Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	National Plastics Center & Museum.
Title:	Plastics Product Literature Collection
Inclusive Dates:	1890-2012
Quantity:	9.5 linear ft.
Abstract:	Collection consists of product literature, catalogs, objects and technical bulletins on plastic products and plastic applications by numerous plastic and chemical companies. Most emanate from American companies but the collection includes some from Japanese companies, as well as a few from France, Germany, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Language:	English,French, German, Japanese, Spanish
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Founded in 1982, the National Plastics Center (NPC) was a non-profit institution dedicated to preserving the past, addressing the present and promoting the future of plastics through public education and awareness. The Center, which closed in 2008, had an extensive museum collection of plastic parts, machinery and memorabilia and the archives and library contain numerous books and collections on many subjects, companies and people prominent in the industry. In 2011, much of the NPCM collection was donated to Syracuse University.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Plastics Product Literature Collection consists of product literature, catalogs, objects and technical bulletins on plastic products and plastic applications by numerous plastic and chemical companies. Most emanate from American companies but the collection includes some from Japanese companies, as well as a few from France, Germany, Australia and the United Kingdom.

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Arrangement of the Collection

Alphabetical by name of company and chronological within each company.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has numerous holdings in the areas of plastics and industrial design. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing. In particular, see the Irwin Casper Collection of Brush Product Literature and the Walter R. Kosy Papers.

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Subject Headings

Subjects

Genres and Forms

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Plastics Product Literature Collection,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Majority of collection, transfer from National Plastics Center and Museum, 11/06/2008.

Rogers Corporation binder on molding materials (1973) and United States Gasket Company book (1952-1953), gift of George Marshall Naul, 2011.

Industrial Plastics Products (IPP) material, gift of Veronika Thorne, 2012.

Plastics Packaging Corp. material, gift of Susan Weiss, 2012.

General Electric publicity material gift of James Albright, 2014.

Spirex material, gift of Timothy Womer, 2018.

Pro Corporation material, gift of Glenn Beall, 2018.

Celanese Celluloid Corporation book (1942), gift of James L. Throne, 2019.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: MM
Date: 2006
Revision history: Feb 2009 - converted to EAD (MRC); 25 Feb 2011 - reprocessed the collection, added material, and updated the finding aid. (CEG); 4 April 2011 - added material, and updated the finding aid. (CEG); 15 Dec 2011 - added material, removed Union Products folders to Union Products Collection, and updated the finding aid. (SDG); 12 Sep 2012 - added material from new donations and Plastics History Collection, and updated the finding aid. (SDG); 8 Sep 2014 - additions M14-085 (MRC); 6 Oct 2015 - adds to GE material (MRC); 1 Oct 2019 - adds, misc (MRC)

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Inventory

	Company literature
Box 1		Allied Chemical 1964-1980 - technical service report featuring data on the refrigerant, Genetron, and a booklet on the injection molding of rigid polyvinyl chloride
Box 1		American Cyanamid Company 1957 - technical literature on CYMAC 400 polymethylstyrene molding compounds
Box 1		American Cystoscope Makers, Inc. undated - clipping from "Plastics World"
Box 1		American Hoechst Corporation undated - brochure This is American Hoechst
Box 1		Amoco undated - technical bulletin on evaluating Isopolyester resins
Box 1		Anker-Steinbaukasten circa 1900s - various booklets of designs for Richter's building blocks (2 folders)
Box 1		Aquitaine [1970] - technical literature on Organico, Rilsan, Aquitane 72, and Lacqran
Box 1		Argus Chemical Corporation 1969 1975 - technical booklets on mark stabilizers, pvc pipe, and conduit
Box 1		Armstrong Products Company 1954 - technical literature on epoxy resin adhesives
Box 1		Arthur Blank and Company - purchaser catalog containing plastic products for both personal and office use
Box 1		Ashdee - vinyl stickers "put it back where you found it!," advertisement for UV Cure Reactor machine
Box 1		Atlas Electric Devices Company 1941, 1971, 1982, 1985 - technical literature and instructions for the Fade-Ometer
Box 1		Auto-Blow Corp (subsidiary of National Cleveland Corp) 1960 - technical literature regarding automatic high production blow-molding machines
Box 1		BASF World Sales 1973 - operation fundamentals book
Box 1		Breton Plastics Catalog Fabrication Manual undated
Box 2		Boonton Molding Company 1955 1958, [1964], 1973 - "a ready reference guide for plastics" book and technical literature regarding plastic materials molding (2 folders)
Box 2		Borden Chemical undated - technical booklet on pvc resins and compounds
		Borg Warner (Marbon)
Box 2			Technical data 1957, 1965 - Cycoloy, Cyolac ABS, Cycolac high impact thermoplastic resin and various other plastic materials
Box 3			Technical data 1957, 1964-1969, 1973-1976, undated - Cycoloy, Cyolac ABS, Cycolac high impact thermoplastic resin and various other plastic materials (8 folders)
Box 4		Branson Instruments 1973 - a guide to ultrasonic plastics assembly
Box 4		Bush Keepsake undated - photostat pages pf catalog, mostly of wedding cake decorations
Box 4		California Electrotype and Stereotype Company undated - booklet for ordering electrotype stock cuts
Box 4		Captive Plastics, inc. 1993 - Quarterly newsletter The Captivator, vol 3, no. 3
Box 4		Celanese Plastics Company / Celanese Celluloid Corporation 1942, 1945, 1967, 1973-1974, 1983-1985 - book on "fabricating methods for Lumarith, Celluloid and similar thermoplastic materials," technical literature on Celcon acetal copolymer, celanese nylon and celanex thermoplastic polyester (3 folders)
Box 4		Cerro de Paseo Copper Corporation 1939 - "The Cerromatrix Manual, Methods of Using Cerromatrix a Low Temperature Melting Expanding Alloy"
Box 4		Cincinnati Milacron Chemicals 1963-1973 1976 - technical literature regarding the stabilization of polyvinyl chloride and various other plastic materials
Box 4		Coca-Cola Company 1993 - catalog
Box 4		Commercial Plastics & Supply Corp. 1964 - catalog for sheets, rods and tubes
Box 4		Continental-Diamond Fibre - a booklet of technical information regarding Celoron
Box 4		Conwed Corp. 1971 - product brochure for Conwed plastic netting products with 1 page insert about rigid polypropylene tubes
Box 5		Danish Plastics 1959, 1962-1963, undated - drawings and technical booklets related to the Blow-O-Matic
Box 5		Dartco (Dart & Craft) 1985 - technical information regarding injection molding XYDAR
Box 5		DeBell and Richardson, Inc. undated - booklet on the innovation in polymers
Box 5		Detroit Mold Engineering 1948, 1952-1953 1957, 1963, 1975 - dealer ordering books for standard mold bases, parts and supplies; technical data regarding mold bases, injection molding machines, compression molding machines and die casting machines; DME News, Vol 10: 1, 3 (1952) and Vol 11:1 (1953) (3 folders)
		Dow Chemical
Box 5			Technical literature 1943, 1951-1957 - Styron, Polystyrene, Styrex, Ethocel, Saran, Polyethylene and PVC, as well as information regarding the design and properties of plastics (2 folders)
Box 6			Technical literature 1946, 1951-1967 - Styron, Polystyrene, Styrex, Ethocel, Saran, Polyethylene and PVC, as well as information regarding the design and properties of plastics (3 folders)
Box 6		Dri-Print Foils, Inc. - a booklet highlighting the product line
Box 6		DSM Resins UK Ltd. 1991 - a folder containing commercial literature regarding Auto Press and the innovations in injection molding
		Du Pont
			Promotional material
Box 6				Annual Report, Du Pont: Celebrating the Past, Shaping the Future. Fiftieth Anniversary of Nylon and Teflon 1987
Box 6				Better Living: The DuPont Employee Magazine 1950
Box 6				Boudoir Accessories catalogs 1920-1930 - Lucite, Pyralin, and Arlton
Box 6				Du Pont News, Vol 6 no. 12 Dec 1977
Box 6				This is Du Pont 1949 - 52-page promotional magazine about company
			Technical literature
Box 6				[General] 1956-1961 - design, engineering and technical data regarding Alathon, Delrin, Teflon, Zytel Nylon Resin, and Lucite
Box 7				[General] 1956-1962 1968-1969, 1972-1978 - design, engineering and technical data regarding Alathon, Delrin, Teflon, Zytel Nylon Resin, Lucite, Corian, Hytrel, Neoprene, Teflon and Delrin, (7 folders)
Box 8		Durez Plastics Division (Hooker Chemical Corp) 1930, 1951-1960, 1964, 1967-1973 1983 - booklets with data regarding molding compounds and phenolics, technical data regarding properties of products and molding techniques, 13 issues of the Durex Molder bulletin (2 folders)
Box 8		Eastman Chemical Products (Tenite) 1957, 1967, undated - book detailing the invention of color film and technical information regarding Tenite
Box 8		Edmark Enterprise, Inc. 1989 - catalog of fashion accessories
Box 8		Enjay Chemical Company - technical books regarding Escon Polypropylene
Box 8		Exact Weight Scale Company 1956, 1965, undated - instructions for operating the Exact Weight Plastics Weigh Feeder
Box 8		Farrel-Birmingham Company, Inc. 1944 - bulletin highlighting Banbury mixers
Box 8		Fellows Gear Shaper Company 1955, 1960, undated - instructions for operating the injection molding machine with drawings
Box 8		Fiberite 1985 - materials selection handbook
Box 8		Fibroc June 5, 1930 - pamphlet announcing merger with Continental-Diamond Fibre Co. and their new name, Fibroc Insulation Company
Box 8		Foster Grant - technical bulletin highlighting nylon injection molding problems
Box 8		Fraser and Glass, LTD undated - drawing of unknown object
Box 8		Furukawa Group - information book highlighting their factories, products and history
		General Electric
Box 9			Genal Product Line binder 1974
Box 9			Lexan
Box 9			Noryl
Box 9			Phenolic Molding Compound 1946, 1948, undated
Box 9			Phenolic Molding Compound 1966-1974 (2 folders)
Box 9			Textolite circa 1947
Box 9			Valox 1983
Box 9			Miscellaneous product information
Box 9			Miscellaneous publicity material 1965
				Gift of James Albright, 2014.
Box 9		The General Tire and Rubber Company, Bolta Products Division undated - Boltaron fashion tones samples
Box 10		BF Goodrich (Koroseal) - handbook and literature containing technical information related to Koroseal, and a sample of fourteen wires in various colors
Box 10		Hanna Engineering Works - technical book for Hydraulic Cylinders
Box 10		Hercules Powder Company 1944 - technical book for Ethyl Cellulose
Box 10		Hitachi Chemical Products - technical book for their products and materials
Box 10		Hobalite 1944 - technical book for hobbed mold dies
Box 10		Hoechst 1965 1987 - technical binder regarding organic pigments for PVC with samples
Box 10		Hottwatt Electric Heaters 1981 - distributor catalog of discounts and prices for heaters
Box 10		ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) 1966, 1969 - technical literature on Cereclor (2 folders)
Box 11		Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., LTD [1972] - booklet of company history and statistics
Box 11		IMS Co. (Injection Molders Supply) 1951, 1968-1969, 1986-1987 - catalog of supplies for the injection molder, injection machine nozzle handbook, accessory plant equipment for injection molders book, and an auxiliary machinary packet for plastic processors (2 folders)
Box 11		Incoe Corporation undated - technical booklet regarding the hot tip bushings manifold system
Box 11		Industrial Plastics Products, Inc. undated - folder with company information and illustrations of products
Box 11		International Paper 1997-1999 - nine product information promotional booklets and fact sheets about laminates from Nevamar Decorative Products Division
Box 11		Interstab Chemicals, Inc. 1974 - technical manual on stabilizers, chelators, blowing agent catalysts, organotin stabilizers, and lubricants
Box 11		Japan Gas Chemical Co. - book containing company history
Box 11		Japan Synthetic Rubber Co. [1970] - book containing company and product history
Box 11		Jeuffroy & Fils [1890] - album with 39 pages illustrating machinery used for the manufacture of combs from horn, rubber nad celluloid
Box 11		Kanebo - pamphlet containing their products and materials used
Box 11		Kelvinator (Adelaide Australia) [1965] - book discussing molding, processes and machinary
Box 11		Kent Plastics - book highlighting their products and factory locations
Box 11		Kleinewefers 1962 - book on company history and progress
Box 11		Koehring 1973 - 2 booklets on Prodex extrusion systems
Box 11		Koppers Co. - technical bulletins on troubleshooting injection molding problems, adhesive for polystyrene and Dylite
Box 12		Krauss Maffei 1988 1991 - catalogs for machinary and technical journals
Box 12		Kureha Chemical 1970 - book containing company history and product information
Box 12		Kyowa Gas Chemical 1970 - typed booklet containing company history, a diagram of manufacturing process and two photographs of factories
Box 12		Lego 2009 - holiday consumer catalog of lego products
Box 12		Lehigh Valley Plastics - ordering catalog for their plastic sheets, rods and tubes
Box 12		Leominster Tool Co., Inc. 1984
Box 12		Lily-Tulip Cup Corporation undated - company history and product booklet
Box 12		LNP 1980, 1985, undated - a guide to statically conductive and EMI attenuating composites, technical bulletins on thermoplastics and fluoropolymer composites
Box 12		Lyon Inc. - magazine ad for Whitewalls trim ring for automobile tires
Box 12		Magnus Harmonica Corporation 1946-1948, 1989 - book entitled, "Precision Builds an Industry, The Story of the Magnus Harmonica Corporation," contianed within are reprints of old newspaper clippings and ads
Box 12		Mattel, Inc. undated - book of mold standards with drawings
Box 12		McNeil Akron undated - booklet on machinary and products
Box 12		Mitsubishi Petrochemical Company Limited 1967 - book containing company history, statistics and product information
Box 12		Modern Plastics 1995 - retail order form, product information catalog for Defender Interior Insulating Windows,product list and a green plastic sample
		Monsanto
Box 12			Product material 1963-1964, 1969 - product magazines featuring greenhouses and furniture, Lustran San price schedule
Box 13			Technical material 1961, 1964, 1969, 1976, undated - two technical books regarding plasticizers and resin modifiers, and technical information on Lustrex L and LX Styrenes (5 folders)
Box 14		Morgan Industries - book entitled, "Cutting Costs in Short-Run Plastics Injection Molding" featuring injection molding process, tool design and building, part design and material selection, epoxy tooling and material handling
Box 14		The M.S. Plastics Co. undated - facilities report
Box 14		Nalle Plastics, Inc. [1963] - Naltex netting information and samples
Box 14		Newbury Industries, Inc. 1969 - information on plastic injection molding machines, "mini-jector"
Box 14		Nichimen Co., LTD 1968 - book from the 12th National Plastics Exposition with company and plastic material history
Box 14		NL Industries [1972] - technical information regarding Titanox titanium pigments
Box 14		Novacor Chemicals, Inc. (a subsidiary of Nova Corporation of Alberta) 1991 - "Nova World" employee publication
Box 14		Nypro 1998, 2000-2002, 2005 - The Nypro Institute booklets, "Plastics Innovation for Fifty Years" booklets, and an annual report from the company
Box 14		Olsen Testing Machine Company 1941 - information booklet for their impact testing machine with "change-o-matic" head
		Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation
Box 14			Promotional material undated - Textile Products Division folder "More product problems solved with reinforced molding compounds"
Box 14			Technical material 1943 - fiberglas development programs and their indicated uses
Box 14		PARR Moulding Compounds Corp. [1960] - information on the tests they conduct on their materials and products
Box 14		Pasadena Hydraulics, Inc.. undated - 8-page booklet "PHI Injection Molding Machines" with diazo blueline print insert illustration by E. J. Delgado of a medium size injection molding machine
Box 14		Phillips Chemical Company 1959, [1964]
Box 14		Pioneer Mold Co 1947 - Tool & Die journal article, "An Electronic Aid in Die Making"
Box 15		Pixley Richards, Inc. 1980-1988 - three promotional booklets
Box 15		Plaskon Co. 1939 - handbook containing the properties of molded Plaskon and the technique of molding Plaskon
Box 15		Plasticor undated - clipping of advertisement in "Plastics World"
Box 15		Plasticraft, Inc. - craft instructional book for "Dolie-Craft" doll outfits
Box 15		Plastics Packaging Corp. 2012 - promotional folder with insert describing and illustrating product lines
Box 15		Plastics Unlimited - customer pamphlet with a list of their products, properties, and distributors
Box 15		Plastics Engineering Co. (Plenco) 1970 1976 1997-1998 - price schedules for various plastic materials, and technical information for phenolic molding compounds
Box 15		Polyplastex United, Inc. 1960-1961 - information on Royaltex
Box 15		Plume & Atwood Mfg - product catalog for washers and rivets
Box 15		Polaroid 1940, 1989 - book entitled, "Polaroid Access, Fifty Years" by Richard Saul Wurman, and a product catalog
Box 15		Pro Corporation circa 1989, 1995 - newsletter, corporate brochure
Box 15		Racine Hydraulics & Machinery 1944-1949, 1956, undated - technical catalogs and data for products, and diagrams for 4-way valves, check valves and pressure gauges
Box 15		Raschig 1985 - technical product booklet for resins and molding compounds
Box 15		Raybestos–Manhattan, Inc. 1956 - technical data for R/M Pyrotex Molding Compounds, and a bulletin of engineering data for reinforced plastics
Box 15		Reed Prentice 1966 - technical booklet on how to evaluate screw injection machine plasticating performance
Box 15		Resinous Products & Chemical Company 1944 - price schedule for resin adhesives, Tego resin film, Amberlite and Uformite
		Rexall Chemical Co.
Box 15			Technical information 1961, 1966, 1972, 1979, undated - reciprocating screw machine, Polypropylene, Polyethylene and El Rex brand products, information on correcting molding faults
Box 16			Technical information [1975], undated - Polypropylene, Polyethylene, Polystyrene, powders and resins; measurement tools, (7 folders)
Box 17		Rogers Corporation 1973 - technical information for plastics molding materials
Box 17		Rohm & Hass Company 1954, 1965-1968, 1974 - samples of plexiglas, technical information on molding powder product design, solving light control problems with plexiglas, and Monoplex and Paraplex plasticizers (3 folders)
Box 17		B. Shackman & Co. 1923 - wholesale catalog number 51 favors and novelties for easter etc., 48 pp
Box 17		Seaward International, Inc. 1994 - technical manuals Seapile recycled plastic information, and various other boat/marine products
Box 17		Sekisui Plastics 1969 - book containing company and product history
Box 17		Showa Denko KK (SDK) 1968 - book of technical information for light metals, ferroalloys, electrodes, abrasive grains, synthetic resins, organic and inorganic chemicals, and fertilizers
Box 17		Silvatrim Mouldings 1962 - product information and samples for Silvatrim
Box 17		Singer Manufacturing Company 1950 - product literature and instructions for Singer electronic seamer for bonding thermoplastic materials
Box 18		SMS Plastics Technology 2002 - a Modern Plastics custom publication featuring an article on Battenfeld injection molding machines and technology
Box 18		Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) 1978 - distributor book entitled, "Standards and Practices of Plastics Molders and Plastics Molded Parts Buyers Guide"
Box 18		Solar Chemical Corporation 1960 - plastic weight comparator and a plastic weight converter
Box 18		South Bend Lathe Works 1938-1939 - bulletin on how to cut screw threads in the lathe and an apprentice training book for a machine shop course
Box 18		Spin-Cast Plastics, Inc. undated - Spin-Cast rotational moulding advertisement
Box 18		Spirex Corporation 1985, 1992, circa 2007 - several editions of corporate booklet "for reference and education"; titles differ (2 folders)
Box 18		Springborn Laboratories 1992 - book of technical information regarding trends in end-use markets for plastics, such as aviation/space and apparel/footwear
Box 18		Standard Tool Company undated - technical booklet for molds, beryllium copper, and steel castings
Box 18		Starplast Industries undated - product catalog
Box 18		Sterling Extruder Corporation undated - book of technical information regarding manufacturing, research and development, engineering, and several machines, such as the Sterling Series
Box 18		Sumitomo Chemical Co., LTD undated - Japanese technical book
Box 18		Sun Chemical Corporation 1963 - 35th annual report
Box 18		Taber Instrument Corporation undated - book discussing the quality of their products and the various testing each goes through, specifically the Taber Abraser Test
Box 18		Tech-Art Plastic Company undated - molders' manual
Box 18		Tennessee Eastman Corporation (subsidiary of Eastman Kodak Company) 1940, 1944 - technical information for Tenite
Box 18		Tokuyama Soda Co., LTD 1970 - book of company history and technical information for their materials
Box 18		Tucker undated - consumer catalogs of their products
Box 19		UBE Laboratories 1966, 1968, 1970 - two books discussing their industrial history and a technical book on polyethylene
Box 19		Union Carbide & Bakelite 1938, 1955-1957, 1974 - purchaser's guide on plastics for molding and extrusion, technical information on molding materials and Bakelite, brochure announcing Bakelite Cellulose Acetate, technical data on vinyl rigid sheets and Parylene conformal coatings (3 folders)
Box 19		Uniroyal undated - Royalite thermoplastic materials technical information
Box 19		United States Gasket Corporation 1953-1954 - "Final Report, Feb. 15, 1953 to June 15, 1954, Investigation of Filled Teflon, Fluorocarbon Products, Inc., Div. of United States Gasket Company, Camden, NJ, Navy Department Bureau of Ships Electronics Division"
Box 19		United States Plastic Corporation 2001 - consumer ordering catalog of products, such as Glutton containers and Smokers Cease-Fire cigarette disposal containers
Box 19		Vetrotex CertainTeed (Glassline) 1992 - product information catalog featuring FRP panels
Box 19		Valentine Sugars, Inc. 1989 - technical data book
Box 19		Whitehead & Hoag circa 1900 - envelope printed with logo, motto, etc.

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