1928 - Purdue University chemist Henry B. Hass begins nitroparaffins research
The development of nitroparaffins originated in Smackover, Arkansas, where research chemist, Henry Hass, witnessed two pipes shooting natural gas out of the ground. At that time, industry had not discovered how to produce commercially useful chemicals from natural gas. Hass decided to dedicate himself to developing the chemical potential of paraffin gases for commercial use.
Over the next nine years, Hass continued his efforts to nitrate paraffins while serving as a member of the chemistry faculty at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana.
At Purdue, Hass worked closely with graduate student, Byron Vanderbilt, who discovered that he could successfully produce pure nitroparaffins through vaporization. Following Vanderbilt's graduation, graduate student, Edward Hodge, stepped in to work on the nitroparaffins project with Hass.
Hodge improved the nitration process and devised a flow method to facilitate production on a commercial scale. Hodge also discovered that nitration produced a multiplicity of products. Specifically, vapor phase nitration of propane resulted in four products: nitromethane, nitroethane, 1 - nitropropane, 2 - nitropropane. Hodge's research confirmed Vanderbilt's proposition that the nitration process would work with any paraffin hydrocarbon.
1934 - First nitroparaffin patent granted
On July 24, Hass, Hodge and Vanderbilt received a joint patent for a batch process and continuous-flow reaction to produce nitroparaffins.
1935 - Commercial Solvents Corporation (CSC) enters licensing agreement with Purdue
In 1935, CSC licensed the nitration process and hired Hodge to initiate production. Meanwhile, Hass and Vanderbilt carried out additional CSC-sponsored research at Purdue.
The potential paraffin hydrocarbons was finally realized through the derivatives developed in the Purdue laboratories.
1940 - Commercial Solvents Corporation (CSC) begins commercial nitroparaffin production in Peoria, Illinois, USA
1955 - Commercial Solvents Corporation (CSC) moves production to Sterlington, Louisiana, USA
Sterlington was chosen because of its proximity to an existing ammonia plant needed for nitric acid, one of the essential ingredients in the nitration process.
1974 - Commercial Solvents Corporation (CSC) adds production facility in Ibbenburen, Germany
1975 - IMC purchases CSC and creates separate nitroparaffins division
International Minerals and Chemical Corporation (IMC), at that time a major producer of fertilizers, animal products and industrial and chemical products, purchased CSC. IMC created a separate nitroparaffins division within this large organization.
1982 - Alberta Natural Gas buys nitroparaffins business from International Minerals and Chemical Corporation (IMC), forming ANGUS Chemical Company
Alberta Natural Gas and Pacific Gas Transmission Company bought the nitroparaffins business from IMC and established ANGUS (Alberta Natural Gas United States) Chemical Company. ANGUS was the first company solely committed to the manufacture and marketing of nitroparaffins.
1984 - ANGUS begins construction of European Fine Chemicals plant (AFCL) in County Cork, Ireland, and establishes European information offices in England and France
1985 - Singapore office opens to increase sales to Asia/Pacific markets
1986 - Production begins at AFCL
ANGUS Biotech formed to manufacture and market bulk erythromycin in Long Beach.
1988 - Operations discontinued at ANGUS Biotech
The AMICAL™ product line is purchased from Abbott Labs, based in Abbott Park, Illinois, USA
1991 - Sterlington plant explosion
May 1, 1991 was a tragic day that changed ANGUS forever, when we lost eight of our own in an explosion at the Sterlington nitroparaffins plant. Based on the lessons learned from the unfortunate event, ANGUS restarted a modified production unit less than one year later. This unit incorporated more than 800 significant process changes that greatly improved plant safety and reliability.
The experience inspired an ANGUS culture of leadership in process safety, instilling in every ANGUS employee the importance of putting safety first in everything they do. ANGUS management made a vow to its employees, the Sterlington community, and its customers that safe and reliable operations would be the cornerstone upon which it would build its business.
1992 - Sterlington plant reconstruction is completed
The ANGUS plant in Sterlington was rebuilt following the explosion in May of 1991. ANGUS worked closely with outside consulting firms installing safeguards throughout the plant, making significant layout changes to prevent future problems. The plant was up and running in less than 23 months.
Since 1992, ANGUS has continued to invest in process safety improvements and has expanded capacity while improving reliability. ANGUS's consistent record of safe operations over the following years is evidence of the depth of its resolve and the effectiveness of its efforts.
ANGUS moves into new corporate headquarters and research and development (R&D) center in Buffalo Grove
ANGUS moved into new corporate headquarters and R&D center in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, USA. A new synthesis lab is responsible for new product development and process development in support of ANGUS manufacturing operations.
Hickson Fine Chemicals buys AFCL
2000 - Dow Purchases ANGUS
In October 1999, The Dow Chemical Company purchased ANGUS Chemical Company and its subsidiaries from TransCanada Pipelines, integrating it into Dow as a wholly-owned subsidiary in 2000.
2001 - ANGUS Chemical Singapore becomes operational under Dow
After being acquired by The Dow Chemical Company at the end of 2000, the ANGUS Chemical lab in Singapore moved to its present location - the Maxwell Science Park. In 2001, it became operational under Dow.
2001 - The biocides divisions of ANGUS Chemical Company, the Dow Chemical Company and Union Carbide Corporation merge to form a new business unit - Dow Biocides
After the acquisition of ANGUS in August 1999, and the merger of Union Carbide in February 2001, Dow Biocides combined the products, technologies, resources and capabilities of the three companies. The new business group doubled Dow's biocides business and created a portfolio of 12 chemistries capable of solving a wide range of bacterial and fungal problems.
2005 - ANGUS completes multi-million dollar improvements to Sterlington Plant
ANGUS completed a multi-million dollar investment project at the Sterlington, Louisiana, USA, production site. The capacity expansion projects enabled ANGUS to increase volume for several products. The increase in production helped 2-NP and AMP™ dispersant reach record production volumes in July and August 2005.
2006 - ANGUS introduces eight regional customer application centers
ANGUS announced the introduction of eight regional customer application centers around the world to align its business growth strategies with direct market and customer focus.
In addition to its locations in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, USA; Horgen, Switzerland; Singapore and most recently Shanghai, China, ANGUS will be opening customer application centers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Tokyo, Japan; Guangzhou, China; and Mumbai, India. Each center will house fully equipped, state-of-the-art laboratories, dedicated technical sales representatives, and customer application specialists and technologists.
2008
ANGUS completes construction of a multi-million dollar Market Development Facility. The facility is part of the Company's Sterlington, Louisiana, manufacturing site and will help ANGUS validate the new-to-the world molecules the company is developing with its unique nitration process.
2009
The Dow Chemical Company acquired Rohm and Haas on April 1, 2009. The acquisition created the world's leading specialty chemicals and advanced materials company, combining the two organizations' best-in-class technologies, broad geographic reach and strong industry channels to create an outstanding business portfolio with significant long-term growth opportunities.
ANGUS received new capabilities with the addition of PRIMENE™ amines to its portfolio. PRIMENE amines help control reactivity, making them ideally suited as building blocks for a wide variety of specialty additives and applications. The variety of applications they are used in include anti-foulants, corrosion inhibitors, solvent exchange liquors and disease fuel stabilizers.
