The foundation of a success story
In 1965, Satomi Tsuchibe founded the Kenko Corporation in Tokyo. In 1977, Beckmann Chemikalien KG was founded by Wilhelm J. Beckmann in Bremen. Both companies are pioneers in the chemical trade in their countries and begin cooperating closely with each other as early as the 1980s.
Founding of Beckmann Chemikalien KG in Bremen
Founding of Beckmann Chemikalien KG by Mr. Wilhelm J. Beckmann
Bassum offers space for growth
In 1981 Beckmann Chemikalien KG relocated its headquarters to Bassum. The company is developing, and the growth requires the construction of a larger office building. The new premises are ready for occupancy in 1998 and feature the latest in equipment and state-of-the-art technical infrastructure.
Soft Gel Technologies, specialist in the production of soft capsules
Kenko founded the subsidiary Soft Gel Technologies Inc. in Los Angeles in 1994, a leading contract manufacturer and supplier of customer-specific dietary supplements. Soft Gel Technologies is GMP certified and specializes in the production of soft capsules, where it holds many patents and supports its customers in development and formulation, as well as through clinical studies.
Expansion and move into larger office building
Beckmann Chemikalien KG continued to successfully establish itself as a distributor of chemical raw materials on the market. The growth of the company necessitated the move to a new, larger office building. With its modern rooms and technical equipment, it offers optimal conditions for innovation and the further growth of the company.
A foothold in the USA
To strengthen sales activities in the USA, a separate office was opened in New Jersey in 1999.
High-quality, natural ingredients from Optipure
In 2000, Kenko founds Optipure Japan Ltd., a supplier of high-quality raw materials in the field of dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals. The spectrum of delivered products includes essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and plant extracts of the highest quality, all of which are also offered under their own brand names.
New sourcing opportunities in China
Due to growing imports from the Far East, a representative office was established in Shanghai in 2004. Going forward, this now allows the company to contact new manufacturers and intensify existing business relationships.
From collaboration to partnership
In 2005, Beckmann Chemikalien KG and Kenko Corporation deepened their business relationship by founding the joint venture company Beckmann-Kenko GmbH. The common goal is to further intensify imports and exports with Japan. As part of a realignment, Beckmann-Kenko GmbH takes over the complete operations of Beckmann Chemikalien KG in 2007. Mr. Frank Bremer, who has been in charge of the company for many years, is appointed Managing Director together with Mr. Satomi Tsuchibe.
Beckmann-Kenko acquires the operations of Beckmann Chemicals
A realignment of the company’s business model takes place. As a result, Beckmann-Kenko GmbH took over the operations of Beckmann Chemikalien KG.
Online trade in sweeteners
The online platform NovaSweet.de will be a new business unit in 2011. End consumers now have the opportunity to order sugar-free products with natural sweeteners online from Beckmann-Kenko. This will make the natural sugar substitutes erythritol, xylitol and stevia available to a new group of customers via direct marketing. Sales to end consumers are discontinued in 2019, as, in the future, we would like to focus more on our core business with food manufacturers.
Beckmann-Kenko becomes importer of active pharmaceutical ingredients and proves service quality
After the Hanover State Trade Supervisory Office granted Beckmann-Kenko GmbH an import permit for certain medicines in accordance with EU guidelines in 2011, certification by SGS to the ISO 9001:2008 standard follows in 2015. With this step, Beckmann-Kenko GmbH demonstrated the high quality of its service.
Certification according to ISO 9001:2008
The quality management system of Beckmann-Kenko GmbH has been certified by SGS-International Certification Services GmbH to the ISO 9001:2008 standard. With the certification, the company demonstrated the high quality of its service and showed that, with its continuous further development and continuous optimization, it adheres to internationally recognized quality management principles.
ERP system to be introduced
Thanks to the introduction of a new ERP system, since 2014 Beckmann-Kenko has been able to control and map all procurement and sales processes in an enterprise resource planning system. As a result, the company’s order processing is more efficient in and it can act in a more targeted manner.
Anniversaries
In 2015 we celebrate two anniversaries: Kenko Corporation turns 50, and Beckmann-Kenko GmbH celebrates its 10th anniversary. This event is the first opportunity to meet with all colleagues from Shanghai and Bassum at the company’s headquarters.
IFS certification
In 2018 Beckmann-Kenko is certified to the IFS Broker standard for the procurement and distribution of substances for the food and dietary supplement industry.
Member of the VCH
In 2018, Beckmann-Kenko became a member of the German Chemical Trade Association (VCH). In addition to its global network, the trading house wanted to continue to network nationally. The association represents the interests of its members in the field of German chemicals wholesale and foreign trade. Furthermore, the VCH provides access to sector-specific information and statistics and offers additional services and seminars.
The representative office in Shanghai becomes independent
In late September 2021, the representative office in Shanghai became a wholly owned subsidiary of Beckmann-Kenko GmbH and thus an independent branch.
