Nobel Industries (Sweden)

Nobel Industrie AB was a chemical company. In 1984 Bofors acquired the majority shareholding in KemaNobel, both companies have historic ties to Alfred Nobel, the 19th century Swedish inventor whose invention of dynamite gave a safe way to manage the detonation of nitroglycerin. By 1985 Bofors had integrated the entire KemaNobel group into itself and changed its name to Nobel Industries. ^[1]

Bofors (est. 1646) was a Swedish weapons manufacturer from Karlskoga. In 1893 the company became majority owned by famed Swedish Chemist, Alfred Nobel.

KemaNobel itself resulted from a number of acquisition in 1970 by Fosfatbolaget  [ sv ]: Liljeholmens Stearinfabriks chemicals business (Est. 1841), Barnängens tekniska Fabrik  [ sv ] (Est. 1868) and Casco  [ sv ] (Est. 1928), changes its name to KemaNord, continuing with further acquisitions”: 1981 Pharos from AGA, a year later the paints group Nordsjö, in 1986 paper and pulp group Eka AB and in 1988 Berol Kemi from Procordia.

In the late 80s Nobel Industries divisions further acquired; Casco Nobel bought Sadolin & Holmblad in 1987, Parteks adhesives and joint compound operations in 1988 and English paints group, Crown Berger in 1990. In 1990, Pharos acquired American electronics group Spectra-Physics. Eka Nobel acquires Alby Klorat and Stora Kemi from Swedish forest group Stora Kopparberg, Albright and Wilson's paper chemicals division.

By the mid 90s, the company had begun to divest itself of non core businesses, streamlining itself: KVK Agro Chemicals was sold to Sandoz in 1991, the Nobel Consumer Goods (which consisted of: Barnängen Tekniska Fabrik, Liljeholms, Sterisol, and Vademecum, in the main) to the German group, Henkel ^[2] , and NobelTech (the consolidated electronic business operation of the group) to Celsius Industries  [ sv ].

In 1994 Nobel Industries merges with AKZO, forming AkzoNobel . Nobel Industries contributes to Akzo Nobel with the business areas:

• paints and adhesives (Casco Nobel),
• bleaching and paper chemicals (Eka Nobel),
• surface chemistry (Berol Nobel),

Nobelpharma (Nobel Biotech) and Spectra-Physics, becomes listed on Stockholm Stock-Exchange.

AkzoNobel had 20 business entities in 1994.

Companies part of history of Nobels Industry

• 1646 Bofors Swedish weapons manufacturer is founded in Karlskoga, In 1893 Bofors majority owned by Alfred Nobel .
• 1841 Liljeholmens Stearinfabrik , stearin candles factory, founded by Lars Johan Hierta (also the founder of the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet) in Stockholm Sweden. Acquired in 1947 by “Stokholms Superfosfast Fabrik” In 1970 candle production moves to Oscarshamn. Chemica business acquired 1970 by Fofatbologet.
• 1868 Barnängens tekniska Fabrik  [ sv ] , soap factory at Bondegatan on Södermalm in Stockholm. Acquired 1970 by Fofatbologet.
• 1871 Stockholms Superfosfat Fabrik  [ sv ], superphosphate factory is founded by Oscar F. Carlson - with help from Lars Johan Hierta - in Gäddviken, Nacka outside Stockholm. Ends in 1931 its Swedish superphosphate production and opens a new potassium nitrate factory opens a year later in Ljungaverk. Begins 1941 begins Swedish production of carbide and calcium nitrate at a new plant in Stockvik. Starts in 1944 making plastics and trial production of synthetic rubber. Opens in 1945 opens a PVC plant at Stockvik. In 1964 Stockholms Superfosfat Fabriks becomes Fosfatbolaget. In 1970 it was renamed to KemaNord, and renamed to KemaNobel in 1978
• 1928 Casco  [ sv ], adhesives factory, producing of casein glue, founded by Lars Amundsen (nephew of Roald Amundsen, the first person at the South Pole) in Kristinehamn. Acquired 1970 by Fofatbologet.
• 1863 Nitroglycerin  [ sv ], stearin candles factory is founded by Alfred Nobel in Stockholm. In 1965 Swedish civil explosives chemical group Nitroglycerin becomes Nitro Nobel. Acquired 1978 by KemaNord
• 1895 Elektrokemiska Aktiebolaget  [ sv ] (abbreviated EKA), Swedish for electrochemical corporation, is founded by Alfred Nobel (founder of the Nobel Prize), C. W. Collander, and Rudolf Liljeqvist (who becomes Managing Director) in Bengtsfors, Sweden. The first products are chlorine and alkali. Moves in 1924 moves to Bohus, north of Gothenburg, Sweden. In 1927 starts production of water glass. In 1930 adds expands product range; i.e. ferric chloride, hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide. In 1951 is acquired by the Swedish forest company, Iggesunds Bruk AB . Starts in 1956 with ammonia. Acquired in 1986 by Nobel Industries Sadolin & Holmblad
• 1777 Holmblad & Co., Danish paints company, founded by Swedish born Jacob Holmblad in Copenhagen. Acquired in 1912 by Sandolin
• 1907 Sadolins Farver  [ da ] , paints company, founded by Gunnar Asgeir Sadolin in Copenhagen.. 1946 founds Kemisk Vaerk Köge, A/S (KVK). In 1987 acquired by Nobel Industries
• 1937 Berol  [ sv ]Swedish producer of coatings for fishing lines is founded by fishing enthusiast Bernström and his friend Olson, a chemist, to make coatings to reinforce cotton fishing lines in Södertälje, and within a few years, Berol, whose name is derived from the first letters of the founders' last names, is established as a manufacturer of waterproofing agents for shoes, leather jackets and sheepskin. In 1945 Berol moves to Mölndal, and begins producing non-ionic, surface active products for washing powder as well as adhesives and paint improvers. In 1945 Mo och Domsjö AB (MoDo) buys Berol. MoDO, a Swedish forest products company, In 1971 renamed MoDoKemi, headquartered in Stenungsund. In 1973 acquired by Statsföretag' (later called Procordia),an renamed to Berol Kemi. In1974 acquires from MoDo the production units of cellulose derivatives at Domsjö, near Örnsköldsvik. Acquired in 1988 Nobel Industries.
• 1899 The Wallpaper Manufacturer’s Company (WPM) is founded a cooperative of wallpaper manufacturers. In 1915 the paint company The Walpamur Company is created. In 1965 acquired by Reed International under the brand Crown Wallpaper and Crown Paints. From 1975 as division Crown Decorative Products. In 1987 acquired by Williams Holdings from Hoechst ^[3]
• 1760 Lewis Berger & Sons founded. In 1969 merger to Berger, Jenson & Nicholson
• 1840 Jenson & Nicholson founded. In 1969 merger to Berger, Jenson & Nicholson
• 1969 Berger, Jenson & Nicholson In 1988 acquired by Williams Holdings ^[4] forms division Crown Berger Ltd In 1990 aquired by Nobel Industries

External links

• Nouryon heritage

References

1. "Nobel Industries AB .", International Directory of Company Histories, Encyclopedia.com, 5 May. 2025
2. COMMISSION CLEARS THE ACQUISITION OF THE CONSUMER GOODS BRANCH OF NOBEL BY HENKEL, Press release Mar 24, 1992, European Commission
3. Grace's Guide to British Industrial History, Wallpaper manufacturers, visited June 8 2025
4. BERGER, JENSON AND NICHOLSON, PAINT MAKERS RECORDS, National Archives UK, visited June 8 2025

Nationalencyklopedin The Swedish National Encyclopedia