Daiichi Co., Ltd.

Daiichi Co., Ltd. (株式会社ダイイチ) is a Japanese manufacturer headquartered in Arao, Kumamoto Prefecture, founded in October 1954 as Daiichi Seimo Co., Ltd. (第一製網株式会社). The company traces its origins to Kyushu Bomo Co., Ltd. (九州紡網株式会社), established in 1947 for integrated spinning and fishing-net production, which was later renamed Daiichi Spinning Co., Ltd. (第一紡績株式会社); its fishing-net division was spun off in 1954 with capital of 10 million yen. The company began full-scale production and sale of nori (laver) cultivation nets using synthetic fiber in 1957, and in 1962 named and trademarked its nori net "Takara Nori Net" (たから海苔網). Daiichi states it was the first in Japan to succeed in manufacturing nori nets from synthetic fiber, and today its nori aquaculture nets hold the top domestic share. Daiichi operates in two core business areas: fisheries materials (水産資材) and industrial materials (産業資材). Its fisheries materials business centers on nori aquaculture nets and related cultivation supplies, including nutrients and activators for nori farming, as well as algae culture solutions. Its industrial materials business applies synthetic-fiber processing and production technology to construction safety nets, sports facility ball-stop nets, golf driving range design and construction, windbreak and shade nets, bird nets, and various industrial nets. The company has also extended into agricultural liquid fertilizers and food-related products, including a food additive formulation containing 30% fumaric acid marketed as "DF30," and nori-based food products such as "Dressing Nori & Nori" and "Nori Murasaki." The company marked its 70th anniversary in 2024 and, on that occasion, rebranded from "Daiichi Seimo" to "Daiichi," expressing its aspiration to contribute first (第一) to its industry and local community. Its corporate motto is "Good products made with creativity, passion, and the harmony of people" (よい品を 創意と熱と人の和で). Daiichi is led by President Nobuo Tanaka (田中 信雄). It has capital of 200 million yen and main banking relationships with the Higo Bank, Norinchukin Bank, and Mizuho Bank. In addition to its head office and factory in Arao, it operates the Ushimizu factory, a logistics center, and sales offices in Kobe (Akashi), Shikoku (Utazu, Kagawa), Chiba (Kisarazu), Tohoku (Shiogama, Miyagi), and an Okinawa office, plus an affiliated company, Nori Ken Co., Ltd. (株式会社海苔研).

Daiichi's history begins with Kyushu Bomo Co., Ltd. (九州紡網株式会社), established in May 1947 for the integrated manufacture and sale of spinning and fishing nets; the company was later renamed Daiichi Spinning Co., Ltd. (第一紡績株式会社). In October 1954, the fishing-net division was separated and incorporated as Daiichi Seimo Co., Ltd. (第一製網株式会社) with capital of 10 million yen, marking the founding of the present company. The company was motivated by a desire to help alleviate the severe postwar food shortage, and it began in fishing-net manufacturing in Arao, Kumamoto Prefecture, a town in the northwest of Kumamoto bordering Omuta, Fukuoka Prefecture. In July 1957, Daiichi began full-scale manufacture and sale of nori (laver) nets made from synthetic fiber (Cremona). This was a significant innovation: until the 1950s, nori cultivation in Japan had mainly used bamboo hibi and coconut-palm nets. Daiichi focused on developing nori nets from synthetic fiber and states it was the first in Japan to succeed in manufacturing them. In August 1961, capital was increased to 20 million yen. In September 1962, the company named its nori net "Takara Nori Net" (たから海苔網) and registered it as a trademark. The Takara brand nori net subsequently earned high praise in nori fishing grounds across Japan, and the company adjusted net type, color, strength, and drying speed to suit local fishing environments and customer needs. Building on the synthetic-fiber processing and production technology developed through nori nets, Daiichi expanded into industrial materials, including construction safety nets, sports ball-stop nets, golf driving range design and construction, and various industrial nets. It also applied biochemical research capabilities developed through nori cultivation nutrients and activators to agricultural liquid fertilizers and food additive formulations. The company's nori aquaculture nets now hold the top domestic share. In 2024, Daiichi marked its 70th anniversary. On that occasion, the company rebranded from "Daiichi Seimo" to "Daiichi," expressing its aim to be a company that contributes first (第一) to its industry and local community. The company describes the 70th anniversary as both a milestone and a new starting line, and it continues to pursue products in fisheries materials, industrial materials, algae culture solutions, agricultural fertilizers, and food-related fields. Its affiliated company, Nori Ken Co., Ltd. (株式会社海苔研), is located in Arao.

• Kyushu Bomo Co., Ltd. established for integrated spinning and fishing-net manufacture and sale; later renamed Daiichi Spinning Co., Ltd.

• Fishing-net division spun off as Daiichi Seimo Co., Ltd. with capital of 10 million yen.

• Began full-scale manufacture and sale of nori nets made from synthetic fiber (Cremona).

• Capital increased to 20 million yen.

• Nori net named "Takara Nori Net" and registered as a trademark.

• Marked 70th anniversary and rebranded from "Daiichi Seimo" to "Daiichi."

A regional Japanese industrial materials manufacturer leveraging synthetic-fiber net technology, positioned as the top domestic maker of nori aquaculture nets and a diversified supplier of fisheries, industrial, agricultural, and food-related materials.

• Takara Nori Net (たから海苔網)

  Synthetic-fiber nori aquaculture net, first in Japan, with top domestic share.

• Fisheries materials

  Nori aquaculture materials, nutrients, activators, and related supplies.

• Industrial materials

  Construction safety nets, sports ball-stop nets, windbreak/shade nets, bird nets, and other industrial nets.

• Algae culture solution

  Culture solution promoting stable growth of algae and seed shellfish.

• Agricultural fertilizer

  Liquid fertilizer applied to plant leaves to supplement soil nutrients.

• Food additive formulation DF30

  Food additive formulation containing 30% fumaric acid, addressing fumaric acid's poor solubility.

• Dressing Nori & Nori / Nori Murasaki

  Nori-based food products retaining nori flavor, umami, and nutrition.

1. 1株式会社ダイイチ | 良い品を創意と熱と人の和でdaiichi-cps.jp
2. 2会社概要 | 株式会社ダイイチdaiichi-cps.jp
3. 3ダイイチとは | 株式会社ダイイチdaiichi-cps.jp
4. 4製品案内 | 株式会社ダイイチdaiichi-cps.jp
5. 5Daiichi Co., Ltd. (Japan) - Wikidatawikidata.org