History

1896-1969
Business expansion and progress towards modernization

1896
 
November
Founded in Osaka as a small private business (SAKATA INK SEIZOUSHO), and started making and selling newspaper inks
Tsuneshiro Sakata (founder)
Tsuneshiro Sakata (founder)
1905
 
 
Fully-fledged newspaper ink manufacturing plant starts operating (former Fukushima Plant in Osaka)
1906
 
October
Company renamed from SAKATA INK SEIZOUSHO to SAKATA SHOKAI
1911
 
 
The company succeeds in becoming the first in Japan to commercialize varnish for linseed oil printing ink
1920
 
September
Company restructured into a limited company
株式会社設立当初の株券
The first share certificate from when the company became a limited company
1947
 
June
SAKATA SANGYO, LIMITED established
1952
 
 
Manufacturing and sale of ink for packaging started
1959
 
November
Modern integrated plant constructed (now the Osaka Plant)
Manufacturing and sale of gravure inks started
Rendering of completed Itami Plant (Itami, Hyogo Prefecture)
Rendering of completed Itami Plant (Itami, Hyogo Prefecture)
1960
   
April
Kodak Color Film developing laboratory opened in Osaka
(also subsequently opened in Tokyo and Fukuoka)
 
 
October
First overseas office opened in the Philippines (Manila)
(Offices at main overseas facilities and local companies subsequently established)
1961
 
October
Listed in the second section of the Osaka Securities Exchange, and changed to the first section the following year
1966
 
 
FK Series of flexographic inks for corrugated board released to market
FK Series of flexographic inks for corrugated board
FK Series of flexographic inks for corrugated board
1969
 
December
Noda Plant (now the Tokyo Plant) starts operation
Noda Plant (Noda, Chiba Prefecture)
Noda Plant (Noda, Chiba Prefecture)

1979-1995
Business performance in Japan grows and the company proactively expands overseas

1979
 
February
Expansion into Asia (first overseas ink production facilities)
TAIWAN SAKATA INX CORP. established in Taiwan (Taipei)
Expansion into Asia (first overseas ink production facilities)
1987
 
April
Expansion into Europe
SAKATA INX ESPANA, S.A. established in Spain (Barcelona)
Expansion into Europe
 
 
October
Company name changed to SAKATA INX CORPORATION
1988
 
February
Expansion into the Americas
INX INTERNATIONAL INC. (holding company) established in USA (Chicago)
(January 1992 renamed THE INX GROUP LTD. (holding company))
INX INTERNATIONAL INC
INX INTERNATIONAL INC
 
 
April
ACME PRINTING INK CO. (USA) acquired
 
 
December
Listed in the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
1989
 
July
KNIGHT COLORS & CHEMICALS CO. (USA) acquired
 
 
October
MIDLAND COLOR CO. (USA) acquired
 
 
December
CHEMICAL PROCESS SUPPLY CORP. (USA) acquired
1992
 
January
ACME and MIDLAND merged, and relaunched as INX INTERNATIONAL INK CO.
 
 
July
SAKATA INX INTERNATIONAL CORP. established
(Renamed SIIX Corporation in July 1998)
 
 
July
THE INX GROUP (UK) LTD. established in the UK (Manchester)
(now INX INTERNATIONAL UK LTD.)
 
 
August
CDI SAKATA INX CORP. established in the Philippines (Manila)
1993
 
March
MEGA FIRST SAKATA INX SDN. BHD. established in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) (now SAKATA INX (MALAYSIA) SDN. BHD.)
 
 
 
Environmentally friendly soy oil-based offset inks released to market
1994
 
February
Hanyu Plant starts operation
 
 
November
Tokyo Branch upgraded to head office, Osaka/Tokyo dual head office system adopted
1995
 
August
Expansion into India and China
MONTARI SAKATA INX LTD. established in India (New Delhi)
(now SAKATA INX (INDIA) PRIVATE LTD.)
SAKATA INX (INDIA) PRIVATE LTD.
SAKATA INX (INDIA) PRIVATE LTD.
 
 
December
NANSHA SAKATA INK CORP. established in China (Guangzhou)
(now SAKATA INX (ZHONGSHAN) CORP.)
SAKATA INX (ZHONGSHAN) CORP.
SAKATA INX (ZHONGSHAN) CORP.

1996~
until present Enhanced approach to environment and safety, accelerated global expansion

1996
 
March
ISO9001 accreditation acquired at Tokyo Plant
(subsequently acquired at Osaka Plant, Hanyu Plant, Shiga Plant, and overseas affiliates)
 
 
November
100 years since founding
Ceremony to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the company’s founding
Ceremony to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the company’s founding
1997
 
November
Technology Building completed at Osaka Plant
1999
 
November
Agreement reached on a business alliance with TOYO INK CO., LTD. (now artience Co., Ltd.)
 
 
 
Ecopure Series of Eco Mark certified environmentally friendly offset inks released to market
Ecopure Series of environmentally friendly offset inks
Ecopure Series of environmentally friendly offset inks
2000
 
April
LOGI CO-NET CORP. established
 
 
May
Agreement reached on a capital alliance with TOYO INK CO., LTD. (now artience Co., Ltd.) (capital alliance dissolved in 2022)
 
 
November
GA CITY CORP. established (dissolved in 2018)
2001
 
March
ISO14001 accreditation acquired at the three main plants (Tokyo, Osaka, Hanyu)
(subsequently acquired at the Shiga Plant and overseas affiliates)
 
 
April
SAKATA LABOSTATION CO., LTD. established
2002
 
December
SAKATA INX SHANGHAI CO., LTD. established in China (Shanghai)
 
 
 
Bell Collar non-toluene/non-MEK general purpose gravure ink released to market
Bell Collar non-toluene/non-MEK general purpose gravure ink
Bell Collar non-toluene/non-MEK general purpose gravure ink
2003
 
April
SAKATA INX ENG. CO., LTD. established
 
 
September
Technology Experiment Building Completed at Osaka Plant
 
 
November
SAKATA INX VIETNAM CO., LTD. established in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City)
2004
 
May
INX EUROPE INC. established in UK (holding company)
 
 
May
INX INTERNATIONAL FRANCE SAS established in France (Paris)
 
 
July
MAOMING SAKATA INX CO., LTD. established in China (Maoming, Guangdong Province)
 
 
December
The three main plants (Tokyo, Osaka, Hanyu) receive an Award for TPM Excellence in the first category
Award for TPM Excellence received in the first category
Award for TPM Excellence received in the first category
2005
 
December
TRIANGLE DIGITAL INX CO. established in the US (California)
(Renamed INX DIGITAL INTERNATIONAL CO. in October 2009)
2008
 
April
MEGAINK DIGITAL A.S. (Czech Republic) acquired
(Renamed INX DIGITAL CZECH, A.S. in January 2010)
 
 
July
ANTEPRIMA S.R.L. (Italy) acquired
(Renamed INX DIGITAL ITALY S.R.L. in January 2010)
 
 
December
OSHMS certification acquired at Tokyo Plant (including Hanyu Plant)
2009
 
January
OSHMS certification acquired at Osaka Plant
2010
 
December
The three main plants (Tokyo, Osaka, Hanyu) receive an Award for Excellence in Consistent TPM Commitment
2012
 
December
The three main plants (Tokyo, Osaka, Hanyu) receive a Special Award for TPM Achievement
2013
 
January
INX INTERNATIONAL INK CO. absorbs INX DIGITAL INTERNATIONAL CO.
2014
 
March
Shiga Plant starts operation
Maibara, Shiga Prefecture
Maibara, Shiga Prefecture
2015
 
June
Accounting period end date changed from March to December
 
 
August
ISO9001/ISO14001 accreditation acquired at Shiga Plant
2016
 
November
120 years since founding
 
 
November
CREATIVE INDUSTRIA E COMERCIO LTDA. (Brazil) acquired
 
 
 
Rollout of BOTANICAL INK (that uses plant-derived materials for some components) started
BOTANICAL INK
BOTANICAL INK
 
 
December
OSHMS certification acquired at Shiga Plant
2017
 
December
The four main plants (Tokyo, Osaka, Shiga, Hanyu) receive an Advanced Special Award for TPM Achievement
2020
 
June
A.M.Ramp & Co.GmbH (Germany) acquired
2021
 
 
Long-term Strategic Vision SAKATA INX VISION 2030 starts
Long-term vision SAKATA INX VISION 2030 starts
 
 
 
SAKATA INX (BANGLADESH) PRIVATE LTD. established in Bangladesh (Dhaka)
2022
 
 
Moved from Tokyo Stock Exchange Market First Section to Prime Market as a result of a market category review