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From "A Total Product Strategy Transformer Askarel 10/1/67 G. R. Buchanan fk . . . g. Benignus . APPENDIX O' HISTORY OP ASKAREL DEVELOPMENT Although no one had facilities to make biphenyl, in 1929 Mr, Theodore Swann accepted order for two carloads to he used as an indirect heating medium, in an oil r'ef inery. Swann built and filled the order only to Team that this terminated the b.iphenyl busines.s, Crystallizing' at 69C,, biphenyl readily froze in the pipes. This problem was not solved until later when Dow dis.cove.red- the eutectic of biphenyl and biphenyl ether which became well known as Dowtherm A, i To ge-t useful properties out of biphenyl, Swann simply and cheaply chlorinated it leading to the broad spectrum called the aroclor family which now has more uses than any other chemical. ' . G.E. promptly recognized aroclor as a good dielectric and equally unusual because it did not burn. This led to C.E. - use patents in the early 1930''S' c'oVgfitig a'fdciTof rTifd mix tures with chlorobenzenes, called Pyranol , for capacitors; and transformers. C.E. began a very effective job promoting and developing markets for these new dielectrics and also 1icensed.others to use them. - Swann holding the basic product patents was the sole producer of the material required to meet- the quality speci fications set bv C.E. for electrical, use- which; today remains the prime outlet, ' Monsanto acquired Swann in 1935 and remains the sole supplier even though the basic patents expired" around 1950. Prudent pricing, pres s u red by Pi , E , f bu-t- n-e-t wi-trhou-t allowing Monsanto "good long-term profrtabi 1 itv ,, urns' c o n.t r n.c ted' arouncl lfl36 and remains the prime factor th-war-t-i-np/ cbmpevti t i ve " action. Thus until around 1950, when G.E.'s use patents also expired, Monsanto's sole function was to promptly supply the amount and quality of transformer askarel required by.G.E, and their licensees. It was a cozy box to be in with G,.E, sitting on the lid. The Inorganic District Sales force routinely handled the orders promptly filled by our factories, and a. product man i.n St-. Louis coordinated the bus'ine'ssV Thanks' to G.E.'s ' strong, sales promotion, use of transforme~r- a>sk.a:re-L reached about 10 million pounds a year around* f9Y(T. . C-11 PCB-ARCH-EXT0375582 W-itlv expiration of G.E.'s patents', we began to notice the first evidence of their change in'attitude toward askarel. No longer interested in helping their former licensees who now competed on more equal terms, G.E, referred their people to Monsanto for assistance on their problems. This led to our publishing, in 1956, a book, "The Proper Handling of Aroclor and Their 1 Mixtures in" tTie :lectri'cnj 1 W.lustfyT* which came to be Fnown as the h6ibreT'' '`HTe ITtT on our box began, to open, at least in the technical areas. Monsanto was soon recognized and depended- on to render excel1-ent technical service, -In 1954, Monsanto transferred" askarel' to the Organic Division where the district sales people handled th.e routine business Satisfactorily, as was done before. Transformer askarel use had grown to near 14 million pounds a year, but at the market place, G.E, began to take a neutral attitude. Like their competitors, they now considered askarel as mere lv one of the various tvpes of transformers offered to get the transformer business. The early fanfare, the hopes and expectations about the superior safety performance of askarel units at premium' , prices, had passed. Askarel now had to stand as judged by its 20-vear .actwart per form-amre-'. dhfq'U'e's-riofiabIT, this is an excellent record, but careful study at utility net works shows it to be ho better oh primary explosions than mineral oil units available at much, lower cost, C-12 PCB-ARCH-EXT0375583