Corporate History

1911

Founding president, Genkichi Shimizu established a sales outlet for industrial pharmaceuticals and Chinese herbal remedies.

1919

Head office moved to present location.

1920

Shimizu Shoten & 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 began,regulating food colorants (Ministry of Health and Welfare Notice No.535). San-Ei product was the first food colorant to be officially
approved.

1944

Name changed to San-Ei Chemical Industries, Ltd.

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. reincorporated to G.Shimizu Co.,Ltd.
Tokyo representative office upgraded to branch status.

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

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.

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

Tokyo branch office renamed Tokyo Branch.
Nagoya representative office established.

Shiga Plant completed.

1991

Red cabbage colorant won Food Processing award in the U.S.A.

San-Ei Gen F.F.I., Inc.

1992

San-Ei Chemical Industries, Ltd. and G.Shimizu Co., Ltd. merged 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.
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.

1997

San-Ei Gen F.F.I. (Schweiz) AG established with headquarters in Zurich.
Okinawa representative office established.

1998

G.S. International, Inc. merged into San-Ei Gen F.F.I., Inc.

1999

Sucralose approved as a food additive in Japan.

2000

Sendai representative office established.
Takamatsu representative office established.
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.
As a sponsor of the Mothers' and Children's Health Honor Society, presented maternal and child health commendations awards.
Original Shiga Plant renamed Hino Plant. Newly built Shiga Plant acquired a business license.
Main, Shiga-Hino, Okayama plants accredited JAFA GMP certification.

2003

Phillips Hydrocolloids Research Ltd. established with headquarters in London.
San-Ei Gen Engineering, Inc. established in Osaka.
As a sponsor of the Mothers' and Children's Health Honor Society, presented maternal and child health commendations awards.

2005

Shiga-Hino plants accredited　ISO14001:2004 certification.
San-Ei Gen F.F.I.(Shanghai) Co.,Ltd. established with headquarters in Shanghai.
San-Ei Gen F.F.I.(Kunming) Co.,Ltd. established with headquarters in Kunming.

2006

Okayama plant accredited ISO14001:2004 certification.

Corporate History
Year	G.Shimizu Co., Ltd	San-Ei Chemical Industries, Ltd
1911	Founding president, Genkichi Shimizu established a sales outlet for industrial pharmaceuticals and Chinese herbal remedies.
1919	Head office moved to present location.
1920	Shimizu Shoten & 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 began,regulating food colorants (Ministry of Health and Welfare Notice No.535). San-Ei product was the first food colorant to be officially approved.
1944		Name changed to San-Ei Chemical Industries, Ltd.
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. reincorporated to G.Shimizu Co.,Ltd. Tokyo representative office upgraded to branch status.
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		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.	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	Tokyo branch office renamed Tokyo Branch. Nagoya representative office established.	Shiga Plant completed.
1991		Red cabbage colorant won Food Processing award in the U.S.A.
San-Ei Gen F.F.I., Inc.
1992	San-Ei Chemical Industries, Ltd. and G.Shimizu Co., Ltd. merged 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. 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.
1997	San-Ei Gen F.F.I. (Schweiz) AG established with headquarters in Zurich. Okinawa representative office established.
1998	G.S. International, Inc. merged into San-Ei Gen F.F.I., Inc.
1999	Sucralose approved as a food additive in Japan.
2000	Sendai representative office established. Takamatsu representative office established. 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. As a sponsor of the Mothers' and Children's Health Honor Society, presented maternal and child health commendations awards. Original Shiga Plant renamed Hino Plant. Newly built Shiga Plant acquired a business license. Main, Shiga-Hino, Okayama plants accredited JAFA GMP certification.
2003	Phillips Hydrocolloids Research Ltd. established with headquarters in London. San-Ei Gen Engineering, Inc. established in Osaka. As a sponsor of the Mothers' and Children's Health Honor Society, presented maternal and child health commendations awards.
2005	Shiga-Hino plants accredited　ISO14001:2004 certification. San-Ei Gen F.F.I.(Shanghai) Co.,Ltd. established with headquarters in Shanghai. San-Ei Gen F.F.I.(Kunming) Co.,Ltd. established with headquarters in Kunming.
2006	Okayama plant accredited ISO14001:2004 certification.