Taiyo Holdings' forerunner, Taiyo Ink Mfg., was established in 1953 as a printing ink manufacturer and marketer. In 1970 Taiyo made its first etching resist shipments and entered the resist ink field (resist ink: insulating film that covers printed wiring boards [PWBs] to protect circuit patterns). Taiyo was early to become an official supplier for many large manufacturing clients, leveraging its execution speed (thanks to its independence), R&D and marketing prowess, strategic foresight into technological requirement for end products, and rapid expansion in overseas operation. Taiyo has a global market share in solder resist of over 50% (fairly high share in high-function rigid products and about half in general rigid products).