Our history

Our History

"I want to produce an artificial nipple which is very similar to mothers' nipple"
- Yuichi Nakata, founder of Pigeon

With no available research data and know how, Mr. Nakata found his own unique methods to study the sucking mechanism of babies.

Mr. Nakata’s research data has contributed to the development of artificial teats. What Yuichi Nakata saw was the unique movements of the tongues of babies when they sucked milk. Scientifically named “Peristaltic Movements” much later, they formed the basis of all the bottles and nipples made in the PIGEON research center.

Spreading our wings to over 40 countries

With the range of products encompassing every need in maternity and baby care, PIGEON is a one-stop shop for mothers and mother-to-be.

Spreading its wings to over 40 countries, PIGEON is the top player in the international markets today. Headquarters in japan, PIGEON has subsidiaries in Singapore, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Korea, China, and USA. Singapore is the regional headquarter for ASEAN countries.

For over 6 decades, PIGEON has dedicated research capabilities towards the sucking behavior of babies. Having established a solid foundation of research, PIGEON is recommended today by most top medical and academic professionals.

Our Timeline

1950s

1957
Pigeon Honyuki Honpo Corporation
Pigeon Honyuki Honpo (Nursing Bottle Manufacturing) Corporation established in Chigasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture
1958
Head office relocated to Kanda-Higashimatsushita-cho, Tokyo

1960s

1963
Ichikawa Plant opened in Chiba Prefecture; Osaka Office established
1964
Fukuoka Office established
1965
Nagoya and Sapporo offices established
1966
Name changed to Pigeon Corporation
1967
Hiroshima Office established
1968
Sendai Office established

1970s

1973
Branch offices reorganized as stores; head office new building in Kanda-Tomiyama-cho, Tokyo, constructed
1978
Pigeon Singapore Pte. Ltd. established in Singapore

1980s

1983
Yoichi Nakata appointed President
Yoichi Nakata
1985
Adopted Corporate Identity
1986
Omiya Sales Office renamed Omiya Store
1987
Newborn Baby Commemorative Tree-Planting
The “Newborn Baby Commemorative Tree-Planting” Campaign launched as part of our corporate identity
1988
Shares registered
1989
Tsukuba Office opened
Tsukuba Office opened in Ibaraki Prefecture (relocated from Ichikawa); Pigeon Will Corporation established

1990s

1990
Thai Pigeon Co., Ltd. established as a joint venture in Thailand
1991
Joso Research Center
Joso Research Center (now Central Research Center) established in Ibaraki Prefecture
1993
Pigeon Land
“Pigeon Land” child-minding facility for infants launched at Joso Research Center (now Central Research Center)
1994
Pt. Modern Pigeon Indonesia established as a joint venture in Indonesia
1995
Listed on the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
1996
Pigeon Industries (Thailand) Co., Ltd. established as a joint venture in Thailand
Hitachiota Logistics Center began operations
1997
Listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
1998
Kanzaki Logistics Center (Hyogo Prefecture) began operations
1999
Pigeon Kids World Corporation established

2000s

2000
Seiichi Matsumura appointed President and Chief Operating Officer; Yoichi Nakata appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Seiichi Matsumura
Pigeon Manaka Corporation established
2001
The “Newborn Baby Commemorative Tree-Planting” Campaign conducted for the 15th time
Tsukuba Office acquired ISO14001 certification
2002
PHP Hyogo Corporation joins the Pigeon Group
Pigeon (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. established in China
Operation of licensed daycare centers, Pigeon Land Joso and Pigeon Land Yukitani, started
2003
Fukuyo Ibaraki Corporation changed its name to PHP Ibaraki Corporation
Pigeon Kids World Corporation changed its name to Pigeon Hearts Corporation
PHP Hyogo Corporation changed its name by replacing the katakana representation of “PHP” to its romanized form
2004
Tahira Corporation joins the Pigeon Group
Operation of Sanno national child-minding facility (Ota-ku, Tokyo) launched
Lansinoh Laboratories, Inc. in the USA joins the Pigeon Group
Operation of 113 child-minding facilities in hospitals of the National Hospital Organization (independent administrative agency) launched
2005
Privacy Mark certification acquired
2006
Pigeon Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. established in China
Tahira Corporation changed its name to Pigeon Tahira Corporation
The “Newborn Baby Commemorative Tree-Planting” Campaign conducted for the 20th time
Head office relocated to Nihonbashi-Hisamatsu-cho, Tokyo, as a result of the integration of all offices
2007
Akio Okoshi appointed President and Chief Operating Officer; Seiichi Matsumura appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer;
Akio Okoshi
Yoichi Nakata appointed Executive Advisor and Member of the Board
Recoup brand of anti-aging products launched
2008
Representative office established in India
2009
Lansinoh Laboratories, Inc. acquired sales rights for Soothies brand
Pigeon Industries (Changzhou) Co. Ltd established in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, China.
Pigeon India Pvt. Ltd. established in India
Exclusive sales rights of “Mamas & Papas” (British company) products in Japan acquired

2010s

2010
Sales of UK brand “Mamas & Papas” products launched
Sales of Double Heart brand launched in South Korea
Lansinoh Laboratories, Inc. took over “mOmma” business
2011
Pigeon Malaysia Trading Sdn. Bhd. established in Malaysia after a local sales company became our wholly-owned subsidiary
Lansinoh Laboratories, Inc. acquired all of Health Quest Ltd. shares
2012
DoubleHeart Co., Ltd. established in South Korea
2013
Shigeru Yamashita appointed President and Chief Operating Officer; Akio Okoshi appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Shigeru Yamashita
2014
Pigeon Corporation absorbed and merged with Pigeon Will Corporation
Lansinoh Laboratórios Do Brazil Ltda. established in Brazil
2015
LANSINOH LABORATORIES BENELUX established in Belgium
2016
LANSINOH LABORATORIES SHANGHAI established in China
2017
PT PIGEON INDONESIA in Indonesia became consolidated subsidiary
2019
Norimasa Kitazawa appointed President and Chief Executive Officer
Shigeru Yamashita appointed Chairman of the Board