175 Year History Timeline: 1840 - 2015
Each milestone brings us closer to realizing our vision.
When Henkel KGaA acquired the Emery division from Quantum in 1989, our pasts became intertwined. In 2015, we had three main manufacturing assets - each having had its distinct journeys and an innovation and growth story that underscores our vision of becoming a leader in natural-based specialty chemicals:
Did you know?
The original Emery Oleochemicals 8.9-acre site in St.Bernard was established in 1885 by the Emery brothers. It is still part of the company’s 35 acre site today which resides adjacent to another long-respected Cincinnati-based company, Procter & Gamble.
1840
Thomas Emery Sr. starts lard oil factory
1885
Plant downtown is damaged by floods, necessitating the move to new site in St. Bernard
1887
Emery Candle Company is incorporated in Ohio with capital of $200,000
1890
Application of Twitchell Splitting developed by Dr. Twitchell
1898
Twitchell Method of splitting fats is first patented; with 4 additional patents to follow between 1899-1915
1935
Merger of several Emery companies into Emery Industries, Inc.
1938
EMERSOL® Solvent Separation plant is built and the process is patented
1940
Work begins on oleic acid cleavage to create azelaic and pelargonic acid
1942
First oxidation plant comes on stream; plasticizers are introduced
1947
First Colgate-Emery pressure splitter begins operations and the process is patented
1948
Solvent Plant “C” in operation
1949
New boiler plant begins generation
1951
Ozone-oxidation process is patented
1954
Plant for ozonation of oleic acid (No.1) in operation
1955
Construction of Twitchell Memorial Laboratory is completed
1962
Ozone plant (No.2) in operation
1969
Emery acquires Malmstrom Chemical Corp. and Trylon Chemicals to strengthen position in personal care and textile chemicals
1971
Major site expansion including third ozone-oxidation facility
1978
Emery merges into National Distillery and Chemical Corp
1980
One of the world’s largest fatty acid distillation columns is installed
1981
Brassylate are commercially produced
1985
Headquarters moves from Carew Tower to new Northlake complex. Company name is changed to Emery Chemicals
1988
Company is renamed to Quantum Chemical Corp. More than USD100,000 allocated for “abundant production capacity”
1989
Quantum’s Emery division is purchased by Henkel KGaA
1998
The site achieves one million man- hours without lost time to accidents
1999
Risk Management Plan is communicated to local community groups. Henkel Chemicals Group officially becomes Cognis
2001
Henkel KGaA divests Cognis to a consortium of private equity firms
2005
Joint venture is formed between Cognis and Golden Hope, Malaysia (later called Sime Darby Plantation). This partnership is called Cognis Oleochemicals.
2008
Cognis sells its shares in Cognis Oleochemicals to PTT Global Chemical (Thailand)
2009
Emery Oleochemicals brand is launched, a nod to the rich Emery legacy
2010
Emery Oleochemicals celebrates 170 years in business and 125th anniversary of the Cincinnati Este Avenue plant
2013
USD50 million site expansion is announced, to grow capacity and state-of-the-art technical capabilities in bio-polyols which will be driven by a new business platform called Eco-Friendly Polyols. Expansion will also benefit the Bio-Lubricants and Agro Green platforms.
2015
Bio-polyol plants begins commercial production
1898
Oscar Neynaber and Friedrich Albert Pust establish a cod liver oil factory in Geestemünde, which soon earns the moniker “First German steam cod liver oil factory”
1908
The limited commercial partnership Pust & Neynaber in Loxstedt becomes a stock corporation
1909
Henkel’s first fat splitting plant comes on stream in Holthausen on December 18 producing glycerine
1913
First firefighter is appointed as the Plant Fire Department’s fulltime employee
1916
40-year anniversary publication is issued
1929
Purchase of the first company-owned ambulance
1932
Fatty acid production commences. A turbine house is built to generate electricity and process heat which is utilized in line with heat and power generation principles
1935
A fat hydrogenation plant begins operation and the plant opens its new company canteen
1937
Employees receive a Christmas gift bag for the first time
1940
Henkel organizes a plant kindergarten as well as a part-time site medical service
1951
Expansion of the distillation plant and fatty acid tank farm.
1957
The brand name LOXIOL® starts manufacturing on November 13 serving the plastics industry
1968
Persil GmbH (subsidiary of Henkel & Cie, Düsseldorf) took over Oscar Neynaber & Co AG, which specializes in oleochemical products such as plastics auxiliaries. The company was renamed to Neynaber Chemie GmbH
1974
Installation of a solvent-free crystallisation plant for stearic and oleic separation
1984
Triacetine plant comes on stream
1989
Quantum’s Emery division is purchased by Henkel KGaA, and the new entity named Henkel Emery Group is established
1991
Introduction of enhanced fractionation technology
An esterification plant to produce plastics additives goes into operation1994
The powder blending plant for environmental-friendly stabilizer for PVC is constructed
1995
Introduction of hydrogenation using precious metal catalyst
1998
To mark its 100th anniversary, Neynaber Chemie donates DM100,000 for youth work in Loxstedt
1999
Henkel Chemicals Group officially becomes Cognis
2001
Henkel KGaA divests Cognis to a consortium of private equity firms
2003
Enlargement of splitting and distillation capacities
2004
The PVC stabilizer business is sold to Reagans and Sun Ace
Modernization and enlargement of glycerine factory2005
Joint venture is formed between Cognis and Golden Hope, Malaysia (later called Sime Darby Plantation), called Cognis Oleochemicals
2008
Cognis sells its shares in Cognis Oleochemicals to PTT Global Chemical (Thailand)
2009
Emery Oleochemicals brand is launched, a nod to the rich Emery legacy
2010-2014
Various automation, efficiency and capacity upgrades enhances quality and logistic related processes
2012
Warehouse space is enlarged, esterification facility begins production
2013
Another esterification facility extension goes on stream and Technical Development Centre is launched
2014
Beading tower is completed and plant goes on stream
2015
Emery Oleochemicals makes a strategic decision to divest the Düsseldorf commodity operations in line with its corporate focus on building the company’s specialty chemicals portfolio
1980
Foundation of Henkel Oleochemicals Malaysia is laid
1984
Production of fatty acids and methylesters begins
1992
Another fatty alcohols plant comes on stream
1999
Henkel Chemicals Group officially becomes Cognis
2001
Henkel KGaA divests Cognis to a consortium of private equity firms
2003
Fractionation capacity is increased
2005
Joint venture formed between Cognis and Golden Hope, Malaysia (later called Sime Darby Plantation). This partnership is called Cognis Oleochemicals
2008
Cognis sells its shares in Cognis Oleochemicals to PTT Global Chemical (Thailand)
2009
The Emery Oleochemicals brand is launched, a nod to the rich Emery legacy
2012
Asia Pacific’s first integrated plastic additives starts up in a complex adjacent to the main fatty acids plant
2014
Methylester fractionation plant begins production to support current fatty alcohol production. Sulphation process facility built in partnership with sulphation technology leaders, Desmet Ballestra, begins production in specialty fatty alcohols for household and personal care products
2015
Specialty ester facility, established as a joint venture with AK ChemTech, a leading Korean-based chemical company, comes on stream. Called Emery Aekyung, the site produces a range of specialty co-surfactants used in personal care products, which is to be commissioned in the third quarter
(*2021 - Emery Oleochemicals makes a strategic decision to divest the Malaysia operations in line with its corporate focus on building the company’s specialty chemicals portfolio)
