Our first overseas subsidiary was established in Hong Kong. The purpose of its establishment was to build a well-functioning distribution network and promote sales to Southeast Asia, Europe, and the U.S. The company also opened an office in Taipei in 1975.

Starting with its delivery for the Sanyo Shinkansen tracks in 1974, the filler material for ballastless tracks “CUS” has been adopted for all Shinkansen lines up to the Hokkaido Shinkansen, which opened in 2016. It has also been used in the Taiwan High Speed Rail, conventional rail lines, and other railways, helping trains to run safely.

The Kyushu Factory was built to accommodate the successive expansion of shipyards in Kyushu. The first oil shock occurred during its construction, and this was expected to bring about a drastic change in the business environment, but construction continued as a foundation for the future. With a total construction cost of approximately 3.4 billion yen, the Kyushu Factory aimed for thorough pollution prevention, the establishment of a safe operational environment, and cost reduction through automation and labor-saving. The Kyushu Factory would focus on producing items suitable for mass production.

Leveraging our experience and technology in marine coatings, we had developed our own container coating systems. However, to further build on our capabilities in this field, we formed a technical and sales partnership with Nitrolac in France. During this period, we actively pursued partnerships with foreign companies, and by 1985, we had partnered with 17 such firms.

In 1977, we developed “AF SEAFLO,” an antifouling that maintains antifouling performance over a long period, and in 1979, we developed “AF SEAFLO SP,” which combines long-lasting antifouling performance and a smooth coating film. These products featured a self-polishing function, uniformly releasing biocides down to the bottom layer. The water flow generated along the hull smoothed the coating film surface, reducing frictional resistance in the water and preventing a decrease in sailing speed.

We had already been manufacturing and selling “PULSELAC” as a UV coating since 1975, but we signed a technology licensing agreement with Reliance Universal Inc. in the U.S. and acquired exclusive rights to manufacture and sell the product in Japan. Since then, “AULEX” has become an indispensable product for line coating wood building materials, including UV-curable coatings for flooring materials. We also concluded a partnership with them for EB curable coating.

“BIOCLEAN,” a non-polluting antifouling made by modifying a silicone-based synthetic polymer with petroleum-refined substances, proved very effective in cooling water systems of power plants. It utilized an antifouling mechanism born from the concept of “marine life slipping off,” and was completely unlike conventional approaches. Since then, we have added labor-saving types and other products to the lineup and have built a strong track record that continues through to the present day.

“PERMAX,” an epoxy-based glass-flake coating, is a product developed as a coating for marine structures and vessels in ice-bound waters. During its development, test applications were conducted on vessels in Northern Europe and other ships, and prior to its full launch, it was adopted by numerous vessels, including the Antarctic observation ship “Fuji.” It has also been well-received in the field of long-term anti-corrosive coatings for marine structures, bridge piers, plants, and more.