Washburn had heard of a German process for extracting nitrogen from the air and combining it with lime and carbide to form cyanamid. He went to Germany and bought American rights for the process.
To construct its first cyanamid unit at Niagara falls, Canada, the company brought from abroad engineers operating experts and special items of equipment.
In 1912 a formal research laboratory was established and 3 years later a building was erected at Warners, N.J., to house its activities.
At this time about six men spent their full time in the laboratory. With the outbreak of the First World War, the company, knowing cyanamid, organized special staff to develop and produce them.
Since the death of its founder, Frank Washburn in 1922, it was managed by an astute lawyer, William Bell who initiated the groups diversification.
Bell remained president and chairman of the board until he died. During his tenure he developed the company into one of the nation’s largest chemical companies, manufacturing over 5,000 products and becoming the fifth largest producer of chemicals in the US.
In 1930, American Cyanamid’s purchased of Laboratoire Lederle involved it in antitoxins and led it into pharmaceuticals.
American Cyanamid’s first mover position in prescription drugs came in 1948 when its Laboratoire Lederle discovered and commercialized aureomycin, one of the most successful of the new antibiotics.
By the 1990s American Cyanamid had successfully completed its strategy shift from chemicals to pharmaceuticals.
History of American Cyanamid Company
