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About GC Corporation

Introduction

As a general manufacturer of dental care products, GC takes the ordinary people’s perspective, providing true health to the people of the world. GC products are made with the core values of safety and effectiveness, in line with the company’s ethos of putting quality first, and we believe that protecting the global environment is a major part of our mission. We monitor each stage of a product’s life, testing for safety and for the impact of our products on resources and the environment. We scrutinize the production process to ensure that we are conserving energy, conserving resources and minimizing packaging waste. We examine the use of our products to ensure that they are energy saving and economical in terms of the resources they consume, and we examine disposal methods for our products. Naturally, GC seeks to minimize any adverse effects, paying maximum attention to the issue of the environment from the time each product is developed until its use by the consumer. As a result of GC’s endeavors in this respect, the company earned ISO 9001 Quality Systems certification in 1994, and ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification in 1998. GC topped this in 2000 by becoming the first company in the dental industry to be awarded the Deming Application Prize. In 2003, GC was certified for ISO 13485, and in 2004, GC became only the 18th company in the world to have won the Japan Quality Medal, the pinnacle of quality control. As a further mark of the company’s reputation, the global marketplace has come to recognize GC’s products as being synonymous with quality and eco-friendliness. With an outstanding range of some 600 different excellent product types marketed in over 100 countries, GC is helping to maintain the health of people the world over. Given the importance of prediting and supporting different market demands from one region to the next, GC’s approach is to site its manufacturing operations in the optimum location for each market. Naturally, the company’s three main manufacturing bases around the world are all ISO-certified and deliver products of the highest quality.

People Friendly and Environment Friendly

Through dentists, technicians, hygienists and other dental professionals around the world, GC's quality dental care products make a major contribution to people's health. As a dental product manufacturer of global standing, GC Corporation constantly seeks to produce original products that are environmentally friendly as well as patient friendly and going a step ahead of patient's needs, while at the same time taking great care to minimize the impact of manufacturing processes on the environment.

Producing products that are people friendly and earth friendly, we will continue to create highly value-added products so as to provide oral health to the people of the world during the 21st century, a century we regard as the century of health.

ISO Certification, The Deming Application Prize and The Japan Quality Medal

As a general manufacturer of dental care products, GC takes the ordinary people's perspective, providing true health to the people of the world. GC products are made with the core values of safety and effectiveness, in line with the company's ethos of putting quality first, and we believe that protecting the global environment is a major part of our mission. We monitor each stage of a product's life, testing for safety and for the impact of our products on resources and the environment. We scrutinize the production process to ensure that we are conserving energy, conserving resources and minimizing packaging waste. We examine the use of our products to ensure that they are energy saving and economical in terms of the resources they consume, and we examine disposal methods for our products.

Naturally, GC seeks to minimize any adverse effects, paying maximum attention to the issue of the environment from the time each product is developed until its use by the consumer. As a result of GC's endeavors in this respect, the company earned ISO 9001 Quality Systems certification in 1994, and ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification in 1998. GC topped this in 2000 by becoming the first company in the dental industry to be awarded the Deming Application Prize. In 2003, GC was certified for ISO 13485, and in 2004, GC became only the 18th company in the world to have won the Japan Quality Medal, the pinnacle of quality control. As a further mark of the company's reputation, the global marketplace has come to recognize GC's products as being synonymous with quality and eco-friendliness.

With an outstanding range of some 600 different excellent product types marketed in over 100 countries, GC is helping to maintain the health of people the world over. Given the importance of prediting and supporting different market demands from one region to the next, GC's approach is to site its manufacturing operations in the optimum location for each market. Naturally, the company's three main manufacturing bases around the world are all ISO-certified and deliver products of the highest quality.

History

 

 

1921

  • GC Chemicals Research Laboratory is established in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

1922

  • GC's 1st product, Standard Cement, fails to establish itself on the market.

1925

  • Crystalline Cement is developed and introduced at the Japan Dental Association's general conference.

1927

  • Modeling compound is developed.

1934

  • Incorporated as a joint-stock company with Yoshinosuke Enjo as President and Kiyoshi Nakao as the Executive Director.

1938

  • New plant is completed in Itabashi.

1941

  • Company celebrates its 20th Anniversary.

  • Company is renamed GC Chemicals Research Laboratory.

1946

  • Company is renamed GC Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. with Kiyoshi Nakao as the President.

1948

  • Plant for manufacturing porcelain teeth is built; the production of porcelain and acrylic resin teeth begins.

1951

  • American dentistry delegation arrives in Japan.

  • Under the instruction of Dr.Paffenburger, GC develops new products that meet ADA standards; this is the Blue Band series.

1953

  • Technicol, alginate impression material is developed.

1956

  • GC Membership Society is founded.

1957

  • Surflex rubber-based impression material is developed.

  • Surstone superhard gypsum is developed.

1959

  • GC Toshi Kogyo Corporation is established in Kasugai, Aichi Prefecture.

1965

  • Unilux diatric porcelain tooth is developed.

1966

  • Succeeded in production of the spherical amalgam alloy.

1969

  • Hongo Annex is built in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo.

1971

  • GC International Corp. is established.

1972

  • European branch opened in Belgium.

  • Livdent plastic anterior tooth is developed.

1973

  • Company is renamed GC Dental Industrial Corporation, and GC Dental Equipment Corp. is established.

1974

  • Livdent FB-30 developed.

1976

  • Fuji-Oyama Factory completed in Oyama, Shizuoka Prefecture.

  • Fuji-Rock superhard stone is developed.

1977

  • Fuji Ionomer, a revolutionary new glass ionomer cement, developed and goes on sale.

1978

  • Exaflex, a PVS (Polyvinyl silicone) impression material, goes on sale.

1981

  • GC becomes a member of the American Dental Trade Association (ADTA).

  • US Branch is opened in Scottsdale, Arizona.

  • GC Corporation celebrates its 60th Anniversary.

  • President Toshio Nakao announces the concept of GQC.

1982

  • Prospec, a preventive dentistry product,is developed.

1983

  • Makoto Nakao is appointed president.

  • FDI Tokyo Convention.

1984

  • New building complex for GC International Corp.'s European Branch is built.

1989

  • European Factory is built in Belgium.

  • Graft LC, a light-cured composite resin, is developed.

1990

  • UK-based ICI's dental care division is acquired.

1991

  • EOM-∝, Dental unit, goes on sale.

  • GC Corporation celebrates its 70th Anniversary.

  • In commemoration, the name changed from GC Dental Industrial Corporation to GC Corporation, and GC Toshi Kogyo Corporation is renamed GC Dental Products Corp.

1992

  • The world's first ligh-cured glass ionomer filling material, GC Fuji Ionomer Type II LC is released.

  • GC America is established.

  • GC Italy is established.

1993

  • Fuji-Oyama Factory Distribution Center is completed.

1994

  • Second European Factory is completed.

  • President Makoto Nakao assumes chairmanship of IDM (International Dental Manufacturers Federation)

  • Dental industry's 1st company to acquire the ISO9001 certification.

  • GCB (Belgium) acquires the ISO9002 certification.

1995

  • President Makoto Nakao is awarded the insignia of Commander of the Crown of Belgium.

  • GCA (America) acquires the ISO9001 certification.

  • GCDP acquires the ISO9002 certification.

  • Shift from GQC to GQM activities.

1996

  • International Dental symposium, organized in commemoration of the 40th GC Membership Society's 75th company anniversaries.

1998

  • Fuji Lute (Plus) reinforced glass ionomer luting cement is released.

  • ISO14001 certification is acquired.

1999

  • GC "Green System" Operation is commenced.

2000

  • GC Corporation received The Deming Application Prize.

2001

  • GC Corporation celebrates its 80th Anniversary.

2002

  • Expansion of manufacturing and logistics operations in the US & Europe.

2003

  • GC Dental Products Corporation received The Deming Application Prize.

  • GC Dental (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. construction is completed.

  • ISO 13485 certification is acquired.

2004

  • GC Corporation is awarded the Japan Quality Medal.

2005

  • President Makoto Nakao is appointed the 6th Chairman of the Japan Dental Trade Association.

  • GC Corporation is ranked 18th in Nikkei's Quality Management Survey.

  • Work started on the Itabashi Site Redevelopment Project.

2006

  • The new R&D Building opened (The 1st phase of the headquarter's construction is completed).

  • The International Dental Symposium commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the GC Membership Society.

  • The 30th Anniversary of Fuji Oyama Factory.

2007

  • The 1th phase of the construction of the new R&D Building is completed.

  • GC Corporation received the Privacy Mark Certification.

  • GC Corporation is ranked 14th in Nikkei's Quality Management Survey.


2008

  • The 2nd phase of the construction of new R&D building is completed.

  • GC Europe Campus (Meeting & Education Centre) opened.

2009

  • GC Corporation received the QC Circle Award for Management.

  • GC Corporation received the Keizaikai Outstanding Performance Award.

  • Started construction of the New Hongo Building (HQ).


2010

  • Protho Research Center is opened.

  • Ranked 3rd in the "Nikkei's Corporate Quality Management Survey".

2011

  • GC Corporate Center (new headquarter) is opened.

  • GC Corporate celebrates its 90th Anniversary.

  • The 3rd International Dental Symposium commemorated the 55th Anniversary of the GC Membership Society.

2012

  • GC R&D Center in the Itabashi Site is completed.

  • President Makoto Nakao is awarded the Deming Prize for individuals.

2013

  • Extension of GC Corporate Center is completed.

  • GC International AG (IAG) in Switzerland is established.

  • Makoto Nakao is appointed the Chairman and Kiyotaka Nakao is appointed the President.