[Japan]
Opening of Nagase Shoten in Tokyo, Japan by Kao's founder, Mr. Tomiro Nagase.

[Japan]
Crude glycerine is launched.

[Japan]
Establishment of Kao Sekken Nagase Shokai Co., Ltd..
Aimed at mass production and mass selling and undertook management modernization.

[Japan]
Sales of ECONA edible oil for food industry use  begins.
Results from research into fats, the raw material used to produce soap, enable Japan's first sales of shortening .

[Japan]
Based on detached Azuma factory, Dai Nihon Yushi Co., Ltd. is established.
Sales of coconut fatty acid begins.

[Japan]
Sales of fatty alcohol (octyl alcohol) begins.

[Japan]
Hydrogenation and dehydration (HD) process is invented.

[Japan]
Nihon Yuki Co., Ltd. is established through fifty-fifty investment with Tekkosha Co., Ltd.
Sakata Plant goes into operation in northern Japan.

[Japan]
Dai Nihon Yushi's Wakayama Plant goes into operation in western Japan.
Trial production of aircraft lubricating oil begins.

[Japan]
Kao Sekken Nagase Shokai Co., Ltd. is renamed Kao Co., Ltd.

[Japan]
Nihon Yuki Co., Ltd. is renamed Kao Soap Co., Ltd.
At the same time, Kao Yushi Co., Ltd. is established through the merger of Kao Co., Ltd and Dai Nihon Yushi Co., Ltd.

[Japan]
Sales of VINYCIZER plasticizer begins.

[Japan]
Sales of surfactants begins.

[Japan]
Sales of FARMIN fatty amine begins.

[Japan]
Kao Soap Co., Ltd. is established through the merger of Kao Soap Co., Ltd. and Kao Yushi Co., Ltd.
Sales of NEW ECONA shortening begins (cooking oil division).

[Japan]
Sales of KAOLIZER urethane form catalysts, which serves as the initial step towards the future development of urethane business, begins.

[Japan]
Industrial Science Research Laboratories is established in Wakayama.
Tokyo Research Laboratories is established in 1967 to enhance R&D activities.
Sales of MIGHTY concrete additives begins.
MIGHTY is widely used for building expressways, skyscrapers and other structures because of its ability to produce high-strength, highly durable concrete.

[Worldwide]
Kao Industrial (Thailand) Co., Ltd. is established.
Kao (Taiwan) Corporation is established.

[Japan]
Kao-Quaker Co., Ltd. is established as a joint venture with Quaker Oats Company (U.S.) to manufacture and sell furan resin for use with casting sand. (The new company becomes a wholly owned Kao subsidiary in 1997.)

[Worldwide]
Quimi-Kao, S.A. de C.V. (Mexico) is established.

[Worldwide]
Pilipinas Kao, Inc. (Philippines) is established as a joint venture company with Aboitiz & Co., Inc. in the Philippines. Plant is built in Mindanao in 1979, and production of fatty alcohol, etc. made from coconut fatty acid begins.

P.T. Pole Kao Indonesia Chemicals is established. (The company is renamed PT. Kao Indonesia Chemicals in 1996.)

[Japan]
Establishment of Tochigi Research Laboratories

[Japan]
Kashima Plant, the second domestic chemical plant after our Wakayama Plant, goes into operation.

Sales of toner binders for copiers begins.
Sales of toners begins in 1983.

[Japan]
Toyohashi Plant is buit and goes into operation as our main plant for producing binder for casting.

[Worldwide]
Kao acquires High Point Chemical Corporation (U.S.). (The company is reorganized as Kao Chemicals Americas Corporation, High Point Textile Auxiliaries LLC, and Kao Specialties Americas LLC in 1999.)

[Worldwide]
Fatty Chemical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. is established.
Kao (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd. (now Kao (Singapore) Private Ltd.) is established.

[Worldwide]
Kao acquires Chemische Fabrik CHEM-Y GmbH (now Kao Chemicals GmbH) in Germany.

[Worldwide]
Kao Plasticizer (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. is established and production of plasticizers begins.
Kao Chemical Corporation Shanghai is established in China.

[Worldwide]
Tertiary amine production plant is built at Kao Chemicals GmbH in Germany.
Toner binders production plant goes into operation and its sales begins at Kao Specialties Americas LLC in the U.S..
New plant for aroma chemicals is built at Kao Corporation S.A. in Spain.

[Worldwide]
New sulfation facilities and manufacturing plant for MIGHTY concrete additive is built at Kao Chemical Corporation Shanghai in China.

[Japan]
New fragrance production facility is opened at the Wakayama Plant.

[Japan]
Production and sales of colorants for inkjet printers begins.

[Wordwide]
Fatty alcohol production plant is expanded at Fatty Chemical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. in Malaysia.

[Worldwide]
New plant is built in Thailand to boost production base in Southeast Asia.
Tertiary amine production plant is expanded at Kao Chemicals GmbH in Germany.

[Worldwide]
New plant for producing refrigerant oil base built is built at Kao Chemical Corporation Shanghai in China.

[Worldwide]
New plant in Pilipinas Kao, Inc. plant goes into operation, expanding yearly production capacity for fatty alcohol to 300 thousand tons together with our Malaysia plant.

[Worldwide]
Tertiary amine plant is expanded at Pilipinas Kao, Inc in the Philippines.

[Japan]
Toner binder plant is opened in Wakayama plant.

[Worldwide]
Kao do Brasil Representação Comercial Ltda established in Brazil.
New plants for casting agents go into operation at Huludao Jinxing Casting Materials Co.， Ltd in China.

[Worldwide]
New plant in P.T.Kao Indonesia Chemicals goes into operation at Karawang consolidating Tambun plants in Indonesia.
The operation of Tambun plant is moved and transferred to Karawang in December 2014.
Capacity for fatty alcohol is enhanced at Pilipinas Kao, Inc in the Philippines. 

[Worldwide]
New plant is established at Kao (Shanghai) Chemical Industries Co.，Ltd. in China.

[Worldwide]
Kao acquires Chimigraf Holding in Spain and renames it Kao Chimigraf.

[Worldwide]
New chemical factory of Kao's Indonesian joint venture company (PT Apical Kao Chemicals) is completed.

[Worldwide]
Kao to establish a Tertiary Amine Production Plant in Texas, U.S. to Strengthen the Foundation of its Chemical Business.
Chemical Business Division in Kao Vietnam Co., Ltd. is established.
Kao Is Expanding Its Synthetic Fragrance Production Facilities in Spain, with the Aim of Strengthening Its Fragrance Business in Europe.
Kao Joins Geno as Founding Member of $120M+ Venture to Globally Scale Palm Oil Alternative.
Business Alliance Formed with Polar Star Space toward the Establishment of Ganoderma Disease Monitoring Technology on Oil Palm Farms.

Our mission is to strive for the wholehearted satisfaction and enrichment of the lives of people globally and to contribute to the sustainability of the world, with products and brands of excellent value that are created from the consumer's and customer's perspective. This commitment is embraced by all members of the Kao Group as we work together with passion to share joy with consumers and customers in our core domains of cleanliness, beauty, health and chemicals. 

We aim to be the global group of companies that is closest to the consumers and customers in each market, earning the respect and trust of all stakeholders.

- Yoki-Monozukuri

We define "Yoki-Monozukuri" as "a strong commitment by all members to provide products and brands of excellent value for consumer satisfaction". It consists of the following core concepts, which distinguishes us from all others. In Japanese, "Yoki" literally means "good/excellent", "Monozukuri" means "development/manufacturing of products".

We strive to develop innovative products and brands to maximize consumer satisfaction by determining the needs of consumers and fusing them with the seeds of R&D.

- Innovation

We continuously improve and innovate our products, brands and business processes in order to stay one step ahead of changes in consumer lifestyles and the business environment. 

We proactively seek new opportunities and challenges, never being satisfied with the status quo. 

We regard difficulties as opportunities for self-improvement and continue to grow individually and as a corporation by overcoming them. 

- Integrity

We treat others with respect and fairness, and pursue our work with sincerity and diligence in an effort to optimize the performance of individuals and the corporation as a whole.

We behave lawfully and ethically, and earn the respect and trust of all stakeholders through sound and honest business activities.

As a responsible corporate citizen, we seek to ensure the safety of our products and operations, and proactively engage in solving social and environmental issues.

- Consumer Driven

We always place the consumer as our first priority, conducting day-to-day work from the viewpoint of the consumer.

We strive to be as close as possible to the consumer to grasp actual needs and develop products and brands with greater value.

We actively communicate with the consumer and utilize the feedback in daily business activities.

- Genba-ism

"Genba" literally means "actual spot". At Kao, "Genba-ism" defines the importance of observing things "on-site", in the actual location and environment, both internally and externally, in order to maximize our understanding of the business and optimize our performance.

We always strive to visit sites, and sense, experience and understand consumer behavior in purchasing and using products. 

We share experiences and understanding among operational Genba to enhance organizational capabilities and to promote unification within the group.

We constantly seek fresh ideas and inspiration from Genba, as they can be catalysts for innovation in our products, brands and business processes.

- Respect & Teamwork

We believe that the vitality engendered by diversity is a wellspring of business development, and therefore actively embrace differences of culture, nationality, belief, race and gender. 

We challenge to maximize our individual capabilities and pursue high-performance targets, always approaching daily tasks with enthusiasm.

We attain higher goals by working as a team, encouraging the active exchange of ideas and opinions, and sharing information.

We build firm cooperative relationships with our business partners through mutual understanding and respect for the benefit of all parties.

- Global Perspective

We strive to deeply understand the different cultures and customs of each market and offer products and brands appropriately suited to the needs of local consumers.

We develop suitable business operations involving marketing and sales activities in each market.

We are always open to innovative ideas and technologies from any source, internal or external, and strive with sincerity to learn anything that is superior from a global perspective.

We pursue the global efficiency and benefits of the Kao Group while respecting local initiatives.