History

■Ferroalloy
■Functional Materials
■Environment
■Electric Power
■Industrial chemicals

NIPPON DENKO CO.,LTD.

1925

■ Ogaki Denki Yakin Kogyosho Co., Ltd. (later Nippon Denki Yakin Co., Ltd.) established, begins production and sale of various ferroalloys
1934

Ogaki Denki Yakin Kogyosho reorganized and named Denki Yakin Industry Co., Ltd.
1936

Denki Yakin Industry renamed Nippon Denki Yakin Co., Ltd.
1937

■ Begins production and sale of chromium chemicals in Kuriyama, Hokkaido
1963

Nippon Denko Co., Ltd. formed with merger of Nippon Denki Yakin Co., Ltd. and Toho Denka Co., Ltd.
1969

■ Tokushima Plant built, begins operation (equipped with pier facilities and large electric furnace)
1971

■ Merges Kyokuto Kogyo K.K.
1973

■ Starts up chromic acid recovery operations
1984

■ Begins production and sale of ferroboron using an electric furnace
1989

■ Begins production and sale of zirconium oxide
1992

■ Completes new chromic acid recovery plant in Koriyama
1993

■ Establishes NST Ferrochrome (Pty) Limited jointly with South African firm Samancor
1996

■ Begins sale of AQUA PACK cartridge-type demineralizer
1999

■ Begins sale of MR-PACK pure water production unit
2000
- ■ Forms strategic alliance with South African firm Samancor for ferromanganese production
- ■ Completes expansion of ferroboron production facility
- ■ Completes construction of boron recovery facility
- ■ Completes new zirconium oxide plant
2001

■ Forms strategic alliance with Nippon Rensui
2002
- ■ Establishes SAJ Vanadium jointly with Highveld in South Africa
- ■ Establishes ND Recycle in South Korea for ion exchange resin recycling
- ■ Starts up nickel recovery and recycling
2003
- ■Acquires lithium manganese battery materials business
- ■Completes the ND Recycle plant in South Korea
2004
- ■ Starts fluorine and phosphorus recovery and recycling business
- ■ Begins delivery of pure water production units for fuel cell use
2005

■ Installs an in-house power generator making use of gas from the electric furnace at the Tokushima Plant
2008
- ■ Boosts SLP ferromanganese production capacity to 30,000 t/year
- ■ Increases ferroboron production capacity
2009

■ Establishes high-carbon ferromanganese production system of 220,000 t/year
2010
- ■ Completes first stage of large-scale plant for automotive battery materials
- ■ Further boosts SLP ferromanganese production capacity to 40,000 t/year
2011

■ Completes second stage of large-scale plant for automotive battery materials
2012
- ■ Transfers chromium chemicals business to Nippon Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd.
- ■ Invests in Pertama Ferroalloys Sdn. Bhd.
2013
- Announces merger with Chuo Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd.
- ■ Acquires manganese mining interests in South Africa

CHUO DENKI KOGYO CO.,LTD.

1906

Joetsu Denki (predecessor of Echigo Denki) formed.
1907

Joetsu Denki constructs the Zozo hydroelectric power station to exploit the extensive snowmelt of the Myoko mountain range and expand into the hydroelectric power business.
1922

Chuo Denki K.K. formed (in merger of Echigo Denki with Matsumoto Dento).
1923

Chuo Denki K.K. chemical industries division opens its Taguchi plant.
(Launched with acquisition of carbide producer Tokyo Denka Kogyo and zinc and ferro-manganese producer Nihon Aen in adjacent Taguchi, Myoko Kogen area.)
1934

■Chuo Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd. was established as a partnership of Chuo Denki (electric power and equipment provider) and Chichibu Denki Kogyo (provider of ferroalloy
manufacturing technology), and began electric furnace production of ferroalloys at the Taguchi Plant (current Myoko Plant in Niigata Prefecture).
1941

■Began producing electrolytic manganese metals.
1969

■Began construction of Kashima Plant (Ibaraki Prefecture).
1970

■Completed first electric furnace (40,000 KVA) at Kashima Plant.
1974

■Completed second electric furnace (50,000 KVA) at Kashima Plant.
1976

■Began producing manganese sulfates at Taguchi Plant (current Myoko Plant).
1979

■Began producing manganese carbonates at Taguchi Plant (current Myoko Plant), and started research on metal hydride alloys.
1983

■Test-produced hydrogen fuel cell vehicle at Taguchi Plant (current Myoko Plant) and began testing waste heat recovery system.
1986

■Began producing complex manganese dioxide at Taguchi Plant (current Myoko Plant).
1992

■Began producing metal hydride alloys at Taguchi Plant (current Myoko Plant).
1997

■Acquired ISO 9001 certification at Myoko Plant.
2001

■Began ordinary waste treatment at Kashima Plant.
2002

■Completed construction of waste melting furnace (EM1) at Kashima Plant and began treatment of industrial waste and special industrial waste.
2004
- ■Completed construction of waste melting furnace (EM2) at Kashima Plant.
- ■Acquired ISO 14001 certification at Kashima Plant.
2005

■Kashima Plant recognized as “Ibaraki Prefecture Superior Recycling Facility.”
2006

■Began producing manganese sulfates for lithium-ion batteries at Myoko Plant.
2010

■Acquired ISO 9001 and OSHMS (Occupational Safety and Health Management System) certification at Kashima Plant.
2011
- ■Acquired Sumikin Molycorp, Inc. (magnet alloys business) from Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd. (current Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp.) and took over its lithiumion battery anode materials business.
- ■Began producing graphite for lithium-ion batteries at Myoko Plant.
2013
- ■Obtained approval for soil decontamination at Kashima Plant.
- ■Acquired superior certification for industrial waste treatment at Kashima Plant.
- ■Acquired ISO 14001 certification at Myoko Plant.
- Announced merger with Nippon Denko Co., Ltd.
- ■Acquired superior certification for specially controlled industrial waste treatment at Kashima Plant.

NIPPON DENKO CO.,LTD

2014

Change Japanese name upon merger with Chuo Denki Kogyo Co.,Ltd.(English name unchanged)
2014

■Received facility accreditation under the Japanese government’s Feed-In Tariff (FIT) scheme for renewable energy sources
2016

■Transferred magnet alloys business to Santoku Corporation and Sojitz Corporation.
2018

Merged with Chuo Denki Kogyo Co.,Ltd. completely