COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 5169

Chemicals and Allied Products, Not Elsewhere Classified

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

16companies1874–1987founding years16still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedBrenntag AGFoundedBrenntag AG
1874
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedThe British Petroleum Company plcFoundedThe British Petroleum Company plc
1909
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedChemcentral CorporationFoundedChemcentral CorporationFoundedDillard Paper CompanyFoundedDillard Paper Company
1926
FoundedNalco Chemical CorporationFoundedNalco Chemical Corporation
1928
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedUnivar CorporationFoundedUnivar Corporation
1966
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedNational Sanitary Supply Co.FoundedNational Sanitary Supply Co.
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedRepsol S.A.FoundedRepsol S.A.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Brenntag AG →
Active · founded 1874 · Germany
Brenntag AG is Europe's largest distributor of industrial chemicals.
Brenntag AG →
Active · founded 1874 · Germany
Brenntag AG is Europe's largest distributor of industrial chemicals.
The British Petroleum Company plc →
Active · founded 1909 · England
One of the five largest oil companies in the world, The British Petroleum Company plc (BP) is the United Kingdom's…
The British Petroleum Company plc →
Active · founded 1909 · England
One of the five largest oil companies in the world, The British Petroleum Company plc (BP) is the United Kingdom's…
Chemcentral Corporation →
Active · founded 1926
Chemcentral Corporation, one of North America's "big three" chemical distribution companies, retains a broad clientele…
Chemcentral Corporation →
Active · founded 1926
Chemcentral Corporation, one of North America's "big three" chemical distribution companies, retains a broad clientele…
Dillard Paper Company →
Active · founded 1926
Dillard Paper Company, one of North Carolina's largest privately owned corporations, has long been a major distributor…
Dillard Paper Company →
Active · founded 1926
Dillard Paper Company, one of North Carolina's largest privately owned corporations, has long been a major distributor…
Nalco Chemical Corporation →
Active · founded 1928
With nearly one-fifth of the global market for water treatment chemicals, Nalco Chemical Company dominates that $3…
Nalco Chemical Corporation →
Active · founded 1928
With nearly one-fifth of the global market for water treatment chemicals, Nalco Chemical Company dominates that $3…
Univar Corporation →
Active · founded 1966
Univar Corporation is a leading, international distributor of a broad range of industrial chemicals, which it…
Univar Corporation →
Active · founded 1966
Univar Corporation is a leading, international distributor of a broad range of industrial chemicals, which it…
National Sanitary Supply Co. →
Active · founded 1983
National Sanitary Supply Co.
National Sanitary Supply Co. →
Active · founded 1983
National Sanitary Supply Co.
Repsol S.A. →
Active · founded 1987 · Spain
Repsol S.A.
Repsol S.A. →
Active · founded 1987 · Spain
Repsol S.A.
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