Polychrome History 1935-1988

 A booklet distribued in May 1988 covers a short history of Polychrome (Thank you Maria S.)

1935 Polychrome founded by Gregory Halpern in New York City to manufacture mimeograph inks. His wife, Freda, named the company "Polychrome." 1936 Company incorporated in the state of New York. 1944 Relocated to Yonkers, N.Y 1950 Began production of direct image paper offset masters. 1959 Introduced the first successful presensitized, mechanically grained metal offset plate- "Granekote." 1961 Entered industrial chemicals field with the acquisition of Cellofilm Corp., Wood-Ridge, NJ., as a wholly-owned subsidiary to produce nitrocellulose solutions. 1962 Introduced the first two-sided presensitized, mechanically grained offset plate -"Dualgrane." Participated in establishment of Aufa-Polychrome Offsetplatten GmbH in West Berlin to manufacture offset plates and chemistry for distribution to Western Europe, the Near East and Africa. Formed Cellomer Corp., in Newark, NJ., as a wholly-owned subsidiary to manufacture and market alkyd, epoxy, polyester and urethane resins. 1963 Polychrome common stock listed on the American Stock Exchange. Licensed Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., to manufacture and distribute Polychrome's presensitized aluminum plates and other offset products in Japan and the Far East. 1964 Introduced the first presensitized, electrolytically-grained and anodized offset plate -"Litho-Surface IOO,OQO." Severed relations with Aufa GmbH and relocated the German company to West Germany, under the name Polychrome GmbH. 1965 Introduced the first presensitized bi-metal offset plate - "Copperkote Positive." Established Cellofilm manufacturing facilities in Chicago to serve the Mid-West market with nitrocellulose solutions. 1967 Introduced the first presensitized, mechanically-grained and anodized offset plates-"GA" and "GAP." 1968 Established marketing subsidiary, now known as Polychrome Ltd., in Watford, England. 1969 Introduced the first presensitized, mechanically-grained, anodized and aqueous-developable subtractive plate system "FGB." 1971 Entered the prepress equipment field with the company's first automatic plate processing machine. 1972 Polychrome Ltd. began manufacturing inks and photographic and lithographic chemicals in England. Introduced the first two-sided presensitized, anodized, subtrac­ tive offset plate- "DSN." 1980     Dr. Gregory Halpern, Founder of the company, retired as Chairman & Chief Executive Officer. 1981     Introduced the first aqueous-developable, projection-speed offset plate system -"PPN." 1982     Introduced the first laser-exposable electrostatic plate system­"OPC."   Purchased Yardville, NJ. facility. 1983     Introduced the first ultra-high-printout positive plate system - "Posimatte°."             Introduced the first high-resolution, long-run, aqueous developable photopolymer plate system -"Quantum"."  Added automated vertical cameras to     product line. Formed Polychrome Chemicals Corp. as wholly-owned subsidiary (comprised of Cellofilm and Cellomer operating divisions). 1984     Introduced new film systems, including daylight duplicating and daylight contact,rapid access and diffusion transfer. Formed Systems Division. Introduced second-generation, fully-automated, in-line camera direct electrostatic platemaker- "OPC-2000." Relocated National Distribution Center to Yardville, NJ., facility. Added vacuum frames and light tables to product line. 1985     Polychrome awarded InterTech '85 Technology Award by the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation for it's Laser-Scan TI plate utilizing digitized imaging by laser. 1986     Entered into a long-term technology transfer contract with the China National Chemical Construction Corp. and the Second Film Factory of Nanyang, both in the People's Republic of China, providing for transfer of Polychrome's proprietary tech­nology for the installation in China of the first major facility for the manufacture of presensitized lithographic printing plates. Acquired Rachwal Systems Inc., Ashland, Mass., manufacturers of projection platemaking systems, as wholly-owned subsidiary. Relocated Offset Finishing and National Distribution Center from Yardville to Robbinsville, NJ. 1987    Polychrome Chemicals Corp. acquired as an operating divi­sion, RBH Dispersions, Bound Brook, NJ., which disperses pigments into a variety of binder systems. Aquired Opti-Copy, Inc., Lenexa, Kans. , manufacturers of prepress imaging systems. K-2 Dedication -Katzenstein, Germany. 1988    Eliminated ink and blankets form the product line. Introduced the VISTART" line of aqueous-developable plates. Transferred Polychrome Chemicals Corp. to Reichhold Chemicals Inc. Polychrome France S.A.R.L. acquired CROMSYS, a manufacturer of bi-metallic plates. 1987        Polychrome Chemicals Corp. acquired as an operating divi­sion, RBH Dispersions, Bound Brook, NJ., which disperses pigments into a variety of binder systems. Aquired Opti-Copy, Inc., Lenexa, Kans., manufacturers of prepress imaging systems. K-2 Dedication -Katzenstein, Germany. 1988        Eliminated ink and blankets form the product line. Introduced the VISTART" line of aqueous-developable plates. Transferred Polychrome Chemicals Corp. to Reichhold Chemicals Inc. Polychrome France S.A.R.L. acquired CROMSYS, a manufacturer of bi-metallic plates.