COMPANYHISTORIES
SIC 3241

Cement, Hydraulic

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

14companies1852–1989founding years14still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedThe Stanley Works
1852
FoundedAmerican Safety Razor Company
1875
FoundedGiant Cement Holding, Inc.
1883
FoundedVictorinox AG
1891
FoundedMedusa Corporation
1892
FoundedLehigh Portland Cement Company
1897
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedScott Fetzer Company
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedWarner-Lambert Co.
1920
FoundedSouthdown, Inc.
1930
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedLifetime Hoan Corporation
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedBIC Corporation
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedGeneral Housewares Corporation
1967
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedGrupo Carso, S.A. de C.V.
1980
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedSunbeam-Oster Co., Inc.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

The Stanley Works →
Active · founded 1852
The Stanley Works is a manufacturer of a broad range of tools and hardware for home improvement, consumer, industrial,…
American Safety Razor Company →
Active · founded 1875
American Safety Razor Company (ASR) is a leading manufacturer and marketer of brand-name and private-label personal…
Giant Cement Holding, Inc. →
Active · founded 1883
Giant Cement Holding, Inc.
Victorinox AG →
Active · founded 1891 · Switzerland
Victorinox AG has spent the 20th century perfecting and popularizing a cultural icon: the Swiss Army knife.
Medusa Corporation →
Active · founded 1892
Medusa Corporation is one of the oldest cement companies in the United States, having been in business for over a…
Lehigh Portland Cement Company →
Active · founded 1897
Lehigh Portland Cement Company produces cements, concrete and concrete products, lightweight aggregates, and related…
Scott Fetzer Company →
Active · founded 1914
The best-known of Scott Fetzer Company's businesses in the mid-1990s included World Book encyclopedias and Kirby vacuum…
Warner-Lambert Co. →
Active · founded 1920
The Warner-Lambert Co.
Southdown, Inc. →
Active · founded 1930
One of the largest producers of cement and ready-mix concrete in the United States, Southdown, Inc.
Lifetime Hoan Corporation →
Active · founded 1945
Lifetime Hoan Corporation designs, markets, and distributes household cutlery, kitchenware, cutting boards, and…
BIC Corporation →
Active · founded 1958
BIC Corporation is the country's leading manufacturer of disposable ballpoint pens and cigarette lighters.
General Housewares Corporation →
Active · founded 1967
General Housewares Corporation is a leading manufacturer and marketer of cookware, cutlery, kitchen tools, wood…
Grupo Carso, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1980 · Mexico
Grupo Carso, S.A.
Sunbeam-Oster Co., Inc. →
Active · founded 1989
Sunbeam and Oster are consumer brand names recognizable from coast to coast, and by all generations of Americans.
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