COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 325199

Synthetic Sweeteners Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

32companies1850–2000founding years30still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedRobertet SAFoundedRobertet SA
1850
FoundedSensient Technologies Corporation
1882
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
FoundedInternational Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
1909
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
FoundedWacker-Chemie GmbH
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedAshland Inc.
1924
FoundedMerck & Co., Inc.
1927
FoundedStepan CompanyFoundedThe Lubrizol Corporation
1928
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedCelanese Mexicana, S.A. de C.V.FoundedCelanese Mexicana, S.A. de C.V.
1944
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedSolvay S.A.
1967
FoundedRAG AG
1968
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
FoundedSigma-Aldrich Corporation
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1980
EnvironmentSuperfund law makes polluters pay for cleanup.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedPenford Corporation
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
FoundedFortum Corporation
1998
FoundedCrompton Corporation
1999
FoundedMerisant Worldwide, Inc.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Robertet SA →
Active · founded 1850 · France
Robertet SA is one of the world's top ten developers of flavor and perfume additives and ingredients.
Robertet SA →
Active · founded 1850 · France
Robertet SA is one of the world's top ten developers of flavor and perfume additives and ingredients.
Sensient Technologies Corporation →
Active · founded 1882
Early 1970s:[fsps*2.5]Company expands into soft-drink bottling.
Sensient Technologies Corporation →
Active · founded 1882
Early 1970s:[fsps*2.5]Company expands into soft-drink bottling.
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. →
Active · founded 1909
Mid-1920s:Van Ameringen persuades makers of bar soaps and detergents to add fragrances to their products.
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. →
Active · founded 1909
Mid-1920s:Van Ameringen persuades makers of bar soaps and detergents to add fragrances to their products.
Wacker-Chemie GmbH →
Active · founded 1914 · Germany
Wacker-Chemie GmbH is a worldwide leader in the manufacture of specialty chemicals.
Wacker-Chemie GmbH →
Active · founded 1914 · Germany
Wacker-Chemie GmbH is a worldwide leader in the manufacture of specialty chemicals.
Ashland Inc. →
Active · founded 1924
Ashland Inc.
Ashland Inc. →
Active · founded 1924
Ashland Inc.
Merck & Co., Inc. →
Active · founded 1927
1940s:Merck's laboratories make a series of discoveries: vitamin B12, cortisone, streptomycin.
Merck & Co., Inc. →
Active · founded 1927
1940s:Merck's laboratories make a series of discoveries: vitamin B12, cortisone, streptomycin.
Stepan Company →
Active · founded 1928
Stepan Company has carved out a highly specific niche market for itself by producing and supplying specialty and…
Stepan Company →
Active · founded 1928
Stepan Company has carved out a highly specific niche market for itself by producing and supplying specialty and…
The Lubrizol Corporation →
Active · founded 1928
The Lubrizol Corporation is one of the world's leading suppliers of performance chemicals, including specialty…
The Lubrizol Corporation →
Active · founded 1928
The Lubrizol Corporation is one of the world's leading suppliers of performance chemicals, including specialty…
Celanese Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1944 · Mexico
Celanese Mexicana, S.A.
Celanese Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1944 · Mexico
Celanese Mexicana, S.A.
Solvay S.A. →
Active · founded 1967 · Belgium
1950s:Company moves into the life sciences field.
Solvay S.A. →
Active · founded 1967 · Belgium
1950s:Company moves into the life sciences field.
RAG AG →
Active · founded 1968 · Germany
RAG AG is one of the world's leading hard coal producers and Germany's number one coal producer.
RAG AG →
Active · founded 1968 · Germany
RAG AG is one of the world's leading hard coal producers and Germany's number one coal producer.
Sigma-Aldrich Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1975
Sigma-Aldrich Corporation is a developer, manufacturer, and distributor of a wide range of biochemicals, organic…
Sigma-Aldrich Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1975
Sigma-Aldrich Corporation is a developer, manufacturer, and distributor of a wide range of biochemicals, organic…
Penford Corporation →
Active · founded 1983
Penford Corporation develops, produces, and markets specialty natural-based ingredients for industrial and food…
Penford Corporation →
Active · founded 1983
Penford Corporation develops, produces, and markets specialty natural-based ingredients for industrial and food…
Fortum Corporation →
Active · founded 1998 · Finland
Fortum Corporation is an international energy group formed from the 1998 merger of two state-owned Finnish firms: Neste…
Fortum Corporation →
Active · founded 1998 · Finland
Fortum Corporation is an international energy group formed from the 1998 merger of two state-owned Finnish firms: Neste…
Crompton Corporation →
Active · founded 1999
Crompton Corporation is a specialty chemical manufacturer whose main operations involve the creation of additives,…
Crompton Corporation →
Active · founded 1999
Crompton Corporation is a specialty chemical manufacturer whose main operations involve the creation of additives,…
Merisant Worldwide, Inc. →
Active · founded 2000
Merisant Worldwide, Inc., of Chicago, Illinois, is a privately-held company that markets more than 20 brands of…
Merisant Worldwide, Inc. →
Active · founded 2000
Merisant Worldwide, Inc., of Chicago, Illinois, is a privately-held company that markets more than 20 brands of…
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