ASK Chemicals

Note: All American roots are marked with a (*).

1917*

Werner G. Smith starts business in Cleveland based on blending natural oils, such as linseed oil with solvents and driers to foundry specifications.

1929*

Archer Daniels Midland Co. buys Werner G. Smith’s company, and is ADM’s first venture into the chemical business.  W.G. Smith was a large purchaser of linseed oil from ADM

1929

Dr. Arthur Braun takes over the Dextrin Factory founded by Carl von der HeidenSn. in 1910. He turns the business over to a production of foundry chemicals under the name of “Kernfest KG” located in Hilden.

1948*

“D” Process invented by ADM to make dry sand molds using heavy core oil.  Petroleum polymers used in core oils.

1957*

ADM buys Federal Foundry Supply and acquires the Upton and Colony, Wyoming bentonite mines as well as the Cleveland East refractory coatings plant

1958*

ADM introduces ChemRez 200, a furan no-bake binder, at AFS convention. ADM also introduces a gas cure process, using chlorine gas, to cure furan resins.  The process was demonstrated at ADM’s East Side plant during the Cleveland AFS convention.

1960*

ADM, in conjunction with Ford’s Development labs (and Aristo Chemical) developed a hot box process using latent acid catalysts.

1962

New plant established in the outskirts of Hilden due to growing demand.

1965*

ADM introduces Lino-Cure, the first urethane foundry binder (alkyd urethane) at AFS convention.

1967*

Ashland Oil acquires ADM’s Chemical Division and forms Ashland Chemical.  About one year later, Ashland Chemical’s headquarters are established in Dublin, Ohio.

1967

Ashland (Ohio, USA) and Süd-Chemie (München, Germany) take over 50% each of the French company Avébène and start business under the nameof  “Ashland Avébène SAS” with the aim of setting up and developing  the "COLD BOX" process.

1968*

Ashland introduces Isocure (phenolic urethane cold-box binder) at AFS Convention.

1970

Take over of Kernfest KG by SüdChemie AG and Ashland. It is operated under the name Kernfest KG-Ashland-Südchemie-Gießerei-Chemikalien GmbH & Co. (KASC).

1970*

Ashland introduces Pep Set (phenolic urethane no-bake binder) at AFS Convention.  Ashland also sells the Colony and Upton bentonite mines to Y&O Coal Company.

1972

Take over of AS-Necof B.V., Waalwijk, Netherlands.

1973

Take over of Hantos& Co., Vienna, Austria, and change of Name to Ashland-Südchemie-Hantos GmbH.

1975

Renaming to Ashland-Südchemie-Kernfest GmbH (ASK).

1976

Foundation of the Ashland-Südchemie-Gremolith AG, Bazenheid, Switzerland.

1976

Commissioning of the state-of-the-art synthetic resin plant in Wülfrath as a central manufacturing site.

1978

Acquisition of Webac, Stockholm, Sweden and changed name  to Kernfest-Webac A.B.

1978*

Ashland introduces Aluminum Pep Set 5000 series

1980

Ashland-Südchemie-KernfestGmbH takes over the Mannheim plant from ReichholdChemie AG.

1980

Establishment of WebacemOy in Tampere, Finland, as a subsidiary of Kernfest-Webac A.B.

1982*

Ashland purchases Ceramco Refractory Coatings business and introduces the Isoset FRC Process at AFS Convention

1985

Expansion of the non-foundry product line under the new business unit “Synthetic Resins and Polymers” to provide customized specialty products for the paint and fertilizer industry.

1989*

Ashland introduces Novathane (phenolic urethane no-bake binder)  Total elimination of chlorinated solvents in coatings and release agents

1990

New central administration building in Hilden.

1993

The Wülfrath plant receives DIN/ISO 9003 certification by DQS

1997*

EXACTCAST® Riser Sleeves Introduced providing dimensionally accurate sleeves

1999

Acquisitionof Gebrüder Lüngen KG in Bendorf/ Rhein andfurtheroperationunderthenameAshland-Südchemie-Lüngen (ASLüngen) GmbH.

2000

Founding of Ashland-Südchemie-CZ S.R.O. in Brno, Czech Republic.

2000

Founding of Ashland-SüdchemieNorge, Lunde, Norway.

2000*

Ashland introduces Magnaset (fast furan no-bake resin) and Isomax (cold-box resin)

2001

Formation of AS-Ferro-Term Sp.z.o.o.inLódz, Poland and renamed in 2004 to AS-PolskaSp.o.o. in Lodz, Poland.

2002

Introduction of the management system for quality, environment and occupational health/safety, and DIN EN ISO 9001:2000, DIN EN ISO 14001:2005 and OHSAS 18001 certification.

2003

Süd-Chemie acquires SKW Metallurgie, Unterneukirchen, from DEGUSSA, a world leading supplier of high-quality metallurgical products for iron-casting, to become the only real full-range supplier to the foundry industry to further complete the product portfolio.

2004*

Ashland introduces Color Change Coatings and purchases Blackhawk Specialty Sales Release Agent technology.

2005*

Ashland introduces the T.E.D. Process (Total Effective Dehydration Process for increased productivity of furan no-bakes)

2006

Acquisition of WD-Giesserei-Technik GmbH, contract manufacturer of sand cores in Fuldabrück-Bergshausen by Süd-Chemie AG and continued operation within the Süd-Chemie Group.

2008

Acquisition of AMSC, leading supplier for foundry chemicals in India.

2008

Acquisition of Süd-Chemie Hi-Tech Ceramics Inc., Alfred Station NY/USA, one of the leading suppliers of high-tech filters for the foundry industry.

2009*

Introduction of Low Odor / Low Smoke Pep Set.phenolic urethane binder.

2010*

Introduction of Magnaset resin with less than 25% free furfuryl Alcohol.

2010

Joint Venture of Ashland Inc.,Ohio/USA, Foundry business of Süd-Chemie, Munich, Germany  and Ashland-Südchemie-Kernfest GmbH, Hilden/Germany. The new ASK Chemicals GmbH, Hilden, Germany is established.