1945-1956 (Period of Incunabula)

Beyond chaos during and after the period of World War II

Converting to Peaceful Industries at the End of the War

The forerunner of our company was Nicchitsu Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. (now Asahi Kasei). Before the war, we mainly manufactured jigs for wooden airplanes*. In 1943, we started manufacturing plastic parts in Nobeoka. While developing Bakelite technology to compete with the thick plastic that was the primary material at the time, we also started to manufacture plywood for use in airplane fuselages.
As the war escalated, we set up Nicchitsu Kozai Kogyo Co., Ltd. in Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Prefecture in 1945. Before long, however, the war came to an end, and the company reverted to peaceful production and changed its name to Asahi Veneer Industry Co., Ltd. In 1946, production started on AV Lite, a phenolic resin-based material that was to become an epoch-making product for the company.

*A jig is a support tool used to guide blades and tools into the correct position on a product being processed during machine tooling.

Two Pillars: Phenolic Resin and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Products

In 1947, amidst the post-war chaos, we invented a method of manufacturing plywood adhesive that was submitted as our first patent application. Envisioning a conversion to chemical production concentrating on synthetic resins, in 1950 the company name was changed to AOC. Subsequently, a new factory was built in Nobeoka in 1951. In 1952, we began selling products using hard polyvinyl chloride resins.
In 1954, we started selling shell mold resin for precision casting. This resin was based on phenolic resin materials, which have since become synonymous with AOC. We received an order for construction of the Kadogawa Waterworks, at which time the processing of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and pipe manufacture began in earnest.
In 1955, we established a Production Department (the present-day Engineering Department). We began developing commercial polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products soon after, and it is these products that have supported the company over the years.

Chronological Table for the Period of Incunabula

AOC Chronological Table		World Events
1945	Nicchitsu Kozai Kogyo Co., Ltd. was founded	Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration and surrendered on August 15th, bringing an end to World War II.
	Manufactured phenolic resin veneer
	Corporate name was changed to Asahi Veneer Industry Co., Ltd. by order of the GHQ
1946	Started sales of "AV Lite"	The Japanese Emperor himself broadcast on the radio the renunciation of imperial divinity.
1947	Developed a method of manufacturing veneer-plate adhesives	The Constitution of Japan, which established the inviolability of fundamental human rights, came into effect.
1950	Corporate name changed to Asahi Yukizai Kogyo K.K. (Asahi Organic Chemicals Industry Co., Ltd.)	North Korean troops crossed the border at the 38th Parallel and attacked the Republic of Korea, sparking the Korean War.
1951	Constructed our Nobeoka factory	Japan, which had been an occupied country, regained its independence and became a member of the international community with the conclusion of the San Francisco Peace Treaty.
1952	Started sales of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products	The San Francisco Peace Treaty went into effect, giving Japan back its independence with the closing of the GHQ and the release of Japanese from the occupying army.
1953	Expanded the AV Lite sales network	A 10-yen coin portraying the Phoenix Hall of the Byodoin Temple on the front and the number "10" wreathed in laurels on the back was minted and put into circulation.
1954	Started sales of shell mold resin	The first Tokyo Motor Show was held at Hibiya Park in Tokyo.
1954	Received order for a water service construction as our first public work
1955	Established the Construction Division (present-day Engineering Department)	Arsenic was found mixed into powdered milk produced at the Morinaga Tokushima Factory. 130 people were killed.

About AOC | 1945-1956 (Period of Incunabula)