Shionogi & Co., Ltd. and Eli Lilly and Co. formed Japan Elanco Company Ltd. as a jointly-owned company with equal shares.
1966
Jan.
Nara factory (Building No.1) was established at the current location in Showa Industrial Park, Yamatokoriyama.
Feb.
Approvals were obtained for the manufacturing and importation of drugs.
Mar.
First capsule manufacturing machine started operations.
1978
Apr.
Improved structures, facilities, and equipment to meet GMP requirements.
1979
Sep.
Manufacturing of capsules for small animal use was started.
1980
May
Circumferential capsule printing was started. Distribution of OP-8 semi-automatic filling machines for liquid pharmaceutical products was started.
1983
Sep.
First-class license for drug sales was obtained. Manufacturing of capsules for health foods was started.
1984
Mar.
First fully automatic capsule sealing machine was manufactured.
Apr.
Cumulative total of 100 billion capsules manufactured.
Dec.
First fully automatic capsule filling machine for liquid pharmaceutical products was developed.
1986
Jan.
First fully automatic capsule filling machine for powder pharmaceutical products was developed.
1987
Jun.
First fully automatic capsule filling machine for two-or-three-layer capsules for granules was developed.
1988
Dec.
First fully automatic small scale filling machine for laboratory use was developed.
1989
Jul.
Hard-gelatin capsule containing polyethylene glycol was developed.
1990
Mar.
Hard capsule composed of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) was developed.
Apr.
First fully automatic capsule filling machine for tablets was developed.
1992
Apr.
Shionogi & Co., Ltd. Became the sole owner of Japan Elanco Company Ltd. after acquiring Eli Lilly’s shares.
1993
Jul.
Video inspection machine for capsules was developed.
1994
Nov.
Video inspection machine for tablets was developed.
1995
Dec.
Tablet printing machine with video inspection function was developed.
1996
Apr.
Building No. 2 in Nara factory was completed, with filling room for investigational new drugs. Headquarters function was transferred to Building No. 2 in Nara.
Sep.
Color video inspection machine for tablets was developed.
1997
Mar.
Review of GMP structures, facilities, and equipment was completed.
1998
Mar.
ISO9002 certification for quality system was obtained.
Apr.
The company name Japan Elanco Co., Ltd. was changed to Shionogi Qualicaps Co., Ltd.
Jun.
ISO9001 certification for quality system was acquired.
1999
Dec.
Tablet printing machine (QI-300) was developed.
2000
Apr.
Inspection machine for foreign substances in powder pharmaceutical products (PES-200) was developed.
2001
Jan.
Solid pharmaceutical product counting and filling machines with built-in inspection functions (BM-250/150) were developed. Double-sided printer for tablets with built-in inspection functions (IS-500D) was developed.
Oct.
PTP packaging machine feeder for multiple types of solid pharmaceutical products was developed.
Dec.
ISO14001 certification for environmental management system was acquired.
2002
Mar.
Fully automatic capsule filling/sealing machine (FS) was developed.
Aug.
Building No.3 with GMP environmental improvements was completed. The cafeteria was moved from Building No. 1, and head office functions were moved from Building No. 2, to Building No. 3.
2003
Apr.
Quality system standards ISO9002 (for capsule products) and ISO9001 (for capsule surface inspection machines) were integrated.
Aug.
Solid pharmaceutical product counting and filling machine with built-in inspection functions (BM-1000) was developed.
Oct.
State-of-the-art Technophar capsule manufacturing machine was introduced.
2005
Dec.
The sole stockholder was changed from Shionogi & Co., Ltd. to The Carlyle Group. The company name Shionogi Qualicaps Co., Ltd. was changed to Qualicaps Co., Ltd. Qualicaps Europe S.A. (Spain) and Qualicaps Inc. (USA) became fully-owned subsidiaries. New capsule manufacturing plant (Building No.5) was completed.
2007
Mar.
Compression molding machine for powder pharmaceutical products (STM) was developed.
May
Qualicaps acquired Technophar Group (Canada, Romania)
Nov.
Laser printing machine (LIS-250) was developed.
2008
May
Qualicaps Romania S.R.L. (Romania) was founded.
2009
Nov.
Blind spot-free inspection machine (VIM+T) was developed.
2012
Sep.
New capsule manufacturing building (Building No. 6) was completed.
2013
Mar.
The sole stockholder was changed from The Carlyle Group to Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation.
2015
Dec.
Qualicaps acquired Genix Industria Farmaceutica Ltda. (Brazil).
2018
Nov.
New capsule manufacturing building (Building No. 7) was completed.
2020
May
Equipment Development and Production Division was transferred to Imago.
2023
Oct.
The sole stockholder was changed from The Mitsubishi Chemical Grorp Corporation to Roquette Corporation.
