Corporate History

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History from Feminine Care Products Manufacturer to Life Supportive Enterprise
Origin of Company Name

From Feminine Care Products Manufacturer to Life Supportive Enterprise

"Aiming to ease women's daily concerns and inconvenience."
This thought marked the fist step for Unicharm.

Starting with the manufacture and sale of feminine napkins, our company commenced business as a manufacturer of feminine care products.
Since then, we have been industry leaders and pioneers, developing numerous unique technologies and products.

Relying on the processing and forming technologies for non-woven fabrics and absorbent materials developed in our feminine care products, we have expanded our businesses to encompass baby and child care, health care, household and other products. Our scope continues to broaden as a company supporting the lives of people engaged in child rearing, nursing care and housework.

There are "Three DNAs" representing the values common across the entire company, which have been developed and passed down since its inception.
With a future-oriented perspective, we at Unicharm will continue to take on new challenges.

History from Feminine Care Products Manufacturer to Life Supportive Enterprise

1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s

Company Events ●Domestic activities ●Overseas activities	Year	4 Product launch ●Baby and Child care ●Feminine care ●Health care ●Clean & fresh●Pet care
●Keiichiro Takahara founded Taisei Kako Co., Ltd. ●Commenced the manufacture and sale of building materials	1961
	1963	●Commenced manufacture and sale of feminine napkins
	1968	●Launched "Charm Nap Sawayaka"
●Founded Unicharm Corporation	1974	●Commenced manufacture and sale of tampons ●Commenced sales of cosmetic cotton puffs
●Listed stocks on the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange	1976	●Launched "Charm Nap Mini", slim napkins
	1978	●Launched "Silcot", high-quality makeup cotton puffs
	1980	●Launched "Charm Soft Tampon"
●Announced corporate philosophy - Nola & Dola	1981	●Launched "Moony", disposable diapers
	1982	●Launched "Sofy", shaped feminine napkins
●Transferred the building materials divisions to Uni Taisei Corporation	1983	●Launched "MamyPoko", disposable diapers
●Established a joint venture in Taiwan	1984
●Company stock designated to be listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange	1985
●Commenced education business ●Established Donchaka Saino Kyoshitu ●Commenced pet care business	1986	●Launched "Freshy Aiken Genki"-dog food for small dog and all stage dog.
●Established a joint venture in Thailand	1987	●Launched "Lifree", disposable diapers for adults ●Launched "Freshy Neko Genki"-dry food for cats ●Launched "Deodrant Sheet"-pet sheet for dogs
●Established "Gold Tower Co."	1988	●Launched "Sofy Sara", interwoven feminine napkins ●Launched "Lifree Nyotori Pad", incontinence pads
	1989	●Launched "Refrain", sheets for vaginal discharge ●Launched "Pipe Unish", liquid pipe cleaners
	1990	●Launched "Trepanman", training pants
	1991	●Launched "Oyasumi Man", pants for bed-wetting children
	1992	●Launched "Moony Man" pants-type diapers
●Established "Unicharm East Japan Corp. " ●Formed technology alliance for pants-type diapers in Saudi Arabia ●Established a joint venture in the Netherlands	1993	●Launched "Mamy Poko", diapers designed with Disney characters ●Launched "Moony-chan Raku-Raku Oshiri-fuki", wet wipes that can be removed from the pack with one hand ●Launched "Sofy Sara Side Gathered", feminine napkins with three-dimensional gathers at the sides
●Technical Center completed - base for research and development ●Established a joint venture in South Korea	1994	●Launched "Moony Power Slim" ultra-thin tape-type diapers
●Established a joint venture in Shanghai	1995	●Launched "Moony Man Power Slim", ultra-thin pants-type diapers ●Launched "Mamy Poko Pants", pants-type diapers designed with Disney characters ●Launched "Charm Bodyfit", feminine napkins with three-dimensional cushion structure ●Launched "Lifree Rehabili-Pants", pants-type diapers for adults
●Merged with Unitech Corp. ●Established the company website ●Obtained ISO09002 certification for the factory in Taiwan	1996	●Launched "Lifree Tape-Hold Type" diapers
●Established Unicharm Molnlycke K.K. in Japan, a joint venture for adults’ incontinence products ●Commenced procedures for acquiring ISO14001 certification ●Established "Lifree Iki-Iki Dial", a hotline service for nursing care ●Established a joint venture in Indonesia ●Established a 100% subsidiary in Malaysia	1997	●Launched "Charm Nap Sawayaka Liners", special incontinence panty liners
●Transferred the pet businesses to Uni-Taisei Corp. ●Transferred the pet food businesses from Ajinomoto General Foods, Inc. to Uni-Taisei Corp.	1998	●Launched "Silcot Wet Tissues"
●Uni-Taisei Corp. changed its company name to Uni Heartous Corporation ●Established Unicharm Central Japan Corporation ●Established Unicharm Material Co., Ltd. ●Established UBS Corporation ●Established Code of Corporate Conduct and Employee Guidelines ●Introduced the operating officers system	1999	●Launched "Lifree Sawayaka Pads" for light incontinence ●Launched "Neko Genki Deosand"-paper cat litters
●Established research institute for toileting care ●Established the post of Chief Quality Officer (CQO)	2000	●Launched "Sofy Active Support",slim-type interwoven feminine napkins ●Launched "Sofy Nameraka Slim Tampon" for first-time users ●Launched "Cook-Up Kitchen Sheet", a paper sheet product for use in the kitchen
●Keiichiro Takahara assumed the office of Chairman and Representative Director Takahisa Takahara assumed the office of President and Representative Director ●Introduced the new corporate mark - Charm Ring ●Established the new corporate philosophy - Nola & Dola ●Issued an environmental report ●Established the Baby Town website to support child rearing	2001	●Launched "Wave Handy Wiper", a sheet-type cleaner ●Launched "Moony Man Hai-Hai-yo", pants-type diapers for crawling babies ●Launched "Pet Diapers"
●Integrated Unicharm East Japan and Unicharm Central Japan to form Unicharm Product Co., Ltd. ●Received the 7th Disclosure Award for Companies with Stocks Listed on the TSE ●Transferred "Pipe Unish" liquid pipe cleaner product to Johnson Co., Ltd. ●Took over "Eldy" tampon products from Lion Corporation ●Acquired ISO9001:2000 certification ●Engineering Center completed - base for technological development ●Uni Heartous Corporation changed its corporate name to Unicharm PetCare Corporation ●Established a joint venture in the Philippines ●Established exclusive Nyomore Care Navi website for light incontinence care	2002	●Launched "Sofy Shikkari Kyushu Guard", feminine napkins for users with heavy menstrual bleeding ●Launched "Lifree Yoru-yo Anmin Pants", adults’ pants-type diapers for nighttime use ●Launched "Lifree Anmin Guard", incontinence pads for nighttime use ●Launched "Neko Genki Hairball Care"-dry food for cats
●Established Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Division ●Commenced procedures for acquiring ISO14001 certification for overseas local corporations ●Established Unicharm Eduo Corporation, a joint venture company for the early childhood education business	2003	●Launched "Sofy Wide Guard", wide-type feminine napkins ●Launched "Cham Nap Sawayaka Cho-Kyushu", exclusive incontinence care pads ●Launched "Unicharm Chorittai Mask", three-dimensional masks made of non-woven fabric for protecting against pollen ●Launched "Unicharm Chorittai Mask Kaze-yo", three-dimensional masks made of non-woven fabric for people with colds ●Launched "One week deodorant・ antibacteria Deotoilet"-system toilet for cats
●Established Toileting Care Navi website for nursing care at home ●Established the Corporate Ethics Department in the CSR Division ●Established exclusive website "Hajimete Karada Navi for Girls" about first menstruation ●Issued CSR Report 2004 ●Unicharm PetCare Corporation stock listed on the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange	2004	●Launched "Moony Man Mizu-Asobi Pants", pants-type diapers for children to use when playing with water ●Launched "Wave Pyu-pyutto Mop", mops for cleaning floors ●Launched "Silcot Wet Tissue Petit Pact", a portable wet tissue product ●Launched "Aler-Care Wave", a sheet cleaner product that captures allergens ●Launched "Neko Genki Gin no Spoon" dry food for cats
●Unicharm PetCare Corporation stock designated to be listed on the First Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange ●Gulf Hygienic Industries of Saudi Arabia was made a subsidiary	2005	●Launched "Sofy Body Fit Fuwa Pita Slim", slim feminine napkins with a totally new feel ●Launched "Sofy Body Peace Set", a next-generation feminine care product ●Launched "Cook Up Shakitto Shokkan Sheet", a sheet product for retaining vegetable freshness ●Launched "Silcot Wet Tissue Handy Wet", a wet tissue product in a bottle ●Launched "Charm Nap Kyusui Sarafi", a panty liner that absorbs vaginal discharge and urine ●Launched "Aiken Genki Gin no Sara" dry food for dogs
●Established a joint venture company, LG Unicharm Corporation, in South Korea ●Commended by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry as an "excellent consumer-oriented corporation" in 2005 ●Granted a Distinguished Service in Intellectual Properties Award by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2006 ●Announced participation in the United Nations Global Compact ●Took over the Center-In feminine napkin products from the Shiseido Group ●Established CSR Office at local corporation in China ●Relocated head office to Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo ●Established a 100% subsidiary in Vietnam	2006	●Launched "Sofy Fuwagokochi", a panty liner product with a new feel ●Launched "Lifree Sono Shunkan mo Anshin", an impending continence care pad product ●Launched "Lifree Oshiri Fuki", a wet toilet tissue product for adults ●Launched "Moony Man Ase Sukkiri", pants-type diapers for summer ●Launched "Unicharm Chorittai Mask Virus Guard", three-dimensional masks of non-woven fabric that prevent viral intrusion ●Launched "Neko Genki Silver Spoon Can" - canned wet food for cats
●Certified as a company that supports child-rearing ●Renewed Pre-Mama Town, a community website for providing pregnancy support	2007	●Launched "Unicharm Chorittai Mask Kafun-yo Super", three-dimensional masks of non-woven fabric that block pollen ●Completely renewed the "Center-In" feminine care product lineup ●Launched "Lifree Kyusui Shitagi Slim Wear"TM, an exclusive pants-type incontinence care product for active seniors ●Launched "Sofy Hadaomoi", feminine napkins for sensitive skin prone to irritation ●Launched "Zero-one" pet sheet for dogs
●Issued CSR Report 2008 ●Establishes a wholly owned subsidiary in India ●Acquired Australian Pacific Paper Products and made it a wholly owned subsidiary ●Unicharm Molnlycke K.K., a joint corporation, establishes a wholly owned subsidiary in Russia	2008	●Launched "Unicharm Chorittai Mask for Kids", three-dimensional masks of non-woven fabric for children ●Launched "Wave Rittai Floor Wiper" (floor-type), a sheet cleaning product for living rooms ●Launched "Moony Man Slim Pants", pants-type disposable diapers for babies with half the thickness of conventional products ●Launched "Sofy Kiyora" panty liners ●Releases Unicharm Chorittai Masks for Women ●Releases Lifree Rehabilitation Underwear - Easy Change Without Undressing, paper diapers for adults
●Established Unicharm Humancare Corporation	2009	●Releases Unicharm Funwari Breast-Feed Pads ●Unicharm Humancare Corporation releases Humany, a urine aspirator.

Origin of Company Name

Uni Charm | Univeral Unique United

At the time of its founding, the Company name was Taisei Kako Co., Ltd.

The company originally manufactured and sold wood wool cement board. In 1963, the Company entered the feminine napkin market, and expanded into the tampon market in 1974.

The current name, Unicharm Corporation, was created to make the Company name more fitting for a feminine product manufacturer.

"Uni" of Unicharm signifies Universal, Unique and United, and represents our desire "to be an integrated company offering unique products and services worldwide."

"Charm" was incorporated into our name to represent our wish as a feminine product manufacturer that "women will always remain charming."

The company name Unicharm was conceived accordingly by combining Uni and Charm.