Damard
Lacquer
James Swinburne, later Sir
James, formed the Fireproof Celluloid Syndicate
Limited in 1904 to investigate phenol
formaldehyde resins. The main outcome of this
research was a hard, synthetic lacquer. This was
found to be much more durable than shellac which
had hitherto been used for coating brass to
prevent tarnishing - brass bedsteads were very
fashionable at that time.
In 1910, the syndicate was wound up and its
assets transferred to a new company, The Damard
Lacquer Company Limited with manufacturing
premises in Birmingham, the centre of Britain's
flourishing brassware industry. Demand for
lacquer in America was such that another factory
was set up in Long Island, New York in 1912,
although this was later closed due to
difficulties arising at the onset of the First
World War and because of threatened patent
litigation by Baekeland.
Contact with Baekeland, however, established
that the Damard Lacquer Co. could make use of his
patents throughout the war and that a business
agreement could be agreed afterwards. During the
war considerable quantities of lacquer were
produced in England for laminated sheet for
electrical insulations as well as resins for
brake linings. In 1920 the company moved to
larger premises in Birmingham.
In 1927 agreement was concluded between
Baekeland in America, the Damard Lacquer Co. and
two other British companies - Mouldensite Ltd.
and Redmanol Ltd. to form a new company, Bakelite
Ltd. to exploit Baekeland's phenol formaldehyde
patents in England.
Click here for a more detailed
account.
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