Company history

The road to becoming a world-standard manufacturer of flexible package materials

The Company’s history

1933 –
1933 Hosokawa Yoko founded as a cellophane wholesale company
1946 Opening of Hosokawa publishing company
1948 Introducing of printing press and starting of printing of cellophane wrapping
1949 Hosokawa Yoko Co., Ltd. registered as a corporate entity, and its Head Office established in Sotokanda, Chiyoda Ward
1951 Its Printing Division made a separate and independent corporate entity by the name of Tokyo Cellophane Printing Co., LTD., with its Head Office located at Nishiochiai, Shinjuku Ward.
1953 Introducing one gravure printing press (No. 1 press)
1954 Closing of Hosokawa publishing company Introducing a pouch-making machine from Germany
1956 Nakazawa Photoengraver’s Shop established in Kameido, Koto Ward, (re-organized in 1958 to Ekoda Photoengraver’s Shop) and start of gravure printing
1960 –
1960 Opening of Osaka Sales Office （now：Osaka Branch） Full-scale launch of mechanical systems sales
1970 –
1970 Head Office moved to Chiyoda Ward Nibancho (present location)
1971 Tokyo Cellophane Printing Co., LTD. moved from Nishiochiai, Shinjuku Ward, to Miyoshimachi, Irima-gun, Saitama Prefecture (now: Saitama Miyoshi plant)
1972 Hanyo Kako Co., Ltd. founded
1975 Extrusion laminate plant founded in the precincts of the Saitama Miyoshi plant
1976 Consequent upon the coming into effect of the GMP Ordinance instituted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (now the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) a GMP Support Office was established at the Saitama Miyoshi plant of Tokyo Cellophane Printing Co., Ltd. Start of dry laminate operation
1978 Completion of construction of Second Saitama Miyoshi plant
1980 –
1980 First participation in Tokyo International Packaging Exhibition（TOKYO PACK)
1982 Completion of construction of Third Saitama Miyoshi plant
1985 Succeeded in establishing CHEER PACK^® as a commercial product.
1986 Hanyo Kako Co., Ltd. Naguri plant constructed and CHEER PACK^® supply system established Tokyo Cellophane Printing Co., Ltd. Saitama Miyoshi plant became a “Nan-Hoso Eisei Kyogikai (Flexible Packaging Hygiene Association) approved plant.” Succeeded in establishing FC CUT™ as a commercial product
1990 –
1991 Completion of construction of Tokyo Cellophane Printing Co., Ltd. Fujioka plant
1992 New office building (Bancho HY Building) completed
1993 Tokyo Cellophane Printing Co., Ltd. Fujioka plant became a “Flexible Packaging Hygiene Association approved plant.” Due to takeover of Tokyo Cellophane Printing Co., Ltd. its Production Division became part of the company and on the day on which this took place it became the Production Business Division of Hosokawa Yoko CO., Ltd.
1995 CHEER PACK^® was, awarded the Diamond Prize, the highest rank of the DuPont Prize, marking the first time such a prize was awarded to a Japanese company.
1996 Completion of construction of CHEER PACK^® plant at Saitama Miyosi plnat
1997 Completion of second construction phase of Gunma Fujioka plant
1999 The Gunma Fujioka plant acquired ISO9002 accreditation. Ekoda Photoengraver’s Shop Co., Ltd. was taken over and became the Photoengraver within the Company.
2000 –
2000 Equity raised to 340 million yen
2001 Soft Cartridge™ was awarded the Gold prize in the DuPont Prize Non-Food Division. Completion of third construction phase of Gunma Fujioka plant
2003 Company as a whole acquired ISO9001 accreditation
2006 Company as a whole acquired ISO14001 accreditation Business tie-up for flexible packaging sale with NITTOPACK CO., LTD Gunma Fujioka plant’s Plant for conversion of waste plastics to oil put into operation
2007 Showa Denko Plastic Products Co., Ltd. ceded its medical liquid bag business and concomitantly Medix Showa Co., Ltd. which had been a manufacturing subsidiary of the aforesaid company became a member of the Hosokawa Group. The Saitama Miyoshi plant’s volatile organic compound (VOC) treatment unit put into operation.
2009 ISO13485 accreditation was acquired by Head Office (Sales Headquarters and Quality Assurance Department), Development and Research Center, and by Medics Showa Co., Ltd.
2010 –
2011 The Gunma Fujioka plant’s volatile organic compound (VOC) treatment unit put into operation. A water base printing press was introduced at Saitama Miyoshi plant
2012 Opening of Resident Office in the United States
2014 Completion of construction of Fourth Saitama Miyoshi plant FSSC22000 accreditation acquired by Gunma Fujioka plant
2015 FSSC22000 accreditation acquired by Saitama Miyoshi plant
2016 Succeeded in establishing CHEER SOFT™ as a commercial product
2020 –
2021 Completion of fourth construction phase of Gunma Fujioka plant