SHOFU Inc. was established in Kyoto on May 15, 1922 as SHOFU Dental Mfg. Co. Ltd by Kajo Shofu III, who represented the third generation of the SHOFU family in the ceramics industry.

As an entrepreneur and researcher, he made it the mission of his new company to produce high-quality porcelain teeth for the Japanese market. Since its establishment, SHOFU has been committed to research and development, in order to manufacture innovative products for dentistry – this aim still characterises the corporate spirit. The company history shows how SHOFU has consistently advanced progress in dentistry.

1925-1959 – Development and marketing of carborundum abrasives, resin teeth, the first Japanese-made diamond abrasives for contra-angles and turbines

1960-1979 – Development and marketing of

• spherical amalgam as a world first as a worldwide innovation
• the silicone polishers Brownie, Greenie and Supergreenie for amalgam fillings and precious metals, later expanded for use as universal polishers

1971 – Establishment of SHOFU DENTAL CORPORATION in California, USA

1973 – Establishment of SHIGA SHOFU Inc., a factory producing resin teeth

1978 – Establishment of SHOFU DENTAL GmbH in Germany

1979 – Opening of the Fukuoka sales office

Development and marketing of

• HY-Bond polycarboxylate, HY-Bond zinc phosphate and Hy-Bond glass ionomer cements
• the Super-Snap polishing disk system
• Lite-Fil, the first Japanese-made light-cured composite material
• the VINTAGE porcelain system
• Endura, the first Japanese-made hybrid resin teeth
• VINTAGE OPAL, the world’s first dental porcelain with tooth-like opalescence

1980 – Establishment of SHOFU Dental Singapore Pty. Ltd. (since 1987: SHOFU Inc. Singapore Branch)

1982 – Completion of the manufacturing plant for machine-made diamond instruments in Kyoto

1983 – Change of the company name to SHOFU Inc. – together with managerial and organizational restructuring

1985 – Opening of the Sendai Sales Office

1987 – Opening oft he Sapporo Sales Office

1989 – As the first dental company, SHOFU Inc. goes public in Osaka and Kyoto

Introduction of

• the Lamina system
• VINTAGE Value Plus and VINTAGE Halo porcelain systems
• the SOLIDEX C&B composite system
• the FL-Bond fluoride-releasing, light-cured bonding system
• CeraMaster and CompoMaster diamond-impregnated silicone polishers
• HiLite, Japan’s first bleaching system

1996 – Establishment of SHOFU Inc. Shanghai

1996 – Establishment of Promech Inc in Saitama, for the production of articulators

1997 – CE certification and completion of the research center in Kyoto

Development and marketing of

• the BEAUTIFIL composite restorative
• the ShadeEye NCC computer-aided shade-taking system
• VERACIA, the world’s first artificial teeth with nanotechnology
• VINTAGE AL, VINTAGE ZR and VINTAGE MP porcelain systems, and VINTAGE Art fluorescent porcelain stains
• the CERAMAGE C&B composite
• ResiCem, the universal luting system
• BeautiBond, the one-component adhesive

2003 – Establishment of Shanghai SHOFU Dental Material Co., the first Chinese manufacturing plant

2005 – Establishment of SHOFU Dental Supplies Shanghai Co., the Chinese sales office

2006 – Completion of the training center in Kyoto

2007 – Listing on the Second Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange

2009 – Business and capital alliance with Mitsui Chemicals Inc. and Sun Medical Co. Ltd.

2010 – Introduction of LITE ART light-cured paste stains and the light-curing units Solidilite LED and Sublite V

2011 – Introduction of BEAUTIFIL Flow Plus injectable anterior and posterior composite, the VERACIA SA semi-anatomical tooth line, and Q3-Pack patented setup support

2013 – Introduction of the self-adhesive composite cement BeautiCem SA, the speed investment Ceravety Press & Cast and the SHOFU Universal Opaque for SOLIDEX and CERAMAGE

2014 – Introduction of the BEAUTIFIL-Bulk bulk-fill composite in two viscosities and the VINTAGE MP Uni-Layer, a single-layer ceramic for PFM restorations

Introduction of

• the digital camera EyeSpecial C-II
• the Super-Snap X-Treme polishers
• CERAMAGE UP, the flowable, light-curing micro-hybrid veneering composite
• VINTAGE LD, the lithium disilicate ceramic to produce all-ceramic restorations
• VINTAGE LD Press, blanks to produce all-ceramic restorations
• VINTAGE Art LF, the low-melting, fluorescent ceramic stains
• SHOFU Block HC / Disk HC, the ceramic-based CAD/CAM restoration materials
• CAD/CAM Preparation Kit, the preparation set for all-ceramic and hybrid ceramic CAD/CAM restorations
• ZiLMaster, the three-step diamond impregnated polishing system for zirconia and lithium disilicate

2015 – Implementing SHOFU Italy

2017 – Establishment of SHOFU DENTAL BRASIL COMERCIO DE PRODUTOS ODONTOLOGICOS LTDA., Brazil

2017 – Establishment of SHOFU DENTAL INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, India

Einführung

• des niedrig schrumpfenden, pastösen Komposits BEAUTIFIL II LS
• der Gingiva- und Schmelzmassen BEAUTIFIL II Gingiva & Enamel für die intraorale Wiederherstellung der rot-weißen Ästhetik
• des Haftvermittlers SHOFU HC Primer für alle hybridkeramischen CAD/CAM-Restaurationen
• der optimierten, leuzitverstärkten Feldspatkeramik VINTAGE PRO
• der CERAMAGE UP Gum Colors für eine naturkonforme Rekonstruktion zu ersetzender, prothetischer Gingiva-Bereiche

Introduction of

• SHOFU Universal Primer, a primer for bonding resin to metal, zirconia or alumina
• SHOFU DISK ZR Lucent, a highly translucent multilayer zirconia disk
• BeautiBond Universal, a universal, single-component adhesive system
• BeautiCem Veneer, a light-cured resin cement with amine-free composition

Introduction of

• the EyeSpecial C-IV digital camera with video function and polarization filter
• universal powder stains and glazes VINTAGE Art Universal for monolithic restorations and layered ceramics
• ZirGloss, a high-performance polishing compound
• SHOFU Block HC Hard, a CAD/CAM hybrid ceramic

2020 – SHOFU DENTAL GmbH has moved into its new, own company building: An der Pönt 70, Ratingen, Germany

2021 – Establishment of SHOFU DENTAL MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA Branch in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Introduction of

• Solidilite LED, an advanced LED light-curing unit for light-cured veneering composites
• SHOFU DISK ZR Lucent Supra, the multilayer premium zirconia
• VINTAGE Prime Press, a high-strength lithium disilicate glass ceramic
• GlasIonomer FX Ultra, a self-cured, universal glass ionomer restorative material
• Zirconomer Improved, a zirconia-reinforced glass ionomer restorative material

Launch of

• the EyeSpecial C-V dental camera with integrated WLAN technology and expanded video feature
• BeautiBond Xtreme, a light-curing, self-etch, all-in-one, universal adhesive

Introduction of

• the microhybrid veneering concept “CERAMAGE meets digital” to aesthetically enhance all types of restorations, regardless of material and fabrication method
• the expanded SHOFU Disk ZR Lucent Supra range, now available in 19 shades and 7 heights from 12 mm to 30 mm
• BeautiLink SA, a universal, dual-cured, self-adhesive resin cement that requires no pretreatment
• SHOFU Gumy-V, a gingiva-coloured shade tab holder for accurate intraoral shade determination