Company history

2022

From the Mitsubishi Chemical Holding Corporation and the Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, the Mitsubishi Chemical Group (MCG) will appear under the umbrella of all companies with the same name/logo.

2017

From April, 1st 2017, Mitsubishi Chemical (MCC), Mitsubishi Plastics (MPI) and Mitsubishi Rayon (MRC) are integrated into Mitsubishi Chemical.

2015

HOSTAPHAN^® celebrated its 60th year.

2014

Mitsubishi Polyester Film GmbH opened the first ALPOLIC^™ composite sheet plant in Europe in the Kalle-Albert industrial park in Wiesbaden, Germany.

2008

The Mitsubishi Polyester Film Group was integrated into Mitsubishi Plastics, Inc., a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Chemical Holding Corporation.

2005

50th anniversary of the HOSTAPHAN^® brand.

1998

Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation takes on Hoechst AG’s shares of Hoechst Diafoil GmbH. The Mitsubishi Polyester Film Group is formed, an innovative global market leader in polyester film business.

1997/98

Start up of a high speed line with 3 layer co-extrusion in Wiesbaden.

1991/93

Formation of Hoechst Diafoil GmbH, a joint venture between Hoechst and Mitsubishi. Construction of a production line for video film in Wiesbaden.

1985

Investment in a production line for “tensilised and super-tensilised” HOSTAPHAN^® in Wiesbaden. These films have particularly high strength in machine direction, specially developed for magnetic tape applications.

1979

Acquisition of the PET film production from Celanese, predecessor of today’s Mitsubishi Polyester Film Inc. in Greer, South Carolina, USA.

1971

First trials of extrusion of two polymer layers.

1969

Start-up of a 4 metre wide production line, the widest and most modern boPET film line in its time.

1963

First trials with in-line coating.

1957

Start of the first commercial production line for HOSTAPHAN^® in Wiesbaden.

1955

First pilot line for HOSTAPHAN^®, which manufactures biaxially oriented PET film (boPET) in Wiesbaden. The maximum width was 0.8 metres.

1953

Acquisition of a license from ICI to manufacture polyester film.

1952

Re-establishment of Kalle & Co. AG in Wiesbaden as 100% subsidiary of Hoechst AG after the war, at a site initially under US administration.

1941

J. R. Whinfield and J. T. Dickson of der Calico Printers Association invent polyester, made from ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. The right were sold to Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI).

1925

First film production in Wiesbaden, CELLOPHAN^®.

1907

Merger of Kalle & Co.KG and Hoechst AG.

1863

Foundation of the company “Meister Lucius & Co” in Frankfurt Hoechst, predecessor of Hoechst AG, and of Kalle & Co. KG in Wiesbaden, the current location of Mitsubishi Polyester Film GmbH. Both companies were focused on textile dyes.