Our HISTORY | Nihon Genryo

◆ Our History

1939		First president Hirotsugu Saito established Nihon Genryo for the purpose of manufacturing and selling sand to be used as glass materials.
1940		Established plants in Takahagi-shi and Isohara-cho (in Kitaibaraki-shi at present) and also started conducting the collection and sale of glass materials and casting sand
1945		Started forming the basis of a company specializing in filter media under the guidance of the GHQ and related government offices
1950		Built a new plant and office in Kizugawa, Kyoto
1951		Established the Japan Filter Sand Lab to promote quality control and technical development based on the JWWA Standard set by the Japan Water Works Association. Appointed a member of the Hygiene Survey Commission of the Japan Water Works Association
1954		Invented a patented high-speed sand washing system and established a system for mass production thereof Obtained a patent for a system to scrape away the surface sand of slow filters and more than 60 other patents and utility models.
1968		First president Hirotsugu Saito received the Merit Award (Yuko-sho) from the Japan Water Works Association due to his contribution to the development of waterworks through efforts in inventing a sand sieving and washing system for filtration sand for water supply and conducting research on the improvements of filter media.
1969		First president Hirotsugu Saito received the Blue Ribbon Medal from the former Prime Minister Eisaku Sato for his contribution to the development of the industry.
1970		Kin Saito assumed the presidency.
1982		President Kin Saito received the Health and Welfare Minister’s award for her long-term efforts for diffusion and development of water supply systems and remarkable achievements.
1985		Participated in the establishment of JWWA A-103-1988 (standard for the method of testing filter media for water supply) of the Japan Water Works Association as a member of the Specialized Committee on the Testing of Filter Sand for Water Supply System.
1989		The death of the Showa Emperor. Nihon Genryo dedicated white sand as paved sand in the funeral hall at the time of the state funeral of the emperor.
1995		Fully renewed the Takahagi Plant, and established a 24-hour fully-automated production system.
1996		Awarded as a company that had made great contribution, on the occasion when the Japan Water Supply Industry Joint Association marked its 30th anniversary.
1997		* Developed and made public the innovative sand washing system “siphon-Type Filter Sand Washing System,” which was taken up by Nihon Keizai Shimbun and other mass media as a cutting edge invention that had been unimaginable in the past. * Yasuhiro Saito assumed the presidency.
1999		* Established Nihonroken Co.,LTD. as an independent corporation. * Obtained ISO 9002 certification (we have already obtained ISO9001 certificate: we have upgraded and transferred to the 2000 version and have expanded the scope of application) as the first company to obtain the certification in the sector of water treatment facility maintenance work including “filter rehabilitation work.” * Marked 60th anniversary of its foundation (Anniversary of the establishment: July 28).
2000		Announced the development of the “siphon K3 System,” which extends the cycle of rehabilitation work Announced the development of the “Color Cutter G,” which is filter media for color removal by which color and manganese can be removed
2002		Announced the development of the “siphon Tank,” which is the water treatment filtration system that does not require replacement of filter media Received the “Regional Environmental Technology Prize of the 19th Kanagawa High-Tech. Grand-Prix” for the “siphon Tank”
2003		Received the “Award of Excellence in the Technology/Product Sector of the 15th SME New Technology/Product Award” for “siphon Tank” Received the “Incentive Award of the 8th Kanagawa Business Audition in 2003” for the “siphon Tank” *Received the “Kawasaki Best Entrepreneur Award of the Kawasaki Entrepreneur Competition-Business Idea-Seed Market” for the “siphon Tank”.
2004		Announced the development of the “Activated-Carbon siphon Tank,” which is an activated carbon absorption facility that can extend the life of activated carbon Announced the development of the “Hyper Tank,” which is a filtration system for well water treatment *Certified as a company conducting research and development for practical application
2005		Announced the development of the “Mobile siphon Tank,”which can be used as a water-treatment system during disasters, and needless to say, at civil engineering sites Exhibited of “siphon Tank” at maximum trade fair “IFAT2005” in the world. Received the “National commendation invention of grand prize of the Prize of the Chairman of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry ” for “Washing equipment of filter materials for water treatment(Sito-Type Filter Sand Washing System) Made a sales agreement contract with the water management related companies, such as F.B.Leopold Company Inc. (USA), Georg Schuenemann GmbH(Germany), KLEEMEIER,SCHEWE&CO.KSH GmbH(Germany).
2007		President Yasuhiro Saito received “The Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Technology Category”. Started online selling service of “filter nozzles and drainage systems” by Kleemeier, Schewe & Co. KSH GmbH in Germany. *Exhibited of “siphon Tank” at the largest annual exhibition in the world, “WEFTEC” in San Diego, U.S.A.
2008		Exporting First machine of "SWS" to Germany, and starring test at real site. Disaster recovery operation at site. Supplying drinking watar by "Mobile Siphon Tank". *Joined to the Exhibition of "The Big 5" Dubai, UAE. Exhibited "Mobile siphon Tank" real machine.
2009		Starting to sell "SWS" in Japan. Joined to Secretariat of the Water Security Council of Japan: c/o Japan Water Forum 70th Anniversary of establishment of Nihon Genryo Co., Ltd.
2010		* Announced the development of the “Siphon Harmony”, which is a filtration system for well water treatment, especially for turbidity, iron, manganese and color. * Implemented a practical experiment of “Siphon K3 System” under collaborating with Nagasawa purification plant in Kawasaki city. * Announced the development of the “Chlorine Cutter Mn”, which is the filter media for removing manganese except using a chlorine.
2011		* “Siphon Tank” was selected as the “Low CO2 Kawasaki Brand in 2010”, because of contribution to the reduction of CO2 from the perspective of the whole life cycle in order to promote global warming countermeasures utilizing the environmental technology.
2012		* “Siphon K3 System” was selected as the “Low CO2 Kawasaki Brand in 2011”. * Joined to the Exhibition of "IFAT2012", which is the world's leading trade fair for Water, Sewage, Waste and Raw Materials Management. * “Siphon Tank” was selected as the “excellence device for an environment” of The Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufactures. * Disaster recovery operation at in the northern area of Kyushu for supplying drinking water by "Mobile Siphon Tank". * Established Tohoku office.
2013		* Granted 6 truck mounted "Mobile Siphon Tank" in Lao People's Democratic Republic, collaborating with Japanese Government. * President Yasuhiro Saito was awarded the Medals of Honor with Yellow Ribbon. * Joined to the Exhibition of "African Fair 2013", which is the official event in TICAD V (Tokyo International Conference on African Development). * Granted a "Mobile Siphon Tank" in the northern city in Republic of the Philippines, collaborating with Japanese Government for a disaster relief.