History

TODA KOGYO's history dates back to 1823 when the company was founded as a manufacturer of bengala, a red pigment essential for painting porcelain and coloring historical buildings. About 200 years have passed since then. We have been able to continue to progress to the present day despite the waves of the times because we have always pioneered new possibilities for chemical materials and continued to produce products that meet the demands of the times. When pollution became a social issue, we created environmentally friendly manufacturing methods. When magnetic recording materials for audio and video tapes were our mainstay products, we took a step forward to develop new business fields in anticipation of the coming of the digital age.
Our group's products, rooted in our origins of producing the pigment, are now used in cutting-edge fields such as automobiles, smartphones, and home appliances. Thus, the chemical materials created by the technologies we have cultivated over the 200 years since our founding are spreading to markets not only in Japan but also throughout the world.

Digest
History
Digest of TODA KOGYO’s history

1723

Toda Kogyo's history began in 1823 with the industrial production of bengala, the oldest pigment known to mankind.

Bengala is a combination of oxygen and iron, so-called iron oxide, and is the oldest pigment known to mankind, having been used as paint since ancient times. For example, it was used to color the wall paintings in the cave of Altamira in Spain and the paintings of beautiful women in the Takamatsuzuka burial mound in Japan. It was also used for painting by Kakiemon I, who succeeded in producing a vivid red color on white porcelain ware, and as a color for lipstick, and has been used for a wide range of purposes since ancient times.
TODA KOGYO established its predecessor Seikinsha in Nishiebara, Shitsuki County (now Ibara-shi), Okayama Prefecture, and our company began by industrially manufacturing bengala, which has been used in this way for centuries, as a family business.

  • Former Okayama Plant (Ibara-shi, Okayama Prefecture)

  • Former Hiroshima Plant (Fukagawa, Asakita-ku, Hiroshima-shi)

1833

In 1933, TODA KOGYO CORP. was established.

Through the Meiji and Taisho eras, amidst the gradual transition from domestic industry to modern industrialization, TODA KOGYO CORP. was established in Hiroshima-shi in 1933 with the business purpose of manufacturing and selling Bengala(red iron oxide pigment). In 1941, the company developed a method of using iron sulfate instead of the conventional production method and succeeded in further increasing its production capacity.

  • Head Office and Plant (Funairikawaguchi-cho, Hiroshima-shi)

  • Tokyo Branch

1850

Pollution problems became more serious, and measures to solve them accelerated.

In the 1950s, the roasting furnaces used to produce bengala were modernized from climbing kilns to rotary kilns and tunnel kilns, and the raw material was switched from iron sulfide to iron sulfate, which was recycled from liquid waste from the copper plate pickling process. This has contributed to the reduction of industrial waste and the effective use of resources. However, the “dry process,” in which iron oxide is produced by roasting, remained unchanged. In the dry process, sulfurous acid gas generated during roasting depleted the trees in the mountains and polluted the air. In addition, wastewater from the refining process, in which roasted products are rinsed in water, polluted rivers. To counter the problem, flue-gas desulfurization equipment, wastewater purification equipment, and other detoxification equipment were installed, but they were not sufficiently effective, and a period of inconvenience to the local community ensued. In 1955, through a chance meeting with the late Dr. Toshio Takada of Kyoto University (later Professor Emeritus of Kyoto University), research and development of a new non-polluting iron oxide powder production method was initiated.

  • Okayama Plant (Roasting furnace)

  • Employees of Kibi Kogyo

1860

In 1965, we developed a wet synthesis method for iron oxide as our core competence.

At that time, iron oxide was manufactured by burning "iron sulfate," and the sulfurous acid gas generated by this process became a major problem after the war. In order to solve this problem at the root, we, together with the late Dr. Toshio Takada of Kyoto University, took up the challenge of developing a “wet synthesis method” to synthesize iron oxide from an aqueous solution through a chemical reaction and succeeded in 1965. In this process, sulfurous acid gas is not generated because iron sulfate is not burned. Furthermore, the wet synthesis method enables us to produce a wide variety of shapes and specialties and stable quality materials by controlling the parameters of production.

  • Onoda Plant (OS process)

  • Onoda Plant (Drying process)

1870

In 1976, a period of prosperity for magnetic iron oxide for audio and video tapes arrived.

The development of the wet synthesis method made it possible to produce particles of high purity and uniformly controllable shape. Based on this technological foundation, magnetic recording materials for audio and video tapes were developed. In this period, TODA KOGYO’s magnetic iron oxide for audio and video tapes was of high quality and established an unshakeable position and era in the world market.

  • Magnetic tape

  • Magnetic tickets

1880

TODA KOGYO entered the photocopier/printer materials and bond magnet materials markets.

In the copier and printer markets, a feature of copiers using magnetic toner announced in 1982 was the cartridge system, which made it possible to use toner in a variety of copiers, thereby simplifying toner refilling. This mechanism was supported by magnetic toner, and our magnetite powder, a black iron oxide, was used as the magnetic material. Also, the spherical magnetite newly developed at that time produced a toner with excellent resistance to changes in humidity and temperature, and it became widely used as a material for printers. Magnetite powder obtained by our proprietary synthesis technology is still used in Japan and overseas as magnetite powder for magnetic toners.
During this period, we also developed parts that transport toner (magnet rolls) and composite magnetic carrier particles using composite material technology, and by supplying these new materials and parts to the market, we contributed to improving the performance of copiers and printers.
In 1984, we began manufacturing magnetic powder for bonded ferrite as a new business development for ferrite magnets.
Ferrite magnets were used in many fields, including small motor magnets in the electronics and automobile fields. However, the demand for ferrite magnets has decreased due to the dramatic improvement in the performance of alloy-based permanent magnets. So, as a new business development, we decided to expand our ferrite material business from materials to composite parts, and developed ferrite powder for bonded magnets and manufactured strontium ferrite powder for mechanical orientation and magnetic field orientation. We began selling compounds, magnet rolls, magnetic sheets, and other products by introducing composite technologies, including technology for mixing nylon and other resins with ferrite powder to make compounds, injection molding technology for forming compounds, and sheet forming technology.

  • Otake Plant (Phase I construction)

  • Spherical magnetite for laser printers

1890

TODA KOGYO’s new challenge to the digital information society.

In the 1990s, the era marked a major transition from analog to digital technology. While audio and video tapes, which had held an overwhelming market share and had been the foundation of our business, were rapidly declining amid the wave of digitalization, we began to take on the challenge of entering new fields with our core competence in nanotechnology, starting with wet synthesis. While focusing on iron oxide, we continued to accumulate experience and knowledge in various other inorganic materials, as well as taking on new social and industrial challenges arising from IT and environmental issues.
In the area of environmental issues, when hazardous dioxin was detected in the exhaust gas from a garbage incinerator at the time, we believed that incomplete combustion of garbage was the cause, and we focused on the function of iron oxide to accelerate combustion of combustible materials and developed a nano iron oxide combustion catalyst called “active ferroxide TIC.” With a partner company, we have also commercialized polyethylene garbage bags and other products that are kneaded with TIC. These bags can suppress the generation of dioxin if they are thrown into incinerators with garbage in them, and they have been adopted by municipalities in various regions.

  • Dioxin Control Catalyst TIC

  • Otake Plant (Carrier material manufacturing process)

1900

Using the technology cultivated in iron oxide production, we expanded into a variety of inorganic materials.

In the 2000s, we accelerated the development of inorganic materials other than iron oxide as a new growth business following magnetic recording materials. Development of materials for lithium-ion secondary batteries and dielectric materials began as representative materials.
In 1992, Sony launched a lithium-ion rechargeable battery that achieves smaller size and lighter weight as an essential power source for the widespread use of cell phones and notebook PCs. In 1998, we began full-scale development of lithium cobalt oxide, and in 2002, we constructed a production process at our Onoda Plant and began manufacturing in 2003. In 2004, the mass production process for lithium nickel cobaltate, which enables higher capacity and output, was launched, and the development of ternary (Li-rich MnNiCo-based) materials, lithium manganate, and lithium iron phosphate was also initiated.
Although dielectric materials were not familiar to us, we started development because we believed that having raw materials for capacitors in our product lineup, in addition to inductors made of ferrite, which are electronic components that support industrial infrastructure, would expand our product lineup and generate synergies. As with other new materials, the development of barium titanate, a dielectric material, began in earnest in 2000 as an application of iron oxide wet synthesis technology, and the mass production process was completed in 2004. The company subsequently increased production in recognition of its unique characteristics, and furthermore, due to the development of new products and applications, expanded its production capacity to five times the previous scale in 2009.

  • Flexible ferrite sheet

  • Toda Kogyo Creative R & D Center

1910

Business expansion through alliances with business partners.

After developing lithium-ion battery materials in the 2000s, demand grew as electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles became more popular.
We sought to work in unison with strong partners to establish a structure that would enable us to respond quickly to global market demand in anticipation of further future expansion of the lithium-ion battery market. Our focus shifted in 2015 to collaborative growth with group companies which we actioned through joint ventures, such as our partnership with the leading German chemicals manufacturer, BASF.
In order to deepen our existing businesses in Japan and abroad, and to consider further development of new ones, we also established an extensive partnership with TDK Corporation in 2019. A global network was employed to collaborate on the development of new products, primarily in the electronic materials business, raw materials procurement in Japan as well as overseas marketing and logistics.

  • Collaboration meeting with BASF

  • Kick-off meeting with TDK

1920

Celebrating 200 Years in Business and Beyond
TODA KOGYO Group’s new challenge.

In 2021, we formulated our mid-term business plan, “Vision 2023,” for the 200th anniversary of our founding in 2023. Furthermore, we are now formulating “Go Beyond 200” as our vision for fiscal 2024 and beyond.
In “Vision 2023,” we have positioned pigments, our core business, as a stable profit base business, with magnet materials, dielectric materials, and lithium-ion battery materials as growth businesses.
From FY2024 onward, under “Go Beyond 200,” we anticipate the full-scale commercialization of soft magnetic materials and environment-related materials. In response to market changes, such as the expansion of electric vehicles, we are focusing our soft magnetic material development in two main areas. These are the production of noise suppression components along with the creation of flexible ferrite plates which support the efficiency of non-contact power supplies. In the area of environment-related materials, we continue to take on the challenge of commercializing CO2-free high-concentration hydrogen and carbon nanotube production, as well as the development of CO2 solid recovery materials, in order to realize carbon neutrality.

  • Medium-Term Business Plan and Vision for the Future

  • Celebrating 200 Years in Business and Vision for the Future

History
  • 1933
    November
    TODA KOGYO CORP. established with ¥500,000 in capital in Yokogawa, Hiroshima City, for the purpose of producing and selling Bengala.
  • 1951
    April
    Took over Kutsuwa Bengala Manufacturing Corp. through a merger.
  • 1954
    November
    Took over Kibi Kogyo Corp. through a merger.
  • 1959
    October
    Onada Plant built in Onada City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
  • 1969
    July
    Equipment for production of magnetic powder materials for audiotapes and videotapes added to Onada Plant.
  • 1973
    June
    Wet coloration pigment facility added to Onada Plant.
  • 1983
    September
    Shares listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (now Prime Market).
  • 1984
    December
    Established a plant for producing ferrite materials (Otake Plant) in Otake City, Hiroshima Prefecture.
  • 1988
    April
    Built dedicated production facility for coloring materials for electronic printing in Onoda Plant.
  • 1994
    July
    Established Toda Kogyo Europe GmbH in Duesseldorf, Germany.
  • 1996
    August
    Established Toda America Inc. in Schaumburg, Illinois, USA (has since relocated to Battle Creek, Michigan).
  • 2003
    January
    Established Toda Plastic Magnet Material (Zhejiang) Corp. in Zhejiang, China.
  • 2004
    August
    Established Zhejiang Toda DMEGC Magnetic Co., Ltd. in Zhejiang, China.
  • 2006
    October
    Established TODA Ferrite KOREA Co., Ltd. in Busan, South Korea (has since relocated to Anyang City, Gyeonggi-do) (in February 2022, the company name was changed to Toda Korea Seoul Co., LTD.).
  • 2007
    April
    Established Toda Magnequench Magnetic Material (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. in Tianjin, China.
  • 2007
    August
    Established Toda Advanced Materials Inc. in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.
  • 2008
    March
    Obtained a patent license relating to the cathode material for lithium-ion batteries from Argonne National Laboratory USA.
  • 2008
    April
    Established TODA ISU CORPORATION in Wonju City, Gangwon-do, South Korea.
  • 2008
    June
    Acquired the shares of TOKYO SHIKIZAI INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
  • 2015
    February
    Established BASF TODA Battery Materials LLC, the joint venture company with BASF Japan Ltd., through an in-kind investment of lithiumion battery cathode materials production facilities at Onoda Plant and Kitakyushu Plant.
  • 2016
    April
    Established Toda Kogyo Asia (Thailand) Co., Ltd. in Bangkok, Thailand (has relocated to Ayutthaya).
  • 2016
    April
    Made Toda Factory Co., Ltd. (in April 2016, company name was changed to Toda Fine Tech Inc.) a consolidated subsidiary.
  • 2021
    April
    Carried out an absorption merger of Toda Pigment Corp., which had been spun off in 1997, and made it the Company’s Okayama Office.
  • 2021
    August
    Made Jiangmen & Partner’s Magnetic Product Co., Ltd. of Guangdong, China, a consolidated subsidiary.
  • 2022
    April
    Switched listing from the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s First Section to the Prime Market in conjunction with the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s market recategorization.