Home > Corporate Information > History

1937 Established as Japan Zinc Smelting Co., Ltd.
Constructed the Annaka Smelter and Refinery
Started electrolytic zinc smelting
1939 Japan Zinc Co., Ltd., purchased the Taishu Mine
1941 Company names (Japan Zinc Smelting Co., Ltd., and Japan Zinc Co., Ltd.) changed to TOHO ZINC CO., LTD.
1949 Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Osaka Securities Exchange
1950 Purchased the Chigirishima Smelter and Refinery
1951 Started production of lead bullion at the Chigirishima Smelter and Refinery
1952 Established Annaka Transportation Co., Ltd.
1955 Started electrolytic lead refining at the Chigirishima Smelter and Refinery
1963 Constructed the Onahama Smelter and Refinery
Started zinc roasting and sulfuric acid production at the Onahama Smelter and Refinery
1966 Constructed the Fujioka Smelter and Refinery (now the Fujioka Works)
Started pig iron production
1967 Started electrolytic iron refining at the Fujioka Smelter and Refinery
Established Toho Trade Co., Ltd.
Established Toho Carrier Co., Ltd.
1968 Established Chigirishima Transportation Co., Ltd.
1969 Started operating the dedicated tank freight train Toho-go for long-distance shuttle transport from the Onahama Smelter and Refinery to the Annaka Smelter and Refinery
Started development of the Gran Bretana Mine in Peru
Started development of the Qaleh-Zari Mine in Iran
1972 Established Toho Development Engineering Co., Ltd. (now TDE Co., Ltd.)
Established Chugoku Environment Analytical Center Co., Ltd.
1973 Succeeded in commercialization of a method to recover valuable metals such as zinc oxide from electric furnace dust
1975 Started marketing lead sound insulating boards under the registered trademark SOFT CALM
Licensed technology to Korea Zinc Co., Ltd., of South Korea for the construction of the Onsan Refinery with an electrolytic zinc production capacity of 50,000 tons per year
1988 Started cadmium oxide production at the Annaka Smelter and Refinery
1990 Started used nickel-cadmium battery recycling business at the Onahama Smelter and Refinery
1991 Established joint venture Dalian Jingya Electric Co., Ltd., in Dalian, China as a production base for electronic components
1994 Established Guang-Ming Trading Limited (now TOHO ZINC Hong Kong Co., Ltd.) in Hong Kong as a sales base for electronic components
Established joint venture Zhucheng Huari Powder Metallurgy Products Co., Ltd., in Zhucheng, China as a production base for powder metallurgy products
1996 Established joint venture Dalian Tianma Electrical Co., Ltd., in Dalian, China as an overseas base for the procurement of equipment and materials
2000 The Fujioka Works purchased electrolytic iron business from Showa Denko K.K.
2003 Invested in CBH Resources Ltd., an Australian mining company, with the aim of ensuring a stable supply of raw materials
Established TOHO ZINC Shanghai Co., Ltd., in Shanghai as a sales base for electronic components
2005 Established joint venture Tianjin Toho Lead Recycling Co., Ltd., in Tianjin, China as a production base for a lead recycling business
2006 Established joint venture Gunma Kankyo Recycle Center Co., Ltd., together with Furukawa Co., Ltd.
2010 Made Australia-based CBH Resources Ltd. a wholly owned subsidiary
2011 The Onahama Smelter and Refinery sustained serious damage in the Great East Japan Earthquake, but recovered quickly
Completed new zinc electrolysis tank-house at the Annaka Smelter and Refinery
2012 Increased the Chigirishima Smelter and Refinery's production capacity of electrolytic silver to 400 tons per year
Opened CBH Resources Ltd.'s Rasp Mine in Australia
2014 Commenced electric power selling business with the mega solar facility at Fujioka works
2019 Participated in Abra lead-silver project through its wholly-owned Australian mining company CBH Resources Ltd.
2021 Chigirishima refinery was spun off to newly established Toho Chigirishima Refinery Co., Ltd. to strengthen the competitiveness of the lead smelting and refining business
2023 Opened Abra Mine in W.A., Australia
  • Annaka Smelter and RefineryAnnaka Smelter and Refinery
  • Taishu MineTaishu Mine
  • Chigirishima Smelter and RefineryChigirishima Smelter and Refinery
  • Onahama Smelter and RefineryOnahama Smelter and Refinery
  • Fujioka Smelter and RefineryFujioka Smelter and Refinery
  • Toho-go freight train for sintered concentrates that ran between Onahama and AnnakaToho-go freight train for sintered concentrates that ran between Onahama and Annaka
  • Qaleh-Zari Mine in IranQaleh-Zari Mine in Iran
  • Sales base established in Hong KongSales base established in Hong Kong
  • Tank-house at the Annaka Smelter and RefineryTank-house at the Annaka Smelter and Refinery
  • Rasp Mine in AustraliaRasp Mine in Australia
  • Abra Mine in W.A., AustraliaAbra Mine in W.A., Australia

Page Top