Carbide Industries story is deeply rooted in American history and the invention of the electric arc furnace.
The Carbide Industries story began in 1892, J.T. Morehead, T.L. Wilson, and J.C. King set out to refine aluminum—a metal more valuable than gold at the time. Using a new process that involved heating ore, lime, and coke in the newly developed electric arc furnace (EAF), they aimed to revolutionize aluminum production.
Although their process failed to refine aluminum, it gave rise to a groundbreaking discovery: the discarded materials became the foundation of an entirely new industry, producing one of the most important chemicals of the 20th century—calcium carbide.
During World War II rubber was in high demand. To meet this critical need, the US government, academia and industrial laboratories came together to develop a synthetic rubber to meet the demand. A key ingredient in this effort, butadiene, was derived from acetylene gas generated from calcium carbide. The plant used during World War II to generate acetylene gas would later become Carbide Industries carrying forward a legacy of innovation and industrial progress.
