August 1965
The company was founded by the three companies: Inco Limited (Canada), Shimura Kako Co Ltd, and Mitsui & Co Ltd with a Capital of 500 million yen.
1967年3月
Manufacture of Nickel Oxide Sinter 75 from Canadian nickel sulfide matte raw material is after fluidized roasting techNo.logy was introduced by Inco Limited
July 1970
Capital participation by Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd
April 1973
Participation in the Inco Limited Soroako Project with the objective of developing the laterite nickel deposits in the Soroako area of Sulawesi in the Republic of Indonesia
December 1975
Capital participation by Sumitomo Corporation and Nissho Iwai Corporation
December 1976
Capital increased to 750 million yen
May 1978
Nickel Oxide Sinter 75 operations using Indonesian Soroako nickel sulfide matte raw material start
January 1982
Tonimet production starts
October 1982
Capital participation by Daido Steel Co Ltd and the Industrial Bank of Japan, Limited
October 1983
Tonimet Manufacturing Facility No.. 1 Furnace completed and operation starts
September 1984
Briquette Manufacturing Facility is moved
December 1984
Transfer of all shares held by Shimura Kako Co Ltd to the three companies and capital participation by Nippon Yakin Kogyo Co Ltd
August 1985
Tonimet Manufacturing Facility No.. 2 Furnace completed and operation starts
December 1985
Tonimet 97 production starts
August 1987
No.. 2 Contact Process Manufacturing Facility is completed and operation starts
September 1987
Fluidized Roasting Furnace No.. 2 is completed and operation starts
February 1990
Tonimet Manufacturing Facility No.. 3 Furnace completed and operation starts
July 1992
A new office building at the Matsusaka Refinery is completed
March 1993
Fluidized Roasting Furnace No 3 and the No 3 Contact Process Manufacturing Facility are completed
June 1993
Fluidized Roasting Furnace No 1 and No 1 Contact Process Manufacturing Facility operations are closed down
July 1993
Fluidized Roasting Furnace No 3 and No 3 Contact Process Manufacturing Facility operations start
March 1995
Capital is increased to 1 billion yen
January 1996
The employee stock ownership plan is established
January 1997
Construction to increase the capacity of the Fluidized Roasting Furnace No 3 and No 3 Contact Process Manufacturing Facility is completed
March 1999
Transfer of goodwill from Inco Limited Japan branch; third-party allocation of shares; capital increased to 2 billion yen; Inco Limited shareholding ratio is 66.7%
April 1999
The company name is changed to Inco Tokyo Nickel Co Ltd on April 1
March 2002
The head office is moved to Nihonbashi Ningyocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
October 2002
ISO 14001 certification
May 2003
ISO 9001 certification
November 2004
New briquette machines introduced
May 2005
Inco Limited shareholding ratio changes from 66.7% to 67.1%
January 2007
The Inco Limited company name is changed to CVRD Inco Limited
March 2008
Company name is changed to Vale Inco Japan Limited on October 3 and the head office is moved to Atago 2-Chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo
April 2009
Employee stock ownership plan is dissolved and Vale Inco Limited acquires its 10,000 shares, increasing their shareholding ratio to 67.5%
October 2009
200,000 shares are acquired from Daido Steel Co Ltd to increase Vale Inco Limited shareholding ratio to 76.1%
September 2010
Company name is changed to Vale Japan Limited on September 1
February 2011
160,000 shares are acquired from Mitsui & Co Ltd, 60,000 shares are acquired from Sumitomo Corporation, and 40,000 shares are acquired from Sojitz Corporation, increasing Vale Canada Limited shareholding ratio to 87.2%
October 2011
Asian Technical Center (ATC) is established at the Matsusaka Refinery
January 2016
Head office is relocated to Matsusaka City, Mie and Tokyo office is closed
About Matsuka Refinery
With an annual nickel production of 66,000 tons, the refinery has the largest capacity in Japan.
Our products
Main characteristics of our products