Air Water Inc. History

Air Water Inc. was established in 2000 through the consolidation of three companies —Hoxan Corporation, Daido Sanso Co., Ltd., and Kyodo Oxygen Co., Ltd. —each with different histories and cultures, to begin a new mission and purpose: to provide services that innovate industry and society through “air and water.”

Since then, the new company has conducted aggressive M&A activities to reinforce its business foundation, expand its business areas, and improve the comprehensive strength of the Group.
Air Water will continue taking on businesses that are ahead of their time, in keeping with the spirit of its founder, which has been passed down in an unbroken line.

1929～1992

History of the three founding companies

1993～1999

DAIDO Hoxan Inc. established

2000～

Air Water Inc. established

  • ●Industrial Gases
  • ●Chemical
  • ●Medical
  • ●Energy
  • ●Agriclture & Food Products
  • ●Logistics
  • ●Seawater
  • ●Aerosol
  • ●Others

1929～1992

Hoxan Corporation

Aiming to save lives and help develop local industries

In the years before the war, only one company was capable of supplying oxygen for medical use in central Hokkaido. Following the untimely death of a sick person due to poor transportation conditions and the inability to receive sufcient oxygen inhalation, the deceased’s elder brother, the then head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Sapporo City, came up with a grand vision of supplying oxygen to save lives and develop Hokkaido’s industries, and founded Hokkai Sanso Co., Ltd.

Daido Sanso K.K.

Founded in the spirit of a united front and collaboration

Oxygen and acetylene used for the welding and cutting of iron materials were preferentially distributed to the military-support industry, and difficult to obtain for smaller businesses. So it was decided to change the situation. Rather than purchasing oxygen, those who use it joined hands to produce it themselves. Established in Osaka, when the city was even livelier than Tokyo, Daido Sanso was recognized for its unconventional corporate stance.

Kyodo Oxygen Co.,Ltd.

Supporting Japan’s rapid economic growth with oxygen

Kyodo Oxygen was established in the midst of the Japanese economic miracle. Sumitomo Metal Industries established Kyodo Oxygen inside its Wakayama Ironworks to meet rapidly increasing steel demand fueled by the remarkable development of heavy industry, and the supply of oxygen for converter steelmaking began.

1929 ●“Hokkai Sanso Co.,Ltd.” is established in Sapporo.
1933
  • ●“Daido Sanso K.K. ” is established in Osaka.
1955
  • ●Sales of LPG begin.
1962
  • ●Kyodo Oxygen Co., Ltd. Is established in Kokura and Wakayama.
1963
  • ●Sales and production of a bath room unit named “Bath-All” begin.
1966
  • ●Company name changed to HOXAN Corporation.
1970
  • ●”Senboku Oxygen Co.,Ltd.”begins operation. The kansai district’s first on-site operation with the capability of generationg gas and liquid gas begins.
1978
  • ●Manufacture and sales of welding argon gas ELNACKS® begin.
1979
  • ●Manufacture and sales of frozen food begin.
1984
  • ●Hith-purity nitrogen generator “V1” is developed. Mini on-site operation for semiconductor equipment manufacture beings.
1988
  • ●Capital alliance with Tateho Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

1993～1999

Daido Hoxan Inc.

1993 ●“DAIDO Hoxan Inc.” is established.
1995 ●Established frozen food business company “Saveur Inc.”

Kyodo Oxygen Co.,Ltd.

2000～

Air Water Inc.

2000 ●“Air Water Inc.” is established.
2001
  • ●Acquires Tokyo Aerosol Chemicals Co., Ltd. as a Group company.
    (Air Water Sol Inc. since 2003)
  • ●Air Water Plant Engineering Co., Ltd. established to strengthen engineering division.
  • ●Acquires 100% of shares of Mitsui Chemicals Praxair.
    (Air Water Carbonic Inc. since 2005)
  • ●Acquires hydrogen gas business.
    (Air Water Hydrogen Corp. since 2007)
2002
  • ●Acquires the Hokkaido Plant of Snow Brand Food and Saveur SS Inc. established.
  • ●“Sumikin Air Water Chemical Inc.”is established. Chemical Business is established around coal chemical.
2003
  • ●Concluded business alliance with Kawaju Bosai Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    (Acquires as a group company in 2005. Air Water Safety Service Inc. since 2006)
2004
  • ●VSU, a small high-efficiency air separation plant, is developed and operation of No. 1 unit begins in Niigata.
  • ●Sales of LNG tank containers (40 feet) begin.
2005
  • ●Acquires the Bellpearl® functional phenolic resin business. Air Water Bellpearl Inc. established.
2007
  • ●Acquires Nihonkaisui Co., Ltd. as a Group company, establishing seawater business along with Tateho Chemical Industries Co., Ltd.
  • ●Acquires Saito Medical Industries Inc. as a Group company.Hypodermic needle business launched.
    (Misawa Medical Industry Co., Ltd. since 2018)
2008
  • ●Acquires a stake in Inoueki Co., Ltd., an electronic materials trading company.
    (Air Water Materials Inc. since 2015)
2009
  • ●Air Water Farm, an agricultural production corporation, is established. Opens a glass greenhouse utilizing solar power in Chitose City.
2010
  • ●”NEXT-2020 Ver.1″, a new medium-term business plan is instituted.
    (Seeks to become a 1 trillion yen company in net sales and puts in place a “Foundation for Further Growth”.)
2011
  • ●Acquires Hokkaido Shatai Co.,Ltd. as a Group company. Manufacturing vehicles business begin
  • ●Acquires Denken Co., Ltd. as a Group company.
    (Denken-Highdental Co., Ltd. since 2014)
2012
  • ●Acquires Gold Pack Co., Ltd., a contract manufacturer of beverages, as a Group company.
    Enhances hospital facilities business.
2013
  • ●Air Water Medical Inc. is established. Expands home medical care business.
  • ●Low-temperature logistics center opened in Sapporo.Expand low-temperature logistics business
2014
  • ●VSUA, capable of producing argon, goes into operation in Vietnam.
2015
  • ●Woody biomass power generation begins at Nihonkaisui Ako Power Plant.
  • ●Acquires Kawasaki Kasei Chemicals Ltd. as a Group company.
  • ●Acquires KYUSYUYA Co., Ltd., a nationwide fruit and vegetable retail chain, as a Group company.
  • ●Acquires TAYLOR-WHARTON MALAYSIA SDN.BHD. dealing with manufacture of cryogenic containers, as a Group company.
2016
  • ●Acquires Plecia Co., Ltd. as a Group company.Full-scale participation in sweets business.
  • ●Acquires Kawamoto Corporation, dealing with sanitary materials, as a Group company.
2017
  • ●Acquires GLOBALWIDE (Singapore) as a Group company.
    (Hospital interior and facility installation)
2018
  • ●Acquires POWER PARTNERS PTE. LTD. as a Group company. High-power UPS business begins in Singapore.
2019
  • ●Acquired Indian on-site supply business. Developing industrial gases business in India.
  • ●Biomass & coal co-firing power plant in Hofu starts operation.