Ferro history

The business commenced in 1920 with an investment of $1,000.

Cushman's emphasis on quality control gave birth to the company's logo in 1921.

In 1923 Weaver came up with another innovative marketing tool.

In 1926 the company formed an engineering division to handle this burgeoning business that grew with the expanding appliance industry.

The company's first international expansion came in 1927 after a Ferro executive from Canada suggested that the company build a plant in his adopted homeland.

The division's first technical achievement came in 1928 when Ferro patented the "U-type" continuous furnace, which soon became an industry standard.

Despite the relatively high shipping costs associated with exporting, The Ferro Enameling Company (England) Limited was undertaken as strictly a marketing business in 1929.

In 1930 the name was changed to the Ferro Enamel Corp.

In Weaver's continuing quest to promote Ferro's porcelain enameled products, he advanced the idea of an all-porcelain house in 1932.

In 1933 the company acquired Allied Engineering Co. of Columbus, Ohio, and made it a second engineering division.

Ferro France, founded in 1934 about 150 miles from Paris, imported porcelain enamel frit from Ferro Holland for its first year in operation, then inaugurated a smelting facility the following year.

Ferro Enamels (Australia) Ltd. in Victoria, Ferro Brazil in Sao Paulo, and Ferro Enamel S.A. (Argentina) were created in 1935 with the cooperation of American Rolling Mills Co., former employer of Ferro's two founders.

The corporation purchased the Ceramic Supply Company (Cesco) in 1936 to supply kiln furniture and compliment its Allied Engineering Division's kiln business.

Ferro achieved 100 percent ownership of both the Holland and Canada enterprises in 1937, making the operations full-fledged subsidiaries.

The Color Div., started in 1939, manufactures inorganic pigments, porcelain enamels, and ceramic colors for the plastics and coatings industries.

1940: Ferro enters the paint industry with the purchase of Chase Drier & Chemical Co.

In 1946 Ferro research perfected a new frit composition that soon became an industry standard.

Sales manager Dud Clawson earned the gratitude of his co-workers (and the presidency of Ferro in 1947) when he negotiated United States government contracts to manufacture incendiary products like thermit, an iron oxide-aluminum metal powder, and the newly-developed napalm, a liquid explosive.

The present name was adopted in 1951.

In 1967 Ferro purchased the Electro Refractories and Abrasives Company and thereby entered the high-temperature ceramics industry.

Homemaker’s dream: In 1969, Ferro invents a continuous-cleaning coating for household ovens and captures a total of six patents.

Technological developments were facilitated by a new corporate Technical Center that replaced the Central Research Division in 1970.

Rising in the ranks: Ferro makes the Fortune 500 in 1972, ranking among the largest industrial companies in the United States.

Ferro Canada reached $10 million in sales in 1973, and Ferro Holland grew so large and complex that a holding company, Ferro (Holland) B.V., was organized to manage those businesses.

The acquisition of the Keil Chemical Company in 1974 expanded Ferro's Chemical Group.

Having entered the plastics field just after World War II, Ferro expanded those operations into a full-fledged division in 1979 with the purchase of five plastic color businesses.

Ferro blocked the hostile action by repurchasing 1.73 million shares from Crane in late 1982.

By 1988, Ferro hits $1 billion in worldwide sales.

In March 1992, Ferro sold its steel mill products business in Tyler, Texas, to Vesuvius USA Corporation.

Celebrating success: Ferro marks its 75th anniversary in 1994.

Ferro topped off its acquisition plan with the 1995 purchase of Synthetic Products Company.

2001: Ferro buys dmc2's electronics materials, ceramics, glass, and pigments business segments.

Timeless tagline: Ferro adopts the tagline “Where innovation delivers performance” in 2015 to punctuate its commitment to delivering high-performing product solutions for customers and value for Ferro shareholders.