Perstorp's History

1880's:
Wilhelm Wendt is born in 1854 at Gustafsborg, close to where Perstorp is located today. Wilhelm registers his company, named Stensmölla Kemiska Tekniska Industri. The company intends to produce acetic acid, tar, charcoal and wood alcohol.

1890's:
Wendt realizes that he must maximize the refinement and utilization of raw materials yielded by charcoal burning to keep his business going. This leads to the use and refinment of every possible waste product from the distilleries. In this way, many new products were developed.

1900's:
Production of formalin begins. Despite economic crisis in Sweden, optimistic experiments in new chemical products continue. Production of creosote becomes an important source of revenue, and the Russo-Japanese War means that all creosote is sold to the Japanese army.

1910's:
World War I creates a boom in acetic acid sales. Acetic acid becames so popular that for many years it would be Perstorp's best-known product by far. At this time, Perstorp begins producing its own glassware to meet demand for bottles. Early examples of Perstorp glassware have become quite valuable today as collector's items.

1920's:
The budding radio and electrical industries in Sweden become large consumers of plastic substances, such as Perstorp's Isolit. The environmental thinking at this time was primitive, but already the local operation managers begun to see the point of restricting how byproducts are disposed of. Production of laminates begins.

1930's:
Despite a period of financial crises, Perstorp introduces new plastic products almost every day. One of these, beech parquet floors, was a great success, leading to the creation of Sweden's biggest parquet factory.

1940's:
The Second World war created a need for quality coal to generate gas for automobiles. Perstorp's economy receives a boost, as a new charcoal-burning plant has just been built. At the end of the war, Perstorp emerges as Scandinavia's first modern plastics industry, with more than 10.000 different products, ranging from billiard balls to aerial masts.

1950's:
In the post-war era, decorative laminates begin gaining favour with the public. Perstorp brings out a new light-coloured board which was an immediate success. Perstorp's turnover increases by 50 percent, and new housing facilities are built to accomodate workers.

1960's:
The company undergoes rapid expansion, both in terms of size, staff and research. A new President, J.O. Nauclér, institues the Perstorp Research Foundation. Polyalcohols made from formalin become important products which Perstorp supplies the paint industry with.

1970's:
Perstorp shares are introduced on the open market. The company begins acquiring companies internationally and becomes the world's largest exporter of decorative high-pressure laminates. A program of research and product development, on a scale unmatched in company history, is carried out.

1980's:
The company extends into new fields, such as biochemistry. Perstorp now launches Pergo, one of its most important products. Pergo is a laminate floor, and its creation comes from Perstorp´s long know-how in the areas of laminate and chemistry. Today Pergo is an independent, listed company and a well-known brand name in the flooring market world-wide.

1990's:
A period of focusing on the core business. All non-chemical and materials technology operations are divested, and Perstorp formulates its goal of becoming a world leader the specialty chemicals area. During 2001, the focus on chemicals resulted in Perstorp being acquired by Sydsvenska Kemi AB, which is controlled by Industri Kapital, a private equity investment firm.

2000's:
Boltorn® dentrimer technology and other innovations open the door to superior performance in a growing number of applications - all part of the Winning Formulas that Perstorp is constantly developing for its customers worldwide.

2001
Perstorp is delisted from the stock market and integration begins with Neste Oxo.

2005
Focusing on specialty chemicals is completed and extensive capacity investments start in order to meet growing demand. At the end of the year the private equity company PAI partners acquires the Perstorp Group from Industri Kapital.

2007
The Group’s product range and growth are boosted by a large acquisition of activities within Purified Isophthalic Acid (PIA) and Perstorp’s leading positions on the important Chinese market are strengthened through a joint venture and
acquisition of polyol production facilities.

Production starts at Scandinavia’s largest plant for renewable vehicle fuel, RME (rape seed methylester).

2008
Perstorp acquires a leading caprolactones business and decides to invest in a doubling of capacity for these products. To further strengthen the Group’s market positions and to introduce new products Perstorp acquires the specialty chemicals business within Rhodia Organics and Lyondell Chimie TDI SCA. Production starts for TMP and Neo on the important Chinese market.

2009
A new plant for producing potassium formate is taken into operation at the production unit in Perstorp.

A new organizational unit is set up in Asia to meet the growth in the region. Perstorp also expresses the ambitions to start producing HDI derivatives in China by 2012.