UBE

Ube Industries, Ltd. is one of the largest chemical companies in Japan. Once devoted primarily to the mining and industrial applications of coal, Ube converted itself into a diversified chemical concern in the 1960s, as coal's importance as a raw material declined. Just over 40 percent of net sales are derived from the company's chemicals and plastics group, which manufactures petrochemicals, nylon resins, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, and other products.