1913

• Sep.

  The House of Sumitomo establishes an independently managed fertilizer plant at Niihama, Ehime prefecture.

1915

• Oct.

  Operations commence and the first shipment of calcium superphosphate fertilizer leaves the plant.

1925

• June

  Sumitomo Fertilizer Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is incorporated with operations at what is now the Ehime Works.

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    Sumitomo Fertilizer Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

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1934

• Feb.

  Sumitomo Fertilizer Manufacturing changes its name to Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.

1944

• July

  Sumitomo Chemical acquires Japan Dyestuff Manufacturing Company, diversifying into dyestuffs and pharmaceuticals at the present-day Osaka Works and Oita Works.

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    Japan Dyestuff Manufacturing Company

1946

• Feb.

  Name changed to Nisshin Chemical Co., Ltd.

1949

• Dec.

  Sumitomo Chemical takes over the aluminum business of Sumitomo Aluminium Smelting Co., Ltd.

1952

• Aug.

  Name changed to Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.

1958

• May

  Sumitomo Chemical starts production of ethylene and its derivatives, diversifying into the petrochemical business at its Ehime Works.

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    Ethylene plant, Ehime Works

1965

• Nov.

  The Takatsuki Research Laboratory is completed, serving as the Company's central laboratory (closed in March 2003).

  Sumitomo Chiba Chemical Co., Ltd. is established and is fully acquired in 1975 at the present-day Chiba Works.

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    Sumitomo Chiba Chemical Co., Ltd.

1971

• July

  The Takarazuka Research Center is established to reinforce research and development activities for pharmaceuticals and crop protection.

1976

• July

  The aluminum operation is transferred to the newly formed Sumitomo Aluminium Co., Ltd., subsequently dissolved in 1986.

1978

• Jan.

  The Misawa Works is opened to expand production of pyrethroid household insecticides.

1982

• Feb.

  P.T. Indonesia Asahan Aluminium starts operations.

1983

• Jan.

  Sumitomo Chemical suspends ethylene and derivatives production at its Ehime Works and concentrates production at its Chiba Works.

1984

• Feb.

  Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. is established by consolidating the pharmaceutical operations of Sumitomo Chemical and Inabata & Co., Ltd. and commences operation the same year.

• Mar.

  The petrochemical complex in Singapore begins operations.

  • 

    Press conference to announce the establishment of Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals (now Sumitomo Pharma)

  • 

    Petrochemical complex in Singapore

1988

• June

  The Biochemistry & Toxicology Laboratory, subsequently renamed the Environmental Health Science Laboratory, is established at the Osaka Works.

1989

• Mar.

  The Tsukuba Research Laboratory is established.

1997

• Apr.

  The petrochemical complex in Singapore commences operation of its second phase expansion project, bringing the total ethylene capacity to one million tons per year.

1998

• Oct.

  Facilities in Singapore for the manufacture of acrylic acid and its derivatives, including methyl methacrylate resins, are completed.

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  • 

  MMA project in Singapore

2000

• Oct.

  Sumitomo Chemical establishes Genomic Science Laboratory, operated jointly with Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals.

2001

• May

  Acquired the household insecticide business of Aventis Crop Science

• Oct.

  Sumitomo Chemical establishes the IT-related Chemicals Sector as a new business sector.

2002

• Nov.

  Sumitomo Chemical Takeda Agro Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Sumitomo Chemical and Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd., succeeds Takeda Chemical's agrochemical business and commences operation (fully acquired in 2007).

2003

• Mar.

  Commences operation of large-scale production facilities for color filters for liquid crystal displays at Korean subsidiary, Dongwoo STI Co., Ltd.

• Aug.

  Sumitomo Chemical opens a plant for the integrated production of LCD polarizing film at its subsidiary Dongwoo Fine-Chem Co., Ltd. in Korea and commences operation.

  • 

    Dongwoo Fine-Chem's polarizing film plant

2004

• Mar.

  Sumitomo Chemical opens a plant for the integrated production of polarizing film for LCD displays at its subsidiary Sumika Technology Co., Ltd. in Taiwan.

2005

• Sep.

  Sumitomo Chemical establishes equally owned joint venture Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Company (Petro Rabigh) together with Saudi Aramco.

• Oct.

  Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals and Dainippon Pharmaceutical merge to form Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma (now Sumitomo Pharma).

  • 

    Groundbreaking ceremony at Petro Rabigh

2007

• Sep.

  Sumitomo Chemical acquires UK company Cambridge Display Technology, a pioneer in the development of polymer organic LEDs and related devices, and makes it a wholly owned subsidiary.

2009

• Apr.

  Petro Rabigh's integrated refining and petrochemical complex starts operation of its ethane cracker, its core plant.

• Oct.

  Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma (now Sumitomo Pharma) acquires US pharmaceuticals company Sepracor Inc. (now Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.)

2011

• Apr.

  Sumitomo Chemical discontinues and reorganizes the Fine Chemicals Sector, splitting it into the Basic Chemicals Sector and the Health & Crop Sciences Sector (former Agricultural Chemicals Sector).

2015

• Apr.

  Sumitomo Chemical reorganizes the Basic Chemicals Sector, splitting it into the Petrochemicals & Plastics Sector and the Energy & Functional Materials Sector (a new business sector).

2016

• Apr.

  Petro Rabigh's upgraded ethane cracker starts operation in the Phase II Project.

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    Petro Rabigh Phase II Project

2017

• Feb.

  Sumitomo Chemical opens a plant for the production of separators for lithium-ion secondary batteries at SSLM, a subsidiary in South Korea.

2018

• Jan.

  Set up a Bioscience Institute, and transfer the research function of the Genomic Science Laboratories of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma (now Sumitomo Pharma) to this Bioscience Institute.

2019

• Dec.

  Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma (now Sumitomo Pharma) entered into a strategic alliance with Roivant Sciences Ltd (UK).

2020

• Apr.

  Acquired four South American subsidiaries of a leading Australian agricultural chemical company, Nufarm Ltd.

2022

• Apr.

  Sumitomo Chemical to change the name of its Petrochemicals & Plastics Sector to Essential Chemicals & Plastics Sector.

  Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma changes its name to Sumitomo Pharma.