1989- (Period of Jump)

Breakthrough emergence as a global company

Amidst the Fallout of the Burst Bubble

The 1990's were an era of positive investments. New facilities were opened one after another with a general research center (Nobeoka) in 1990, the Hiroshima factory in 1991, and the Tochigi factory in 1996.
However, the bubble burst amidst our advances to create a system to satisfy customer needs, and the Japanese economy entered a period of downturn with no end in sight.

Activity at the Nobeoka factory

External view of the Hiroshima factory

The Leap into Global Business

In 1995 we obtained ISO 9001 certification and developed an automated irrigation system for home gardening. The Tochigi factory was built in 1996. In 1999, we acquired all the shares in Asahi/America, Inc., thus making it a subsidiary of our company. In 2001, we adopted a dual-headquarters system for pipe materials and resins. Amidst the oncoming waves of globalization, we proceeded to create an organization that could respond flexibly to a rapidly changing world. In 2000, the Amori factory was built, and a general research center (Aichi) was built in 2003. We have developed a PP Piping System, the new brand Dymatrix, and PAPS Resin. Our company, which has become the bedrock of the Japanese economy, has continued to grow as a top manufacturer of polyvinyl chloride products and phenol resins on the world market. We are proud of the technology and challenges we have conquered to date.

External view of Asahi/America, Inc.

RCS factory (Thailand)

Chronological Table for the Period of Jump

AOC Chronological Table		World Events
1990	Achieved a new sales record: 42.4 billion yen.	With the launch of Soyuz TM11 (from the former Soviet Union), Toyohiro Akiyama became the first Japanese astronaut.
1990	Constructed a comprehensive laboratory in our Nobeoka factory
1991	Constructed our Hiroshima factory	The great sumo wrestler and yokozuna Chiyonofuji retired with a record 1045 wins.
1992	Closed the Shimonoseki factory	The PKO cooperation law, which stipulates that Japanese Self Defense Forces may participate in UN-led peacekeeping operations, was enacted on June 15th.
1995	Obtained ISO 9001 certification	The Great Hanshin Earthquake struck western Japan, causing extensive damage to property and loss of human lives.
1996	Closed the Tone and Joban factories.	A massive outbreak of food poisoning by enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 affected many Japanese.
1996	Constructed our Tochigi factory
1999	Acquired whole stocks of Asahi/America, Inc. (currently a consolidated subsidiary)	An All Nippon Airways flight out of Haneda and bound for Shin-Chitose was hijacked by a 28-year-old unemployed man living in Tokyo.
2000	Constructed our Amori factory	The volcano at Miyakejima (Miyake village, Tokyo) on the Izu Islands erupted. The smoke from the volcano extended as much as 15,000 meters into the atmosphere.
2001	Adopted a dual-headquarter system, with offices in Nobeoka and Tokyo	Terrorists crashed two planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. At the same time, the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia was attacked and another plane crashed near Pittsburgh when the passengers attempted to take control.
	Adopted a dual-division system for Valve and Piping Systems Administration and Resin Administration
	Founded AOC Hanbai Nishi-Nihon K.K.
2002	Founded AOC Techno Co., Ltd. to produce semiconductor cleaner	Mr. Masatoshi Koshiba was awarded a Nobel Prize because of his groundbreaking and eminent contribution to the detection of supernova neutrinos. A new field of research, neutrino astronomy, was founded when he detected neutrinos (sub-atomic particles) in 1987.
	Established AOC Assemble Co., Ltd.
	Opened our Shanghai office
2003	Started private-label production of plastic piping materials in Taiwan
2004	Constructed Aichi Research Laboratory in Aichi factory	An earthquake measuring magnitude 9.15 struck off the coast of Sumatra on December 26, 2004. Many countries along the Indian Ocean coast suffered damage from the tsunami, which claimed over 230,000 lives in twelve countries.
2005	Founded an RCS factory in Thailand	The first four cars of a JR West semi-express train on the Fukuchiyama Line were derailed, with two of them crashing into an apartment building about 6 meters from the railway. 107 people were killed and 549 people were injured, making this the worst accident in the history of Japan Rail.
	Started private-label production of piping materials in Nanking, China
	Set up a wholly-owned sales arm in Shanghai
2006	Planned the construction of a resin production factory in Suzhou, China	The 20th Winter Olympic Games were held in Torino, Italy. Shizuka Arakawa won the gold medal in women's figure skating.

About AOC | 1989- (Period of Jump)