Bostik
Bostik is a French manufacturer of adhesive and sealing products based in Colombes (France). The company develops, manufactures and distributes specialty adhesives and sealants for construction, industrial and consumer markets. With annual sales of €2.1 billion, the company employs 6,000 people and has a presence in more than 40 countries. Bostik is part of Arkema.
Formerly | Boston Blacking Company (1889), Bostik SA (2004) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1889 |
| Headquarters | 420 rue d’Estienne d’Orves, 92705 Colombes, France |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Vincent LEGROS, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
| Products | Adhesives and sealants for construction, durable goods, advanced packaging, disposable hygiene (non woven) and consumer goods |
| Brands | Blu Tack® (Prestik), DEN BRAVEN, EVO-STIK, FORTALEZA, LIP, MEM, PROCHIMIR, QUELYD, SADER, SUPER VULCASEAL, XL BRANDS |
Number of employees | 6,000 |
| Parent | Arkema  |
| Website | www.bostik.com |
History
In 1889, the Boston Blacking Company, a producer of leather colourings and dyes, was founded in Chelsea, Massachusetts. The company became the chemical branch of United Shoe Machinery (USM) - an American leader in the shoemaking industry - and grew in several countries through mergers, acquisitions and organic growth.
By the late 1920s, the Boston Blacking Company was established in 12 countries across three continents and employed over 1,000 chemists and technicians. A number of products has been launched under the Bostik brand as early as the 1940s and the company took on Bostik as a company name in the 1960s.
In 1980, Bostik was taken over by the Connecticut group Emhart Corporation, which nine years later was, itself, bought up by Black & Decker. Black & Decker split apart the mechanical and chemical activities of the group to leave Bostik as a stand-alone concern.
In 1990, the French oil and gas group Total acquired Bostik and merged its own adhesive affiliates into it.
In 2000, Totalfina and Elf Aquitaine merged to form TotalFinaElf, subsequently renamed Total. Their respective adhesives divisions, Bostik and Atofindley, were brought together to form Bostik Findley SA, and the name was subsequently changed in 2004 to Bostik SA.
In 2013 Bostik revisited its brand identity, with a new signature “smart adhesives” and a gecko inspired from nature with a science-based connection to Bostik’s adhesives business.
In 2015, Arkema, a global chemical major with leadership positions in specialty chemicals and high performance materials, acquired Bostik.
Headquarters building
In 1937, Boston Blacking built a Streamline Moderne headquarters building in Cambridge, Massachusetts, signposted as "B B CHEMICAL",[1] and used it until 1966. The building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982.[2][3]
Products
Bostik is among the four top adhesives and sealants producers in the world. Bostik employs over 5,000 workers in 50 countries and five continents.[4]
Bostik has a well recognized name in industrial markets. It has some divisions such as: Industrial/Nonwovens, Construction and Distribution, and High-performance polymers. Its brands include Bostik, Blu Tack, Prestik, Sader, Quelyd, Simson, Evo-Stik, Alliance, Ardal, Cementone, Mem, Technik, Hey'Di, SB Mercier, Chem-Calk, Hydroment, Durabond, Anchor Weld, Clag, Gripfill, Flexacryl and Aquamac weatherband.[5]
References
- Manning's Cambridge Directory, 1946, p. 122
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
- "MACRIS inventory record and NRHP nomination for B & B Chemical Company". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
- Bostik corporate information Archived 2009-01-06 at the Wayback Machine Bostik Limited
- Bostik corporate information Archived 2009-01-05 at the Wayback Machine Bostik Limited