Tosoh Finechem Corporation

Tosoh Finechem Corporation is a Japanese fine chemical manufacturer and a wholly owned subsidiary of Tosoh Corporation, headquartered in Shūnan, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The company was established in 1965 as Toyo Stauffer Chemical, a 50/50 joint venture between Toyo Soda Manufacturing (now Tosoh) and Stauffer Chemical of the United States, with the initial goal of domestic production of dicalcium phosphate (DCP) for toothpaste abrasives. Over the following decades, it expanded into polymerization catalysts, organometallic compounds, fluorine compounds, bromine compounds, and functional monomers. In 1989, following Stauffer Chemical's acquisition by Akzo, the company was renamed Tosoh Akzo, and in 2000 it became a wholly owned Tosoh subsidiary and adopted its current name, Tosoh Finechem Corporation. On October 1, 2017, Tosoh Finechem, Tosoh F-Tech, and Tosoh Organic Chemical integrated their management to form the current Tosoh Finechem Corporation. The company celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2025. Its core technologies are halogen chemistry and organometallic chemistry, and it supplies products in four main areas: polymerization catalysts, electronic materials, pharmaceutical and agrochemical intermediates, and functional materials. Key products include alkylaluminums, methylaluminoxane (MAO), modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO), FITECT® (CF3I), SPINOMAR® NaSS and AmSS, and high-purity organometallics such as trimethylindium (TMI) and diethylzinc (DEZ). The company operates globally, serving customers in the polyolefin, synthetic rubber, semiconductor, LED, solar cell, and pharmaceutical industries.

Tosoh Finechem Corporation was founded in 1965 as Toyo Stauffer Chemical, a 50/50 joint venture between Toyo Soda Manufacturing (now Tosoh) and Stauffer Chemical of the United States. The founding purpose was the domestic production of dicalcium phosphate (DCP), a toothpaste abrasive. In 1962, Toyo Soda had completed the world's first hydrochloric acid-based wet phosphoric acid plant, and the joint venture aimed to produce DCP using phosphoric acid as a raw material. In 1966, a DCP plant with an annual capacity of 8,000 tons was completed, and full-scale production began. Demand expanded steadily, and by 1974, the plant was expanded to a total capacity of 30,000 tons. In 1967, the company entered polymerization catalysts by building a titanium trichloride production facility, again with technology introduced from Stauffer Chemical. Titanium trichloride was mainly used as a catalyst for polypropylene polymerization, and capacity was increased from 200 tons to 1,000 tons per year through expansions in 1968, 1971, and 1976. In 1969, the company began producing alkylaluminums under license from Texas Alkyls, a Stauffer Chemical affiliate. Initial capacity was 1,200 tons per year, increased to 2,400 tons in 1970, and a 3,000-ton A-2 plant was completed in 1973, adding TEAL (triethylaluminum) and TIBAL (triisobutylaluminum) to the product lineup. In the 1980s, with the rise of metallocene catalysts, the company developed its own MAO (methylaluminoxane) and in 2001 started production and sales of its proprietary MMAO (modified methylaluminoxane) with high polymerization activity. From the 1980s, the company expanded organometallic compounds beyond polymerization catalysts. In 1982, an EGMA (high-purity organometallics for electronic materials) facility was completed, and products such as TMI (trimethylindium) were sold for solar cells, semiconductors, and LEDs. In 1983, a multipurpose catalyst plant was completed, and in 1986, a P plant consisting of organolithium compound synthesis and ultra-low-temperature organic synthesis facilities was completed. In 2006, production of DEZ (diethylzinc) began, mainly for transparent conductive films in solar cells. In 1987, parent company Stauffer Chemical was acquired by Akzo of the Netherlands (now AkzoNobel), and in 1989 the company changed its name to Tosoh Akzo. In 2000, Tosoh and AkzoNobel reviewed their joint venture, and Tosoh Akzo was reorganized as a wholly owned Tosoh subsidiary and renamed Tosoh Finechem Corporation. On October 1, 2017, Tosoh Finechem, Tosoh F-Tech, and Tosoh Organic Chemical integrated their management to form the current Tosoh Finechem Corporation. The company celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2025.

• 2025

  Celebrated 60th anniversary.

• 2017

  Integrated management with Tosoh F-Tech and Tosoh Organic Chemical to form current Tosoh Finechem Corporation.

• 2006

  Began production of DEZ (diethylzinc) for transparent conductive films in solar cells.

• 2001

  Started production and sales of proprietary MMAO (modified methylaluminoxane).

• 2000

  Reorganized as a wholly owned Tosoh subsidiary and renamed Tosoh Finechem Corporation.

• 1989

  Renamed Tosoh Akzo following Stauffer Chemical's acquisition by Akzo.

• 1986

  Completed P plant for organolithium compound synthesis and ultra-low-temperature organic synthesis.

• 1983

  Completed multipurpose catalyst plant.

• 1982

  Completed EGMA facility for high-purity organometallics for electronic materials.

• 1974

  Expanded DCP plant to total capacity of 30,000 tons.

• 1973

  Completed A-2 plant with annual capacity of 3,000 tons; added TEAL and TIBAL to product lineup.

• 1969

  Began alkylaluminum production under license from Texas Alkyls.

• 1967

  Entered polymerization catalysts by building a titanium trichloride production facility.

• 1966

  Completed a DCP plant with annual capacity of 8,000 tons and began full-scale production.

• 1965

  Founded as Toyo Stauffer Chemical, a joint venture between Toyo Soda Manufacturing and Stauffer Chemical.

A fine chemical manufacturer leveraging core technologies in halogen chemistry and organometallic chemistry to create new technologies and supply products in polymerization catalysts, electronic materials, and pharmaceutical intermediates.

• Methylaluminoxane (MAO)

  Metallocene catalyst activator useful for olefin polymerization.

• FITECT® (CF3I)

  Fluorine-based high-performance specialty gas.

• SPINOMAR® NaSS

  Sulfonic acid monomer with excellent surfactant and polymerization properties.

• SPINOMAR® AmSS

  Sulfonic acid monomer soluble in organic solvents.

• Alkylaluminums (TEAL, TIBAL)

  Used as polymerization catalysts for polyolefins and synthetic rubber.

• High-purity organometallics (TMI, DEZ)

  Used in solar cells, semiconductors, and LEDs.

1. 1Tosoh Finechem Corporation Official Websitetosoh-finechem.co.jp
2. 2History | Tosoh Finechem Corporationtosoh-finechem.co.jp
3. 3History of Tosoh Finechem | Tosoh Finechem Corporationtosoh-finechem.co.jp
4. 4Tosoh Finechem Corporation (Japan) - Wikidatawikidata.org