The Port of Nagoya as a public institution, and port and harbor operations for the public benefit
Gisaburo Takahashi, our founder, wrote these words shortly after establishing the company: “We are involved in port and harbor operations, which are for the public benefit, because the Port of Nagoya does not belong to anyone. It is a part of the industrial structure of Japan itself. And because we are involved in its operation, it is our duty to ensure that it fully achieves its objectives as a public institution, and contributes to industry.” His words were directed to new employees, but his philosophy is carried on today.
| Jan. 1949 | Nagoya Koun Co., Ltd., established during World War II, was closed under official order in Dec. 1948. Officers and employees founded the current company on Jan., 22, 1949, with a capitalization of 10 million yen.
Head Office area |
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| March 1949 | Licensed to as customs broker. |
| April 1949 | Operations commenced. |
| Nov. 1949 | Nagoya Shipping Agency, Ltd. (now a consolidated subsidiary) established. |
| April 1950 | Nagoya Sempaku Kaisha, Ltd. (now a consolidated subsidiary) established.
1951 The first company warehouses, No. 3 and No. 4, constructed on Lot. No. 7. |
| Sept. 1950 | Warehousing operations started. |
| Aug. 1951 | Licensed to issue warehouse receipts (warrants) |
| Sept. 1951 | Registered under the Port Transport Business Act for Type 1 (general port and harbor transport), Type 2 (stevedoring), Type 3 (barge transport), and Type 4 (coastal freight handling). Registration changed to licenses with the revision to the Law in Dec. 1962.
1953 Meiko No. 1 Warehouse constructed at Nishi Wharf, featuring highly advanced (for the time) grain vacuum transport system. |
| Feb. 1955 | Meiko Niyaku Co., Ltd. (name changed to Meikai Unyu Sagyo Co., Ltd. in April 1980; now a consolidated subsidiary) established. |
| Sept. 1955 | Tokyo Sales Office (now Tokyo Branch) and Osaka Sales Office (now Osaka Branch) opened. |
| Nov. 1959 | Meiko Kaiun Kosan Co., Ltd. established. |
| March 1962 | Licensed for warehousing.
1962 Listed on stock exchange, and shifted to new corporate stance under President Torii in 1966. |
| Sept. 1962 | Listed on the second section of the Nagoya Stock Exchange. |
| Oct. 1964 | Hakata Sales Office (now Kyushu Branch) opened. |
| Sept. 1968 | Licensed for transportation business. |
| Feb. 1969 | Meiko Rikuun Co., Ltd. (now a consolidated subsidiary) established. |
| May 1970 | Licensed as customs broker by Nagoya Customs. Licensed for operations by Moji Customs in March 1976, Nagasaki Customs in Nov. 1977, Tokyo Customs in March 1981, Osaka Customs in April 1987, Kobe Customs in Sept. 1991, and Yokohama Customs in June 1997. |
| Sept. 1970 | San Mode Freight Service, Inc. (now a consolidated subsidiary) established in the United States. |
| April 1972 | Nambu Office (now Nambu Sales Dept.) opened. |
| Sept. 1973 | Meiko Warehousing, Inc. established in the United States (name changed to Meiko America, Inc. in May 1985; now a consolidated subsidiary).
1973 Subsidiary established in the United States. |
| Feb. 1975 | Sapporo Representative Office (now Tomakomai Sales Office) opened. |
| March 1976 | Moji Sales Office opened. |
| June 1976 | Licensed for domestic shipping.
1976 Licensed for domestic shipping. Kamome-Maru No. 1 enters service in 1979. |
| Feb. 1977 | Yokkaichi Sales Office (now Yokkaichi Branch) opened. |
| April 1977 | Central Enterprise Co., Ltd. established (name changed to Central Shipping Agency, Ltd. in Dec. 1982; now a consolidated subsidiary). |
| Oct. 1977 | Kumamoto Sales Office opened. |
| Feb. 1978 | Meiko Europe N.V. established in Belgium (now a consolidated subsidiary).
1978 Meiko Europe (Belgium) established. |
| April 1979 | Air freight operations started. |
| March 1982 | Licensed as an IATA air freight agent. |
| Jan. 1985 | Meiko Europe N.V. Dusseldorf Representative Office (now Dusseldorf Branch) opened. |
| March 1986 | Meiko Euroexpress N.V. established in Belgium. |
| April 1987 | Hamamatsu Sales Office opened. |
| Nov. 1988 | Fukuoka Airport Sales Office opened. |
| April 1989 | Narita Airport Sales Office opened. |
| April 1989 | Hong Kong Representative Office opened (Meiko Trans (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. established in April 1994; now a consolidated subsidiary).
1989 Hong Kong Representative Office established, upgraded to subsidiary in 1994. |
| June 1990 | Licensed for air freight forwarding. |
| Aug. 1991 | Kobe Sales Office opened. |
| June 1994 | Shanghai Representative Office opened in China. |
| Oct. 1996 | Meiko Trans (Thailand) Co., Ltd. established in Thailand.
1996 Meiko Trans (Thailand) established |
| Nov. 1997 | Sendai Sales Office opened. |
| May 1998 | Certified under ISO 9002 (Harbor Logistics Dept., Air Freight Dept., No. 2 Sales Dept., Yokkaichi Branch, and Kyushu Branch now certified under ISO 9001). |
| Oct. 1999 | Toyohashi Sales Office opened. |
| Dec. 1999 | Licensed for general port and harbor transport operations (Type 1 only) at Mikawa Port. |
| June 2002 | Licensed for industrial waste collection and transport (Aichi prefecture, city of Nagoya) |
| Feb. 2005 | Central Japan International Airport Sales Office opened (Seagull Centrair Terminal).
2005 Seagull Centrair Terminal at Central Japan International Airport opened. |
| June 2005 | Shanghai Meiko International Logistics Co., Ltd. established in Shanghai, China. |
| Sept. 2005 | Meiko Europe N.V. Poland Branch opened in Poland (Meiko Trans Polska SP. Z O.O. established in July 2006; now a consolidated subsidiary).
2006 Meiko Trans Polska established in Poland |
| Sept. 2007 | Meiko Shanghai Trading Co., Ltd. established in China. |
| Feb. 2008 | Designated as Authorized Warehouse Operator under AEO (Authorized Economic Operator) system, by Nagoya Customs. |
| Aug. 2009 | Designated as Authorized Customs Broker under AEO system, by Nagoya Customs. |
| Nov. 2011 | Meiko Logistics (India) Pvt., Ltd. established in India. |
| Dec. 2011 | Hokuriku Sales Office opened. |
| Aug. 2013 | Solar power generating business started. |
| March 2014 | Meiko Asia Co., Ltd. (now a consolidated subsidiary) established in Thailand. |
| May 2014 | Meiko Trans de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V. established in Mexico.
2014: Established Meiko Trans de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V. |
| Dec. 2014 | Ho Chi Minh Representative Office established in Vietnam. |
| March 2019 | Local subsidiary Meiko Trans (Vietnam) Co., Ltd. established in Vietnam. |
| October 2021 | Started cleaning, repair, and maintenance business for tank containers and tank trucks. |
| January 2023 | Opened Meiko Tank Depot in the town of Kisosaki
2023: Opened Meiko Tank Depot. |