Shima Trading Company’s History:

1904 Sadajiro Shima founded the Shima Company in Awaji-machi, Higashi-ku (now Chuo-ku), Osaka, as an importer-exporter and wholesaler.

1905 Company moved to Koraibashi, Higashi-ku(now Chuo-ku).

1912 Tokyo office established.

1916 Japan Glass Industries Co., Ltd. established as a manufacturer of beer bottles.

1917 New York office established.

1918 Shima Automobile Co., Ltd. established and appointed the exclusive importer for Willis Overland Co. of the United States. "Overland" popular class and "Willys-Knight" high-class cars, imported for sale.

1919 The Shima Company incorporated. Main products included machinery, steel, furs, glass and bottles, food products, raw materials for pharmaceuticals, and automobiles.
Nichibei Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. the precursor of Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. founded.
Production of glass products began under technical license from Libby-Owens Corporation of the United States.

1921 Shima Trading Co., Ltd. established.

1922 Shima Trading Co.(London) established. Petrolatum imported from Sonneborn & Sons, Inc. of the United States for pharmaceutical and cosmetics.

1928 Participated the establishment of Japan Gasoline Co., Ltd. (now JGC Corporation).

1930 Shima Oil Storage Tank established ashore Osaka Bay for storage and marketing of U.S. heavy fuel oil, imported by Japan Gasoline Co., Ltd.

1938 Tientsin office established. Additional offices established in Shanghai, Qingdao, Guangdong, and other cities over the next decade.

1951 Imports of Petrolatum resumed after the war for use as a base ingredient in antibiotic ointments and creams. Imports of liquid paraffin for pharmaceuticals & cosmetics also began. Import Drycol, coloring agent for plastics from Gering Products, Inc. of the United States.

1952 Imports began from Fine Organic of the United States of raw materials for "Invert soap," an odorless mild disinfectant harmless to the environment.

1953 Sales began of epoxy resin under an agency agreement with Shell Kagaku K.K. Developed markets in the electronics, automotive, and molding material industries. Shima Trading began manufacture of formulated and compound epoxy resins, Achmex and Achmelite at Nihon Gosei Co., Ltd.

1955 Shima Trading made exclusive agent of P.S.I. of the United States. Imports began of wax for use as an adhesive for moisture-proof packaging, impregnation insulating agent for paper condensers,and as a base material for chewing gum.

1956 Nagoya office established.

1959 Natural oil sulfonate from Sonneborn & Sons, Inc. introduced to Japan. Quickly adopted as a fiber lubricating agent, cleaning and dispersant agent for lubricating oil, anti-rust and emulsifier for water soluble cutting oil.

1963 Shima American Corporation established in Illinois as a local subsidiary. In accordance with the provisions of the Japanese Pharmaceuticals Law, Shima Trading assisted the establishment of the Japan Pharmaceutical Traders' Association.

1964 Shima Kosan Co., Ltd. established.

1966 Shima Kenzai Co., Ltd. established.

1969 Hiroshima office established.

1976 Cooperative arrangement began with Witco Corporation of the United States for the development of SACI, an anti-rust agent.

1977 Sales of polyurethane based adhesives (used in laminated film for food packaging) produced by Takeda Chemical Ind. (now Mitsui Chemicals Polyurethanes, Inc.) remarkably increased.

1979 Operation base established in Taipei, Taiwan.

1980 In cooperation with Kanebo, Ltd. (now Aion Co., Ltd.) polishing system for aluminum disks for computers introduced into the U.S. high technology market.

1985 Ginza Shima Building completed.

1990 Cooperative agreement on new ceramics coatings signed with paint manufacturers. Applications developed for wall materials, electric appliances, etc.

1991 Osaka Head Office, the Shima Building, completed.

1992 Singapore branch established.

1994 Representative office opened in the United Kingdom.

1995 Electrolyte materials for secondary batteries adopted by major manufacturers.

1996 Shanghai liaison office established.

1998 Shima Trading(Shanghai) Co., Ltd. established.

2000 Shima Trading Singapore Pte., Ltd. established.

2001 Shima Trading's Environmental Management System under ISO14001 in all Shima offices throughout Japan registered.

2002 Participated establishment of Pacific Sunrise Holding Co., Ltd., Thailand. Shima Asia Pacific Sdn. Bhd., established in Malaysia.

2004 Shima Trading Company (USA), Ltd. established in the state of Illinois, USA.

2010 Seoul liaison office established.