COMPANYHISTORIES
NAIC 32511

Petrochemical Manufacturing (pt)

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

17companies1893–2001founding years17still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedNippon Oil Corporation
1893
FoundedW.R. Grace & Company
1899
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedChevronTexaco Corporation
1906
FoundedUltramar Diamond Shamrock Corporation
1910
FoundedSulzer Ltd.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedCertainTeed Corporation
1917
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedAtanor S.A.
1943
FoundedCelanese Mexicana, S.A. de C.V.
1944
FoundedGrupo Cydsa, S.A. de C.V.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedChinese Petroleum Corporation
1946
FoundedPetrobras Energia Participaciones S.A.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedMitsubishi Chemical Corporation
1950
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedSasol Limited
1979
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedGeorgia Gulf CorporationFoundedLyondell Chemical Company
1985
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.
FoundedRhodia SA
1998
FoundedConocoPhillips
2001
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

Nippon Oil Corporation →
Active · founded 1893 · Japan
Nippon Oil Corporation is Japan's largest importer and distributor of petroleum products, controlling about 25 percent…
W.R. Grace & Company →
Active · founded 1899
W.R.
ChevronTexaco Corporation →
Active · founded 1906
ChevronTexaco Corporation is the creation of the 2001 merger of California-based Chevron Corporation, one of the many…
Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corporation →
Active · founded 1910
Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corporation (UDS), based in San Antonio, Texas, is the second largest independent oil…
Sulzer Ltd. →
Active · founded 1914 · Switzerland
Sulzer Ltd.
CertainTeed Corporation →
Active · founded 1917
CertainTeed Corporation is a leading U.S.
Atanor S.A. →
Active · founded 1943 · Argentina
Atanor S.A.
Celanese Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1944 · Mexico
Celanese Mexicana, S.A.
Grupo Cydsa, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1945 · Mexico
Grupo Cydsa, S.A.
Chinese Petroleum Corporation →
Active · founded 1946 · Republic of China
Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is a state-owned enterprise that is responsible for the Republic of China's…
Petrobras Energia Participaciones S.A. →
Active · founded 1947 · Argentina
Petrobras Energia Participaciones S.A.
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation →
Active · founded 1950 · Japan
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC) was formed by the 1994 merger of Mitsubishi Kasei Corp.
Sasol Limited →
Active · founded 1979 · Republic of South Africa
Sasol Limited was formed in 1979 to hold the assets of the South African Coal, Oil and Gas Corporation (Sasol) and its…
Georgia Gulf Corporation →
Active · founded 1985
Georgia Gulf Corporation is a major manufacturer of two highly integrated product lines, chlorovinyls and aromatic…
Lyondell Chemical Company →
Active · founded 1985
Lyondell Chemical Company is one of the largest U.S.-based chemical manufacturers.
Rhodia SA →
Active · founded 1998 · France
One of the world's leading specialty chemicals companies, Rhodia SA--the former chemicals and fibers & polymers units…
ConocoPhillips →
Active · founded 2001
ConocoPhillips is the third largest U.S.
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