History of Sumitomo Corp.

December 24, 1919 Registered December 30, 1919	Originally founded as Osaka Hokko Kaisha Ltd. (capital stock 35 million yen), a company engaged in real estate management, conducting land reclamation, land grading, harbor repair construction, etc. in the Osaka northern harbor region.
November 1944	Merged with Sumitomo Building Co., Ltd. (established August 1923; capital stock 6.5 million yen). Changed the corporate name to Sumitomo Building and Real Estate Co., Ltd.
December 1944	Took over sales operations of Hasebe Takekoshi Architectural Office; Reorganized as a general real estate company involved in real estate management and civil engineering construction design and management.
November 1945	After the end of the war, the company makes a transition to general trading, looking to handle products from Japan's major manufacturing firms in various industries. The company also deals in products manufactured by Sumitomo-related companies. The company name is changed to Nihon Kensetsu Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd., starting a new existence as a general trading firm. Ever since, the company has emphasized itself as a general trading firm, working to expand the breadth and type of products handled.
August 1949	The firm listed its shares for public trade on the Osaka, Tokyo and Nagoya Stock Exchanges (also subsequently listed shares in June 1955 on the Fukuoka Stock Exchange).
July 1950	The company spun out its civil construction design management division as Japan Construction Industrial Co., Ltd. (presently Nikken Sekkei Ltd.).
March 1952	Established Nikken New York Inc. in the United States (presently Sumitomo Corporation of America).
June 1952	Changed the company name to Sumitomo Shoji Kaisha Ltd.
December 1962	Consolidated the Osaka and Tokyo sales offices; adopted a product division structure. Established nine different product divisions: Iron & Steel, Nonferrous Metals, Electric, Machinery, Agriculture & Fishery, Chemicals, Textiles, General Products & Fuel, Real Estate.
October 1969	Established Sumisho Computer Services Co., Ltd. in Osaka (presently SCSK Corporation. Listed on the second section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in February 1989, designated a first section stock on the Tokyo exchange in September 1991).
August 1970	Merged with Sogo Boeki Co., Ltd. (established in May 1950; capital stock 300 million yen).
November 1970	Established Osaka Head Office and Tokyo Head Office, doing away with the names Head Office and Tokyo Branch.
June 1979	Implemented a Sales Division system, establishing four sales divisions: Iron & Steel, Machinery & Electric, Nonferrous Metals, Chemicals & Fuel, Consumer Products (subsequently established an Information & Industrial division in April 1998, and split the Machinery & Electric division into two separate divisions in April 2000, creating a total of six sales divisions).
January 1995	Established Jupiter Telecommunications Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, a firm engaged in cable television general operations (listed on the JASDAQ Securities Exchange in March 2005).
April 2000	Established Sumitomo Corporation Hokkaido Co., Ltd. in Hokkaido, transferring Hokkaido Branch Office operations.
April 2001	Reorganized headquarters into six corporate groups, nine business units and 28 business divisions. Eliminated Osaka Head Office and Tokyo Head Office naming convention. Adopted a block system (regional businesses) for Kansai, Chubu and Kyushu/ Okinawa regions.
June 2001	Moved the head office to Chuo-ku, Tokyo (present location).
July 2002	Reorganized corporate groups into two groups, one office, and one division.
April 2003	Established Sumitomo Corporation Tohoku Co., Ltd. in Miyagi Prefecture, transferring Tohoku Branch Office operations.
October 2005	Established Sumitomo Corporation Kyushu Co., Ltd. in Fukuoka Prefecture, transferring Kyushu/ Okinawa Block operations.
April 2007	Reorganized eight business units and 26 business divisions.
April 2008	Reorganized corporate groups into three groups and one division.
April 2009	Reorganized seven business units and 25 business divisions.
April 2010	New Industry Development & Cross-function Business Unit established, and the former Financial & Logistics Business Unit integrated into the new unit (seven business units and 25 business divisions).