American Cyanamid's Rise and Fall

American Cyanamid's Rise and Fall was a remarkable story of growth and decline. The company was founded in 1915 by a group of investors who pooled their resources to create a chemical manufacturing business.

In its early years, American Cyanamid focused on producing dyes and other chemicals that were in high demand. The company's innovative approach and commitment to quality helped it quickly gain a reputation as a leader in the industry.

By the 1950s, American Cyanamid had become one of the largest chemical manufacturers in the world. Its products were used in a wide range of applications, from agriculture to pharmaceuticals.

However, the company's success was not without its challenges. American Cyanamid faced intense competition from other chemical manufacturers, and it struggled to adapt to changing market conditions.

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American Cyanamid was founded in 1907 by Frank Washburn and Charles H. Baker to make cyanamide, a chemical used in fertilizer. The company's headquarters were initially in Nashville, Tennessee.

The company quickly grew and expanded its offerings to include pharmaceuticals, plastics, and personal care products. American Cyanamid dominated the chemical industry and became one of the biggest manufacturers in the U.S.

During World War I, the company switched from making fertilizers to manufacturing explosives. This helped the war effort and allowed the company to finally complete the construction of its plant in Alabama.

The development of new chemicals and products resulted in significant environmental and exposure issues for the company. Asbestos was just one of many harmful substances it used.

Employees suffered health problems, and communities complained of environmental contamination. The Bridgewater Township location became a Superfund Site in 1983.

American Cyanamid effectively ceased to exist when it merged with American Home Products in 1994. This company later changed its name to Wyeth Corporation, which was eventually bought by Pfizer in 2009.

Here's a brief timeline of American Cyanamid's major milestones:

The company's growth and expansion led to the development of various divisions, which were eventually sold to different companies, including Procter & Gamble, Solvay Group, and BASF.

American Cyanamid was a pioneer in product development, with a long history of innovation in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

The company developed numerous important products, including Tetracycline, a widely used antibiotic, which was discovered by a Lederle researcher in 1945.

Cyanamid scientists also created the first synthetic absorbable suture, Dexon, in the 1970s, which utilized a natural body protein to reduce inflammation and scarring.

This breakthrough in medical technology improved surgical procedures and patient recovery times.

The company's research scientists at Lederle Laboratories developed Triamcinolone, a widely used corticosteroid, and Methotrexate, a chemotherapy agent used to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Cyanamid's scientists also developed melamine, a strong and durable thermosetting plastic material that is now one of the most widely produced industrial chemicals in the world.

The company was a major producer of acrylonitrile and its derivative, acrylamide, which led to the development of various flocculants, plastics, paper chemicals, and resins.

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Cyanamid's innovations extended beyond pharmaceuticals and chemicals, with the development of the first chemiluminescent product, Cyalume, which produced a soft green light when energized.

This product was initially marketed as "light sticks", plastic tubes that emitted a soft green light when bent, and later evolved into long flexible tubes and other applications.

The company's products had a significant impact on various industries, from medicine to deep-sea fishing, where light sticks were used to attract squid.

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American Cyanamid was involved in numerous legal issues related to its environmental pollution. The company spent tens of millions of dollars on effluent treatment initiatives, including a $15-million tertiary water treatment plant in Bound Brook, New Jersey.

The company merged with American Home Products in 1994, and later changed its name to Wyeth, which was then purchased by Pfizer in 2009. Responsibility for the clean-up of the sites remained with the site owner during these corporate transitions.

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The 575-acre Superfund site at Bound Brook-Bridgewater had a history of flooding, including a major flood in 1971 and again in 2011 during Hurricane Irene. All manufacturing had ended and buildings had been torn down, but impounds and waste sites remained, causing leakage of benzene and other chemicals into the Raritan River.

The company was involved in a well-known legal case in the United Kingdom, American Cyanamid Co. (No.1) v Ethicon Ltd. (1975), which set the test for awarding an interim injunction in England and Wales and became known as the American Cyanamid principles.

American Cyanamid used asbestos in its facilities and products, including boiler houses, floor tiles, and roof tiles. The company manufactured asbestos-containing products, such as Cymel 592, Melmac 405 Laminating Resin, and Fiberite.

Here are some American Cyanamid asbestos products and their applications:

The company's use of asbestos has led to numerous lawsuits, including cases involving employees who developed asbestosis and mesothelioma.

American Cyanamid was a major player in the chemical industry, but its story took a dramatic turn with a series of acquisitions and breakups. The company merged with American Home Products (AHP) in 1994 for $9.5 billion, making it the second-largest industrial acquisition in U.S. history at the time.

The acquisition was a significant one, and it paved the way for American Home Products to eventually change its name to Wyeth Corporation, one of its subsidiaries. In 2009, Wyeth merged with Pfizer, becoming a subsidiary of the world's largest pharmaceutical company.

Over the years, the Cyanamid conglomerate was disassembled, with various operations being sold or spun off. The Pigments division was sold to National Lead Company, and the Old Spice product line was sold to Procter and Gamble. The company also took Formica Corporation private in a management buyout, which later went through a series of ownership changes and is now owned by Fletcher Building in New Zealand.

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The $1.7 billion agricultural business was sold to the German chemical giant BASF in 2000, raising BASF's agricultural sales to $3.6 billion (1999 pro-forma) and making it one of the top three agricultural companies in the world.

Most of the chemical businesses of American Cyanamid are now operated by a spun-off successor company known as Cytec. Cytec was acquired by Solvay Group in December 2015 to form the Cytec Solvay Group based in Brussels, Belgium.

Here's a brief summary of the key players involved in the breakup of American Cyanamid:

Cyanamid had significant chemical manufacturing facilities in several locations, including Bound Brook, New Jersey, and Bridgewater, New Jersey.

The company's medical operations were headquartered in Pearl River, New York, with main manufacturing and research facilities also located there.

Agricultural operations were headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey.

Toiletries were produced principally in the Shulton complex in Clifton, New Jersey.

Cyanamid also had facilities in other states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Florida.

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The company's Lederle Laboratories division, which produced pharmaceuticals, was a significant part of Cyanamid's operations.

Davis & Geck, the company's medical device operation, was managed as part of Lederle.

Cyanamid's Consumer Products division included Shulton products, such as Old Spice cologne and after-shave lotion, and Breck shampoo.

The company's Melmac trademark was used for plastic kitchenware, which was produced and marketed by other firms under license.

Cyanamid's Titanium Dioxide was produced at a large plant outside of Savannah, Georgia.

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American Cyanamid used asbestos in many of its products, including a molding compound called Cymel 592 and a laminating resin called Melmac 405. These products were used in various industrial applications, such as aircraft, electronic equipment, and circuit breakers.

Asbestos was also used in equipment, machinery, and building components at American Cyanamid's manufacturing facilities. The company's facilities were designed to use asbestos, which was a cheap and easy way to make products durable and heat-resistant.

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The use of asbestos in American Cyanamid's products put many people at risk of exposure, including workers who handled the asbestos, as well as those who were simply in the same area. This included employees who worked at the company's plants, as well as farmers, manufacturing plant workers, mechanics, engineers, maintenance workers, and workers in industrial plants.

American Cyanamid's use of asbestos has led to numerous lawsuits and claims for compensation. In one case, a jury awarded a widow $3.5 million after her husband developed mesothelioma from secondary exposure to asbestos fibers brought home on his work clothes.

Here are some of the American Cyanamid products that contained asbestos:

If you or a loved one were exposed to asbestos at American Cyanamid, and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer, it's essential to secure legal representation as soon as possible.