Corporate History

From foundation to 1960s

1918
January

Founded as Utahashi Pharmaceutical Office at Minami-Shinagawa, Tokyo and started to manufacture adhesive plasters, ointments and other plasters.

Products at the age of foundation
1934
December Founded Utahashi Pharmaceutical Office Co., Ltd., started to manufacture analgesic patch
1944
September 25 plaster manufacturers nationwide were integrated through corporate development, and the trade name was changed to Nichiban Industry Co., Ltd., and both Tokyo and Osaka factories were established.
1947
September Started production of cellophane adhesive tape (registered trademark "CELLOTAPE" in Japan), paper adhesive tape, and other industrial adhesive tapes by expanding the research department and production facilities.
1948
June The trade name was changed to Nichiban Medical Industry Co., Ltd.
Launched "Self adhesive cellulose tape” commercially.
November

Started to sell OQ adhesive plasters.

OQ adhesive plasters
1961
January

The state-of-the-art production facilities at both the Tokyo and Osaka factories have been developed and expanded, and the company name has been changed to the current Nichiban Co., Ltd.

Osaka Factory around 1960
October Listed shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Second Section.
1966
November Double-sided tape "NICETACK" released
1967
January Installed Anjo Factory.
1968
April Listed shares on the first section of both Tokyo and Osaka stock exchange markets.

1970s-1990s

1972
June Established Saitama Factory and relocated Tokyo Factory to Saitama Factory.
1975
May Launched OQBAN , an emergency adhesive plaster with pad.
1976
May TAIHO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. invested.
1978
June

Launched vegetable binding machine, ”Tabanera” and Vegetable binding tape, “TabaneraTape”.

Vegetable binding machine, ”Tabanera
1979
June Nichiban Labeler "Sho-Han" and "Sho-Han" labels released.
1981
September Launched taping tape "Nichiban Sports Tape".
1983
June Adhesive memo "Point memo” released.
December Opened Central Research Laboratory.
1984
September

Renewed sports-related products such as taping tapes under the “battlewin brand

“battlewin
1987
March Opened Training Center Kobayashi Memorial Hall
1988
September 70th anniversary ceremony held.
21C vision, medium-term plan, corporate philosophy, corporate mark color, new company song announced.
1989
July Subsidiary, Nichiban Medico Co., Ltd. founded
September

Launched analgesic anti-inflammatory patch, “ROIHI-TSUBOKO”.

“ROIHI-TSUBOKO
1993
March Changed financial year end from November to March.
October Subsidiaries integrated.
Nichiban Plast Co., Ltd. and Nichiban Medico Co., Ltd. merged to form Nichiban Medical Co., Ltd.
Nichiban Print Co., Ltd. and Nichiban Create Co., Ltd. merged to form Nichiban Print Co., Ltd.
1994
October Head Quarters moved to Sekiguchi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo.
1995
November Releases the SB-100 "Cell Bind, a back-stitched binding machine.
1996
December Saitama Factory ISO9001 registered.
1997
May

Launched emergency adhesive plaster, “CARELEAVES ”.

“CARELEAVES ” at the time of launch
December Osaka Factory ISO9001 registered.
1998
February Released label printing software "Label Mate”.
March Anjo Factory ISO9001 registered.
1999
September Published "Nichiban 80 Year History" as a commemorative project for the 80th anniversary of the foundation (September 1998).

After 2000s

2000
February Anjo Factory ISO14001 registered.
November Osaka Factory ISO14001 regisered.
2001
January Company-wide (excluding branches and offices) ISO9001 registered.
February Saitama Office ISO14001 registered.
2002
February Launched “NICETACK Tesa ® Power Strip”
September Head Quarters ISO14001 registered.
2004
August ISO14001 company-wide integration (excluding sales branches)
2005
April Medical Product Development Center opened
June Completed ISO9001 Nichiban Group registration
2006
November "Self adhesive cellulose tape" obtained biomass mark certification
2007
September Completed ISO14001 Nichiban Group registration
2009
September Launched "ROIHI-FELBION
2010
January Tape cutter "Linear Beauty" released
March Launched "CARELEAVES POWER & FIT"
October Environmental Contribution Activities "1st Tape Core Eco Campaign” carried out
2011
February “CATHEREEPLUS ” launched
June Tape glue "tenori" released
2012
March

Launched "CARELEAVES HC

“CAERLEAVES HC
2013
October “CATHEREEPLUS I.V. SLIT” launched
November "Self adhesive cellulose tape 3in. Boxed" won “Good Design Long Life Design Award”
2014
April “ROIHI-TSUBOKOCOOL” launched
July Representative Office opened in Bangkok, Thailand
2015
January “Kitchen Sundry Brand Dear Kitchenreleased.
“Dear Kitchen Waza-ariTape” launched
February Stationary Brand “Petit joiereleased.
“Petit joie Mending tape””Petit joie Masking tape” launched
August “Cloth adhesive tape compal ” launched
2016
March Attraction binding machine “Tometatsu ” launched
Scar care tape after surgery “Atofine” launched
“CARELEAVESHC Water proof type” launched
November Daito Chemical Co., Ltd.
2017
July Established NICHIBAN(THAILAND)CO.,LTD. in Bangkok, Thailand
August Partially completed the Advanced Technology Building, relocated the Central Research Laboratory, Changed its name to Advanced Application Research Laboratory
2018
January Completed Advanced Technology Building, relocated Osaka Factory, changed name to Medical Anjo Factory
September “ROIHI Cream Felbi” launched
September “Self adhesive cellulose tape Tape dispenser with 1in. <Type to cut straight>” launched
October "Self adhesive cellulose tape Tape dispenser with 1in." <Type to cut straight> wins “Good Design Long Life Design Award”
October 100th anniversary ceremony held. New corporate philosophy / corporate message, new medium-term management plan, next-generation vision announced
2019
January Representative Office opened in Dusseldorf, Germany
2020
October Established NICHIBAN EUROPE GmbH in Dusseldorf, Germany

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