Hong Transnewtonics was one of the interstellar giants of the early interstellar expansion around Sol. Originally a council-funded research corporation within the Kronos Haven dedicated to post-enlightenment experimental material science. It became an independant corporation when the Haven was dissolved and absorbed into the Solar Union. Hong, now owner of a number of previously governmental research and production facilities, quickly made its name with the discovery and production of Pripyium. The company played a short but prominent role in the technological, population and exploration boom after the Jovian War.
Name: Hong Transnewtonics
Products: SEMS, most notably Pripyium
Regions of Activity: Sol, Cornucopia, NuKronos, Tau Ceti
Founded: 2368
Founders: Director Franz Hong, appointed by the Chief Directorate of the Kronos Haven
Disbanded: 2611
Employees: 15 million at peak
Current CEO: N/a
Detailed description:
Hong Transnewtonics was a major player in the 25th century, directly owning some of the largest SEM production installations in the Terran Sphere at the time, having monopoly on several important materials, and having influence and shares in almost all noteworthy metamaterial enterprises connected to the jump gate network at the time. However, as time passed, Hong turned out to be incapable of keeping up with the frontier, and began sinking ever more money into maintaining its monopoly. Eventually the company was splintered due to several major shareholder disagreements. An event that sparked several minor mercenary skirmishes and an economic recession on several colonies.
Corporations that can trace their roots back to Hong persist to this day throughout the Terran Sphere, primarily around Kronos Successor worlds and established core worlds.