Blachford History
1920s
In 1921 in Montreal, 25-year-old Henry Lloyd Blachford founded a sales agency for chemicals used in the rubber, paint and ink industries, including pigments, dyestuffs, carbon blacks for rubber and drying rolls.
1930s
In 1936 H.L. Blachford began manufacturing aluminum and zinc stearates, making it the first company in Canada to manufacture metallic soaps. The original manufacturing facilities were located in the St. James Street area of Montreal. In 1937 operations were moved to a building on Lucien-L'Allier.
1940s
During the war years, most raw materials were rationed unless the finished product was valuable to the war effort.Following the end of hostilities, Blachford secured important license agreements with Quaker Chemicals Corp. and Atlas Minerals & Chemicals for chemical resistant grouts, mortars and membranes. We also forged several chemical distribution agreements with firms in the U.S. and the UK.
Blachford also began manufacturing rubber and paper chemicals, as well as bronze powders used for labels and book bindings.
1950s
Blachford established a Toronto sales office early in the decade in order to better service steel mill customers requiring rolling oils and other such products.
Manufacturing facilities were established in Toronto in 1957 when Blachford entered into a license agreement with Standard Industrial Compounds Corp. in Frankfort Illinois, to make powdered wire drawing lubricants.
For a few years, Blachford was also involved in the production of monosodium glutamate (MSG), but this was subsequently dropped as a product line.
1960s
In 1960, Blachford became active in the United States under the name H.L. Blachford Inc., where we began manufacturing and marketing noise control materials.
In 1965, we built a plant and office in Troy, Michigan, as well as established plants in Corona, California and West Chicago, Illinois.
In 1966 Henry's son John joined the company as a chemist and soon took on the role of R&D manager.
Our license agreement for wire drawing lubricants was terminated after Standard Industrial Chemicals Corp. was purchased by Pennwalt. However, Blachford was permitted to continue manufacturing these formulations at the Toronto plant.
1970s
Blachford entered into the production of heat stabilizers for PVC under a license agreement with Barlocher GmbH.
In 1974, a large new plant with offices and a laboratory was constructed in Mississauga. To this day most of our products used in the production and forming of steel sheet are made at this plant, including lubricants, corrosion inhibitors and hydraulic oils.
In 1978 John Blachford became President of all Blachford businesses.
1980s
Although the Barlocher agreement was terminated in 1982, Blachford was free to continue to manufacture heat stabilizers for PVC.
In 1984 portions of the Montreal production were moved to our newly expanded Mississauga facility.
In 1987, Henry Lloyd Blachford died within a few weeks following his last day in the office.
In 1989 H.L. Blachford Inc. was sold to German interests who subsequently sold the business to Masland Industries in the U.S. where we became Blachford Corporation.
Blachford Corporation's offices and plants are in Frankfort, Illinois where we manufacture a wide range of lubricants used by wire manufacturers.
1990s
In 1991, Blachford Corporation entered a license agreement with German firm DOG mbH&Co KG for process aids for rubber.
Blachford Inc. was created in March of 1995 when Masland sold the West Chicago plant, equipment and other assets used to make products for the non-passenger car market to Blachford.
With the termination of our license agreement with Atlas Minerals and Chemicals in 1996, we ceased the manufacture and sale of construction materials.
Blachford purchased the rubber anti-tack business of Namico Inc and the operation was moved from Philadelphia to Montreal and Mississauga.
We also entered a license agreement with Zeller and Gmallin for lubricants for drawing copper wire and several other product lines.
2000s
In 2001 Blachford's rights to the steel companies was removed from the Quaker Chemicals license agreement. A manufacturing agreement was made whereby Blachford continues to manufacture products for those companies.
In 2002, Blachford RP Corporation, a producer of floor-covering systems designed for comfort and noise reduction was founded. The new manufacturing plant was built in Kings Mountain, NC.
The Blachford Acoustics Laboratory - the first in North America that could test "Class 8" trucks - was completed in 2003 next to Blachford Inc.'s plant in West Chicago. This facility brings advanced testing capabilities to our acoustical and rubber companies, and features a large hemi-anechoic room suitable for large vehicles such as heavy trucks and buses, a dynamometer, and a reverberation room. It is a unique resource available only to passenger car OEMs customers to help them determine and achieve their sound quality goals.
The Zeller & Gmelin and DOG agreements were terminated in 2006. However, Blachford was allowed to continue manufacturing both product lines in North America.
In 2008 Blachford purchased the JemPak Ltd. metallic soap business and moved production to the Mississauga plant.
