Document q3eLOx4m68jZ4kJ9vbGm94vpK

Ttje 1 Wftf? Tbt Tnli BAKELITE CORPORATION OF CANADA LIMITED By W. A. CAMPBELL When Dr. Baekeland was granted his patents in 1909 there .was in Toronto a partnership between Dr. Vandelinde, em inent rubber chemist, and Dr. Cohoe, Pro fessor of Chemistry at McMaster Univer sity. They operated a company called "Chemical Laboratories Limited" to pro duce fine chemicals. They secured a license to produce resins from Dr. Baeke land and built a plant on Van Horne Street. This new plant under the name "Plas tics Limited" produced at first the old "Solid A" soda catalyzed resins from which they made only asbestos-filled molding compounds. Later, they pro duced the No. 1 varnishes and undertook coil impregnating in addition to the mold ing operations which had been practised from the beginning. ON THE MOVE Bakelite production continued on the Van Horne street property from 1910 to 1916 when the plant was moved to Junction Road and Weston Road. Dur ing this period (1911-1911) Mr. Harry P. Mills came with the company. He was later associated with the Bakelite Corporation in Europe. After about one year's operation in the last named location, Plastics Limited was moved to Weston, Ontario, where it was housed with the Vandelinde Rubber Company. About this time, probably in an effort to increase business or to forget past errors, the name of the business was changed to "Electrical Hard Moulding Company Limited." This title persisted from 1918 until the beginning of 1920. In June, 1919, W. M. Davidson--the present Manager--and his associate, J. B. Rathbun, had taken over the company and on November 1 of the same year T. B. Jones, the Mechanical Superintendent, joined the organization. Under the new management the plat was moved to Mount Dennis and produc tion of varnishes and resins continued it formerly. The still room foreman and chief (and only) operator, George Won (Old George) trusted fimly in the deity which watches over the destiny of ill resin makers and turned out of his tee gallon still any required amount of what ever was needful. By following a find routine and holding his mouth in a cotain way, somewhat more than half of the varnish was good. Early in 1920 Mr. Davidson arranged with the Cutler-Hammer Company of Milwaukee that the company should produce C-H cold mold compounds. The relatively large production of cold mold products, together with the few hoi mold parts permitted the plant toopenu for about 18 months. In the late winter of 1922 the company went into liquida tion and ceased operation till May, 1922. CHANOE AND DISASTER At that time the late Harry Corey in terested Dr. L. V. Redman in the affain of the company which was reorganized under the title "The Electroplax Com pany of Canada Limited." In this set-up Mr. Corey was President and General Manager, Mr. DavidsonManager of Sales, Mr. Rathbun--Factors Manager. At this time, too, Miss Jeffrey, who is still in the office, joined the force In July, 1922, Mr. Davidson joined the organization as chemist. In addition to the production of cold and a very small amount of hot molding compound, August, 1922 witnessed the first real attempt to produce laminated products on a commercial scale. TV impregnated paper was imported from Formica and pressed in Toronto. The finished product left much to be desired On November 1J, 1922 the plant ' completely wiped out by fire and in ik uccs 0055873