Carborundum
It all began with a failed experiment.
It was in 1890. In a small Pennsylvania town, the inventor Edward Goodrich Acheson carried out a series of experiments. He tried to heat carbon so intensely that it would result in diamond.
It didn't work.
So Acheson began mixing clay with carbon and electrically fusing it. The result was a product with shiny specks that were hard enough to scratch glass.
This was silicon carbide. Also known as carborundum.
The next year Acheson formed his company in Monongehela, PA and named it Carbordundum, and moved the organization to Niagara Falls, NY in 1895.
That only just the beginning. Abrasive innovation has been a way of life for the Carborundum. Since then -- in city and country, war and peace -- Carborundum has been a manufacturer of high quality forming and finishing products.
The company's extensive list of firsts include:
Silicon carbide, the first man-made abrasive which is still utilized in abrasive products today.
The first full polyester backing for coated abrasives.
Advanced ceramic abrasives.
The first patent on a fibre disc.
In 1950, Carborundum bought Canada Sandpapers, Inc., which originally opened its Plattsville, Ontario manufacturing facility in 1930.
Canada Sandpapers technical achievements include:
The development of aluminum oxide stearated paper products, which became the industry standard in the prime automotive market as well as the automotive refinishing aftermarket.
The introduction of polyester/cotton backings for coated abrasives in North America.
The development of urea resin bond systems for paper and cloth products.
Since 1978, to better serve users of abrasives, these two quality suppliers of grinding and cutting wheels, coated sanding sheets, discs, belts and specialty products have been marketed jointly.
After more than 100 years of developing abrasive product technology, improving product quality and servicing the industrial and automotive manufacturing marketplace, the benefits Carborundum can offer you are substantial. Rely on us for our superior stock abrasive products and our authorized distributors to provide the service levels you need to maximize the productivity of your forming, cleaning, finishing, sanding, blending and polishing applications.
We prepared industry in the 1890s with quality abrasive products for the new century. We’re providing the same excellence in the new millennium.
