1930s-1970s

1930
Naoji Iwatani Shoten was established in Minato-ku, Osaka, Japan and sales of oxygen, welding rods and carbide began.

1945
Iwatani was established with capital of \198,000, and Mr. Naoji Iwatani, the founder of the company, became President.

1947
The head office was built in Hommachi 3-chome, Higashi-ku, Osaka.

1953
The selling of Marui Propane products for the consumer market started.

1962
The company was listed on the Second Section of the Osaka Securities Exchange and the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It was listed on the First Section in 1965.

1964
The company became the sole agent in Japan of the AMA Company, Australia and further increased the volume of trade in mineral sand. Marui Propane was chosen for the lighting device for the Tokyo Olympic Torch.

1966
Import of LPG from Canada was started.

1969
Two major brands, the "Mihari", a gas-leak alarm, and the "Cassette-Feu", a hose-free cooking stove, were developed and released.The system of having two head offices - one in Osaka and the other in Tokyo - was employed.

1970
Osaka head office was moved to the present location.
The corporate slogan, "Creation of a more comfortable space on the earth is what Iwatani wishes and strives for" was adopted.

1972
The company was designated as a friendly trading company in China, and trade with China was in full swing.

1973
The Naoji Iwatani Foundation was established.

1975
Cold Air Products Ltd., a joint venture with Osaka Gas Co., Ltd., was established and Iwatani entered the field of gas production through air separation.

1977
The company became the first trading company of the Kawasaki Steel Corporation and its steel section was expanded.

1978
Construction of the first fully-fledged liquid hydrogen production plant was completed and the supply of liquid hydrogen to all the H-model space development rockets to be launched in 1986 started.

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