemical Catalysts and Chemicals in Numazu Factory (currently Numazu Plant).
1997 October The development of electrode catalysts for fuel cell vehicles began.
2000 April N.E. CHEMCAT sold business rights pertaining to liquid gold for decoration (for ceramics, glass etc.).
2001 October ISO 14001 certification was registered for Numazu Plant.ISO14001
December ISO 9001 certification was registered for Numazu Plant.ISO9001
2002 February Construction of Tsukuba Plant was completed.
2003 October Tsukuba Plant launched high-volume production of diesel auto exhaust catalysts.
2004 June QS-9000 certification was registered for Numazu Plant, Tsukuba Plant and the Head Office on auto exhaust catalysts.
November ISO 14001 certification was registered for Tsukuba PlantISO14001
2006 June JISHA OSHMS certification of Numazu Plant.
November
  • Shutdown of Ichikawa Laboratory (internal sections transferred to Numazu Plant and Tsukuba Plant).
  • TS 16949:2002 certification was registered for Numazu Plant, Tsukuba Plant and the Head Office on auto exhaust catalysts.
2008 January JISHA OSHMS certification of Tsukuba Plant.
2010 January N.E. CHEMCAT was delisted from JASDAQ and reverted to a 50-50 joint venture between BASF Group and Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
2011 April N.E. CHEMCAT sold its Coating Chemical Business.
May N.E. CHEMCAT acquired BASF Japan-Chemical Catalyst business.
2015 December N.E. CHEMCAT executed a corporative agreement on auto exhaust Catalyst Business of Four-Wheel Automobile with BASF.
2016 February All auto exhaust catalyst production facilities were consolidated into a single facility at Tsukuba Plant.
2017 March The business corporative agreement with BASF was expanded to include auto exhaust catalysts for Motorcycle.
2018 June Diesel auto exhaust catalyst production capacity at Tsukuba Plant was expanded.
September IATF 16949:2016 certification was registered for Numazu Plant, Tsukuba Plant and the Head Office for auto exhaust catalysts.
2019 January The corporative agreement with BASF was further expanded to include Diesel auto exhaust catalysts.
2021 May N.E. CHEMCAT moved its headquarters to the World Trade Center Building South Tower.