History｜Japan Pulp & Paper Company Limited

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History

The history of the JP Group has evolved hand-in-hand together with the Japanese paper distribution industry.

1845 - 1959 Foundation --- Creation of a paper trading company

　　　　　

1845	Saburobei Nakai establishes a private paper company, Echisan Shoten, in Kyoto. The company deals in traditional Japanese paper (washi).	Tokyo head office, circa 1910
1876	Begins dealing in machine-made paper. First in Japan to deal in this type of paper.
1882	Product distribution contract with Paper Company (Current Oji Paper Co., Ltd.) signed.
1899	Shanghai Nakai established.
1902	The main store moved to Tokyo from Kyoto, with the establishment of Nakai Shoten.
1916	Becomes a limited company, name changed to Nakai Shoten Limited.
1955	Hong Kong Representative Office Opened (now Japan Pulp & Paper (HK)).
1963	Company name changed to Nakai Limited.
1967	New York Representative Office Opened.

1970 - 1999 Establishment of Japan Pulp and Paper Company Limited --- Stock listing and expansion of business activities

1970	Japan Pulp and Paper Company Limited formed through the merging of Nakai Limited and Fuji Yoshiten Company. Jakarta Representative Office opened.	Signing of the merger between Nakai Limited and Fuji Yoshiten Company Safeshred Co., Inc.
1972	Dusseldorf Representative Office opened (now Japan Pulp & Paper GmbH).
1973	Company listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. JP Resources Co., Ltd.(now Fukudasansho Co; Ltd.) established.
1974	Japan Pulp & Paper (U.S.A.) Corp. established.
1981	Beijing Representative Office opened.(now Japan Pulp & Paper (Shanghai) Beijing Branch Office)
1994	Talico established in Mexico.
1998	Safeshred Co., Inc. in the USA became a subsidiary, marking the start of the JP Group's full-scale entry into the wastepaper recycling business outside Japan.

2000-2009 - Diversification through expansion of Non-Japan wholesaling, Paper Manufacturing & Processing, and Raw Materials & Environment businesses

2002	JPTS Electronics Materials (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. established.	Eco-Port Kyushu Co., Ltd.
2002	JPTS Electronics Materials (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. established.
2003	Purchased Pulp and Paper sales division of the Tomen Group and acquired shares of Oriental Asahi JP Carton Box. Taiho Paper Co., Ltd. became a subsidiary.
2004	Kawabe Biomass Power Generation Co., Ltd. established.
2006	Taipei Representative Office opened. (now Japan Pulp & Paper (Taiwan))
2007	Seoul Representative Office opened. (now Japan Pulp & Paper (Korea)) Moscow Representative Office opened. Eco-Port Kyushu Co., Ltd. established.
2008	Dubai Representative Office opened.
2009	Eco Paper JP Co., Ltd. acquired the paper manufacturing operations of Tokiwa Corporation.

2010-2024　Promotion of Glocalization through M&A

　　　　　

2010	Gould Paper, a major independent U.S paper merchant, became a consolidated subsidiary of JP, expanding the JP Group's business activities throughout North America and Europe.	Eco Power JP Co., Ltd. Corex Shinei's new recycled household paper mill Ball&Doggett Group, leading paper merchant in Oceania, joins the group Premier Paper Group, a leading paper merchant in the UK, joins the group OAJ begins full-scale operations of its new mill
2011	Acquired shares of Corelex Group, a major player in the recycled household paper sector.
2012	KCT Trading, an Indian paper merchant, came under the JP umbrella and expanded the JP Group's business activities throughout India.
2013	JP Loginet Group established. Eco Power JP Co., Ltd. established, and entered the electric power selling business.
2014	Hanoi Representative Office opened.
2015	Manila Representative Office opened. Operations commenced at the Kushiro Onbetsu Solar Power Generation Plant by Eco Power JP. Operations commenced at the Corelex Shin-Ei's new recycled household paper mill.
2016	Noda Biopower JP (established in 2014) started operation of a woody biomass power plant.
2017	Fukudasansho, a major player in the Japanese wastepaper trading sector, acquired. Ho Chi Minh Representative Office opened. Acquired shares of Ball & Doggett Group, a major paper merchant in the Oceania region. Started using the Group brand “OVOL”.
2018	100% of the shares of the Aarque Group were acquired, leading to strengthened sales in the sign and display market in the Oceania region. OVOL Fibre Solution India established, strengthening the paper recycling business in India. Western-BRW Enters the JanSan Business. The OVOL Nihonbashi Building was completed. OVOL New Energy established in Malaysia, strengthening the engages in the collection, sale and exporting of PKS. Acquired shares of, Spicers Paper (Singapore) (now OVOL Singapore) and Spicers Paper (Malaysia) (now OVOL Malaysia) a major paper merchant in the Southeast Asia region.
2019	The OVOL Kyoto Ekimae Building was completed. Premier Paper Group, a leading paper merchant in the UK, joins the group.
2020	Paper merchant Fuchikami, which has a high market share in paper sales in the Kagoshima and Okinawa regions, joins the group.
2021	Formulation of OVOL Vision 2030 “Paper, and beyond". Narumi-Kamiten Co., a paper merchant in Aomori, joins the group. OAJ begins full-scale operations of its new mill.
2022	Osaka Paperware Mfg. Co., Ltd. and Misuzushigyo Co., Ltd., containerboard manufacturers in Osaka, join the group. Premier Paper Group Acquires Stake in Zulu Packaging and Wine Box Company, Strengthening Film Sales and Packaging Materials Businesses in the U.K. Ball & Doggett Group Acquires Conect Enterprises and Cas-Pak Products to Strengthen Sign & Display and Flexible Packaging Businesses in Oceania OVOL Singapore Acquires Stake in Thermal Transfer Ribbon Processing and Sales Company Transam Industries.
2023	Premier Paper Group has acquired shares in Graphic And Paper Merchants Holdings, a sign and display, and paper wholesaling business in Ireland. Signatory to the UN Global Compact. Japan Pulp & Paper (M) ,has acquired shares in Mutiara Paper (M) , a paper wholesaler. Japan Pulp & Paper (M) has acquired shares in Compedo Media , a sign & display media and hardware sales and technical services company operating to strengthen its sign and display business in Malaysia.
2024	OVOL Singapore has acquired shares in CAS Technology, a sign & display hardware sales and technical services company operating in Singapore to strengthen its sign and display business in Singapore. Gould Paper Corporation has acquired shares in EFP-Chavassieu , a paper, paperboard and non-woven fabric distributor in France. Formulation of OVOL Medium-term Business Plan 2026. Ball & Doggett Group Acquires Pacrite Industries, Sign Essentials to Strengthen Sign & Display and Flexible Packaging Businesses in Oceania. OVOL Papier Deutschland, OVOL Packaging, OVOL ComPlott, OVOL France, and JJ LOOS become group companies through the establishment of a new company and acquisition of business in Germany and the acquisition of shares in two companies engaged in the paper and other wholesale business in France, Expanding wholesale business in continental Europe.

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