ICI Dyestuffs Division
of Blackley, in Manchester
of Grangemouth Works, Grangemouth, and Billingham Division, Billingham, Co. Durham.
1926 British Dyestuffs Corporation was one of the main constituents of ICI when it was formed
1929 Developed phthalocyanine as a dye.
Other important discoveries made by the Dyestuffs Group were the copper phenolphthalein dyes, marketed as Monastral Fast Blue BS, which was sold from 1935.
The Dyestuffs Group also diversified its activities into pharmaceuticals, resins and rubber chemicals, and these non-dye activities would become increasingly important as time went on. The Group also supported other ICI divisions making polymers, paints and artificial fibres.
Acquired a number of the remaining independent dyestuffs firms including British Alizarine Co. By the later 1930s, the Dyestuffs Group was profitable, with plans for expansion.
1937 The Dyestuffs Division took the lead on development of textile uses for polyethylene
1940 Legally, the British Dyestuffs Corporation Ltd. name was retained until 1940 when it became ICI (Dyestuffs) Ltd.
1940 The polymer for the new fibre, Nylon, would be produced at the Huddersfield plant of ICI Dyestuffs[1]
For practical purposes, the business was usually known as the Dyestuffs Group, and from 1944, the Dyestuffs Division.
By 1945 the Dyestuffs Division had 10,000 employees (just over 10 percent of ICI's total workforce) and was selling 6000 different products.
1947 British Industries Advert. Invitation to visit its Exhibits. (Chemicals, etc. Section - Olympia and Earls Court) [2]
- ICI of Nobel House. Manufacturers of Heavy Chemicals, Acids, Alkalis, Dyestuffs, Auxiliary Products, Rubber Chemicals, Plastics, Paints, Metals, Explosives, Limes, Fertilizers, Pharmaceuticals including "Paludrine" Antimalarial drug, Insecticides including "Gamexane", "Methoxone" Selective Weed Killer, "Polythene" new Plastic. (Olympia, Ground Floor, Stand No. A.1023)
1950s Major innovations included the development of Procion reactive dyes.
1971 the Dyestuffs Division merged with parts of the Nobel Division to become known as the Organics Division (reflecting the declining importance of dyestuffs in ICI).
1985 ICI Organics Division opened a new UK sales headquarters for the ICI colours business at Bolton.
By 1988 after mergers with other specialty chemical producers the division became ICI Colours and Fine Chemicals.
1988 A marketing and customer service company geared to the needs of small UK users of industrial colours and nitrocellulose was launched by ICI Colours and Fine Chemicals and the Ellis and Everard Group, of Bradford.
Later became ICI Specialties.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The Times, Mar 21, 1940
- ↑ 1947 British Industries Fair Advert 266