At Teknor Apex we have a rich history of innovation, one that began in 1924 and has carried over confidently into the 21^st century. While expansion has been a huge part of our story, what we are proudest of is our enduring status as a privately owned company, one that’s been guided by the same ethical compass for almost 100 years. While we’ve evolved to deliver custom compounds on a global scale, how our products are sold and how we treat our customers, partners, and employees still matters most to us, and influences every decision we make.

Using our interactive timeline below, you can dig deeper into our history to learn more about where we’ve come from, and where we’re going. The colored tabs allow you to streamline the timeline to uncover more about general Teknor moments, key acquisitions, and product breakthroughs, as well as how important world events impacted our company.

Teknor General

Acquisitions

Products

World Events

1920

1924

Apex was founded by Alfred A. Fain and his son-in-law, Albert Pilavin.

1926

Walter Semon invented the first plasticized PVC (flexible PVC).

1930

1935

Nylon was invented by Wallace Carothers at the Du Pont Corporation research center.

1936

Norman M. Fain joined the company.

1938

The Hurricane of 1938 destroyed the Apex Tire facility in Providence. Teknor built a new production facility in Pawtucket which remains today's headquarters.

1940

1943

The company began rebuilding tires for naval aircraft during the height of World War II.

1943

Plastics came of age during World War II with traditional materials being used in war efforts and a short supply of rubber.

1945

The government authorized the purchase of rubber-mixing equipment and the first banburys and mills arrived. Apex became Apex Tire and Rubber.

1946

The first National Plastics Exposition was held in NYC and open to the public.

1946

Victor Baxt joined the company to head the newly acquired Thompson Chemical Company.

1946

The company started to supply rubber to the wire and cable industry.

1949

Production of vinyl compounds began as a result of the shift from rubber to vinyl materials by the Wire & Cable Industry.

1950

1950

Production of plasticizers began.

1950

Rigid vinyl was introduced to the marketplace.

1950

The company developed its first line of vinyl garden hoses.

1956

The first chemical plant was built in Hebronville, MA.

1956

Herbert Malin joined the company from Dow Chemical and together with Norman Fain and Victor Baxt became part of the core team to build Teknor Apex.

1959

The company began selling colorants for plastics to customers buying vinyl compounds.

1960

1964

Thompson Apex was founded.

1964

The first free-standing Apex Department Store was built in Warwick, RI.

1968

Teknor Apex Company was founded and the TA logo was created.

1970

1971

A second chemical plant was built in Tennessee.

1972

Jonathan Fain, son of Norman Fain, joined the company.

1977

The Maclin plant in Industry, CA, was acquired.

1977

PVC compounds were developed for the medical industry. 

1977

PVC compounds were developed for the automotive industry. 

1979

The energy crisis of 1979 caused a rise of transportation and raw material costs.

1979

The production of plastics in the United States exceeded steel.

1979

The Telcar product line was purchased, marking the beginning of the TPE business.

1980

1985

Custom Color INC. was acquired and, along with the existing color business, renamed Teknor Color Company. 

1986

The California Proposition 65 changed Teknor's products and what customers needed.

1987

Plasticolors Unlimited was acquired.

1988

The Fireguard product line was developed.

1990

1991

Elexar was licensed from Shell Chemical, adding a new TPE product line.

1992

The South Carolina plant was built.

1995

Accurate Compounding Accurate Color was acquired. 

1996

Progressive Polymers was acquired.

1998

QST Inc. was acquired in St Albans, VT.

2000

2000

The Plastics Industry became the 4th largest manufacturing segment in the United States, following only transportation, electronics, and chemical industries.

2001

SPC Polymer was the first international acquisition, giving TA an Asian presence.

2001

A new Specialty Compounding Division was added for compound and additive blending on a toll or custom basis.

2002

A new TPE plant was built in Kentucky.

2003

The Neverkink hose was developed. This included licensing of NTS Technology, which changed the hose business.

2004

Chem Polymer USA and UK were acquired, marketing the first production of nylon.

2007

A new plant was built in Suzhou, China.

2009

Teknor launched Terraloy, the first bioplastics compound based product line based on licensed starch-based technology from Cerstech.

2010

2010

Teknor acquired the Sarlink business from DSM, which diversified their automotive offerings and expanded presence in the European market. It also included an Application Development lab in Leominster, MA.

2012

Teknor launched BioVinyl, the first commercial flexible vinyl compounds made with Dow ECOLIBRIUM bio-based plasticizers.

2013

Teknor launched a new nylon-based Recylon product made from recycled content to enable processors to save on costs and meet "green" requirements.

2013

William Murray became President of Teknor Apex.

2014

Teknor acquired Viking Polymers, expanding its rigid PVC compounding business.

2016

Teknor Apex acquires Plastic-Technologie-Service (PTS), Expanding Presence in Europe as Compounder of TPEs and ETPs.

2019

Suresh Swaminathan is appointed President of Teknor Apex. He succeeds William Murray.

2020

2021

Teknor acquired Lanier Color Company – Expanding its Offering in North America into PVC Colorants; adding to its Specialty Compound Solutions.

2023

Donald Wiseman is appointed CEO.