Over the years, the Koppers Company developed
many business lines connected to its original involvement in steel
and coke oven construction.
Grew from a need for heavy industry equipment to construct coke
ovens.
What began in 1917 as Melcroft Coal Company, a subsidiary of Koppers,
developed into the largest independent coal producer in the country
by 1944. Its 25 mines located in West Virginia, Pennsylvania
and Kentucky had reserves of 800 million tons of coal and produced
14 million tons annually.
Grew from the ability to recover coal tar and other byproducts
of the coking cycle.
By purchasing the White Tar Company in 1928, Koppers acquired an
outlet to refine its coal tar oils and naphthalene, then used
as a moth repellent. Because White Tar made candles and disinfectants
in the off season, Koppers was involved in candle manufacture
through 1944.
Grew from the ability to furnish the raw materials used in these
products. Koppers Research developed a way to manufacture butadiene
and styrene (the chemicals which form synthetic rubber) solely
from benzene (a component of the light oil recovered from byproduct
coke plants). When World War II stimulated a need for rubber,
Koppers built a government plant in Kobuta, PA, (30 miles west
of Pittsburgh) to make these chemicals. When benzene was restricted
for use in aviation gasoline, the plant shifted to butadiene
production from alcohol.
grew from the company’s basic interest in creosote, a major
product recovered from coal tar. Koppers found that creosote oil
could be more readily marketed if it was first used in the treatment
of wood products. Koppers became a major producer of treated wood
railroad ties and railroad crossing panels, including crossties,
switch ties, concrete ties and specialty track products. Creosote
treated wood poles are sold to electric and communications industries,
along with treated wood for heavy-duty construction.
In 1929, an affiliate of Koppers owned the Mystic Steamship Co.,
with a fleet of colliers transporting coal along the Atlantic
coast.
In 1929, under its affiliate Eastern Gas and Fuel Associates, Koppers
had a financial interest in eight public gas companies. All were
sold by 1944 except Boston Consolidated Gas.
To dispose of pitch from the tar distilling plants, Koppers developed
a process in 1928 to carbonize pitch in byproduct coke ovens.
This pitch coke was suitable to manufacture carbon electrodes
for the aluminum industry. Over 75 percent of Koppers carbon
pitch is currently sold to the aluminum industry for use as an
anode binder.
The research and development area affects all of Koppers business.
Through research, Koppers became the largest producer of house-heating
coke, developed a benzol-gasoline automotive fuel as well as
various paints and varnishes, all made from coal products.
Today, the "new" Koppers is involved in some
of the businesses of the old Koppers Company — the coal chemicals
research, and wood treatment businesses. |
