Ever wondered where the name San-Ei Gen F.F.I. came from, or what it means? Well,...we don't know either, but maybe this time line will answer some questions.
| 1911 |
Founding president, Genkichi Shimizu establishes a sales outlet for industrial pharmaceuticals and Chinese herbal remedies. |
| 1919 |
Head office moved to present location. |
| 1920 |
ShimizuShoten & Co. officially incorporated. |
| 1931 |
Predecessor of San-Ei Chemical Industries Co., Ltd. established in Osaka. |
| 1937 |
Tokyo representative office established. |
| 1938 |
San-Ei Co., Ltd. established in Osaka for manufacturing organic acids, food colors, and food flavors. |
| 1941 |
The Ministry of Health and Welfare begins regulating food colorants (Ministry of Health and Welfare Notice No. 35). A San-Ei product is the first food colorant to be officially approved. |
| 1944 |
Name changes to San-Ei Chemical Industries Co., Ltd. |
| 1949 |
Certification as a drug manufacturer obtained. |
| 1951 |
Shimizu Shoten & Co. renamed G. Shimizu & Co. |
| 1956 |
Tokyo representative office moved to Nihonbashi-honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. |
| 1957 |
Laboratory in Tokyo representative office of G. Shimizu & Co. completed. |
| 1960 |
G. Shimizu Co. is reincorporated to G. Shimizu Co., Ltd. |
| 1964 |
Patent for powdered acetic acid Sansgen obtained. |
| 1966 |
Production of extracts from the annatto seed started (first natural food colorant). |
| 1967 |
Sapporo representative office established. |
| 1970 |
Fukuoka representative office established. |
| 1972 |
Certification as a manufacturer of products with medicinal ingredients (Spagen) obtained. |
| 1973 |
New gelling technology using locust bean gum and xanthan gum developed. |
| 1981 |
Okayama Plant completed. Began producing a new natural colorant from red cabbage. |
| 1982 |
New building of Fukuoka representative office completed. |
| 1982 |
High-capacity spray drier came on-line. |
| 1983 |
New building of Tokyo branch office completed. |
| 1984 |
Hiroshima representative office established. |
| 1986 |
G. Shimizu & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc. established with headquarters on New York's Fifth Avenue. |
| 1986 |
Kansai Transport, Inc. established in Osaka. |
| 1987 |
G.S. International, Inc. established in Osaka to handle overseas business. |
| 1988 |
Kanto Transport, Inc. established in Tokyo. |
| 1989 |
G. Shimizu France S.A.R.L. established with headquarters in Paris. |
| 1989 |
Tokyo branch office renamed Tokyo Branch. |
| 1989 |
Nagoya representative office established. |
| 1989 |
Shiga Plant completed. |
| 1991 |
Red cabbage colorant won Food Processing award in the U.S.A. |
| 1992 |
San-Ei Chemical Industries Co., Ltd. and G. Shimizu Co., Ltd. merge to form San-Ei Gen F.F.I., Inc. combining the two companies' technological and marketing capabilities and managerial resources. |
| 1993 |
San-Ei Gen F.F.I. (U.K.), Ltd. established with headquarters in London. |
| 1993 |
San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Botanical Institute, Inc. established in Hyogo. |
| 1994 |
San-Ei Gen F.F.I. (H.K.), Ltd. established with headquarters in Hong Kong. |
| 1995 |
San-Ei Gen F.F.I. (Asia) Pte. Ltd. established with headquarters in Singapore. |
| 1996 |
Company celebrates its 85th anniversary since founding. |
| 1997 |
San-Ei Gen F.F.I. (Schweiz) AG established with headquarters in Switzerland. |
| 1997 |
Okinawa representative office established. |
| 1998 |
G.S. International, Inc. has merged into San-Ei Gen F.F.I., Inc. |
| 2000 |
Sendai representative office established. |
| 2000 |
Takamatsu representative office established. |
| 2000 |
San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Latin America (Peru) S.A. established with headquarters in Lima. |
| 2001 |
San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Latin America (Brasil) Ltda. established with headquarters in San-Paulo. |
| 2002 |
Medicinal Plant Resource Exploration established in Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka University with an endowment from San-Ei Gen F.F.I., Inc. |
| 2002 |
As a sponsor of the Mothers' and Children's Health Honor Society, presented maternal and child health commendations awards. |
| 2002 |
Original Shiga Plant renamed Hino Plant. Newly built Shiga Plant acquired a business license. |
| 2002 |
Main, Shiga-Hino and Okayama plants accredited JAFA GMP certification. |
| 2002 |
Phillips Hydrocolloids Research Ltd. established with headquarters in London. |
| 2003 |
San-Ei Gen Engineering, Inc. established in Osaka. |
| 2003 |
As a sponsor of the Mothers' and Children's Health Honor Society, presented maternal and child health commendations awards. |
| 2004 |
San-Ei Gen (Shanghai ) trading, Inc. established with headquarters in Shanghai. |
