Elmer's Products, or simply Elmer's is an American-based company that has a line of adhesive, craft, home repair, and office supply products. It is best known as the manufacturer of Elmer's Glue-All, a popular PVA-based synthetic glue, in addition to other brands including Krazy Glue, ProBond and CraftBond adhesives, and

X-Acto X-Acto is a brand name for a variety of cutting tools and office products owned by Elmer's Products, Inc. Cutting tools include hobby and utility knives, saws, carving tools and many small-scale precision knives used for crafts and other applic ...

cutting tools. Introduced by Borden, it was spun off independently in 1999. The company was acquired in 2003 by

Berwind Corporation Berwind Corporation (previously also known as Berwind-White Coal Mining Company) is a large privately held American corporation historically involved in the coal industry. Today it is a diversified company involved in property leasing and owner ...

, a privately held investment firm. On October 5, 2015,

Newell Rubbermaid Newell Brands is an American manufacturer, marketer and distributor of consumer and commercial products. The company's brands and products include Rubbermaid storage and trash containers; home organization and reusable container products; Conti ...

announced a $600 million deal to acquire Elmer's Products. The logo for the brand was based upon "Elmer the Bull", mate of Borden's advertising

mascot A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as fi ...

Elsie the Cow Elsie the Cow is a cartoon cow developed as a mascot for the Borden Dairy Company in 1936 to symbolize the "perfect dairy product". Since the demise of Borden in the mid-1990s, the character has continued to be used in the same capacity for the ...

, during the 20th century. Elmer's image continues to be featured in the company logo.

History

On May 11, 1857, with three employees and one product,

Gail Borden Gail Borden Jr. (November 9, 1801 – January 11, 1874) was a native New Yorker who settled in Texas in 1829 (then still Mexico), where he worked as a land surveyor, newspaper publisher, and inventor. He created a process in 1853 to make sweet ...

founded the company that became Borden, Inc. In 1929, Borden purchased the Casein Company of America, the leading manufacturer of glues made from

casein Casein ( , from Latin ''caseus'' "cheese") is a family of related phosphoproteins ( αS1, aS2, β, κ) that are commonly found in mammalian milk, comprising about 80% of the proteins in cow's milk and between 20% and 60% of the proteins in hum ...

, a byproduct of milk. Borden introduced its first glue product, known as Casecorez Glue, in 1947. Five years later, the company began producing resin adhesives for use in woodworking, such as Cascamite.

Early years

Immediately after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, the company expanded into synthetic resin glues and, in 1947, the first multipurpose consumer white glue, known as Elmer's Glue-All, was introduced. The glue was packaged in a glass bottle with a Popsicle stick type wooden applicator attached with a rubber band. Consumer feedback confirmed a need for an easier to use delivery method, which prompted the company to develop easy to squeeze bottles featuring a twistable orange cap, introduced in 1962. This innovation remains in use and is a trademark of Elmer's Products.

Later years

Over the next few decades, Elmer's focused on expansion of adhesive products for school and home, in addition to developing a variety of hardware sealants, compounds, and caulks. In 1968, Elmer's introduced Elmer's School Glue, the first white glue that washed out of clothes. Soon, Elmer's Glue-All and School Glue would contain the same ingredients, but each retained its different packaging. In the 1970s, Elmer's also began marketing Krazy Glue, a well-known cyanoacrylate adhesive. In response to teacher requests for an easier-to-use, no-mess bonding method, Elmer's introduced its line of glue sticks in 1983, easing application and reducing mess. In 1989, Borden, Inc., and Toagosei America entered into a joint venture partnership to manufacture, sell and distribute cyanoacrylate and anaerobic adhesives under the Krazy Glue and Aron Alpha trademarks.http://www.elmers.com/about/deep-roots In 1991, Elmer's expanded into the kid's Arts and Crafts category with GluColors, colorful products designed especially for children. In 1994, Borden was purchased by

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts KKR & Co. Inc., also known as Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., is an American global investment company that manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, credit, and, through its strate ...

, and Elmer's was launched as a separate operating company. The company focused on creating category-leading adhesive and related products for school, crafts, hardware, and home repair use. In 2000, Elmer's acquired Ross Products, an expansion that helped accelerate product development beyond adhesives and into the world of creative arts and crafts. Two years later, Elmer's was purchased by another private equity firm and merged with Hunt Corporation, known for development of adult arts and crafts, and office products, including the

and Boston brands. In addition, Painters paint markers and other arts and crafts brands were added to the family. In 2013, Elmer's introduced "Elmer's School Glue Naturals", made primarily from plants, such as corn.

Let's Bond program

In 2013, Elmer's partnered with researcher Richard Rende, Ph.D., to explore the benefits arts and crafts can offer children in the early years of growth and development. His research revealed that creative interaction between parents and young children engaging in activities like arts and crafts not only provides immediate and lasting cognitive benefits, but also creates a unique bonding experience.

Elmer the Bull

Although Elmer the Bull did not become the marketing symbol for Borden's adhesive line until 1951, he had been a familiar household name since the 1940s. Elmer was designed in 1940 by David William Reid. Reid was part of the advertising team that developed

, the well-known bovine marketing symbol for the dairy division. Elmer was a huge hit with the public and was frequently seen alongside Elsie and their children (Beulah and Beauregard created in 1948, and twins Larabee and Lobelia in 1957) in most promotional and advertising campaigns. In 1951, Elmer the Bull was officially chosen to be the marketing symbol for all adhesives in the Borden line, and his portrait has appeared on Elmer's packaging ever since. When first introduced in 1947 as Cascorez Glue, Elmer's glue contained casein from dairy milk. However over the second half of the 20th century, synthetic glue has become less expensive, more consistent from bottle to bottle, and lasts longer. Elmer's does not currently use animals, animal parts, or milk to make glue.

Products

The company manufactures a wide range of glues, wood fillers, display boards, and paint markers, varying in strength and use.

Other brands

Krazy Glue, a super-strong, fast-drying instant adhesive, was introduced to the North American market in 1973. It is based on ethyl cyanoacrylate and has properties similar to other cyanoacrylate adhesives (commonly sold as "Crazy Glue" or "Super Glue"). X-Acto is the brand name for a variety of cutting tools and office products. Cutting tools include hobby and utility knives, saws, carving tools, and many small-scale precision knives used for crafts and other applications.

References

External links

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Material Safety Data Sheet for Elmer's Glue-All
{{Borden, Inc. Adhesives Manufacturing companies based in Ohio Companies based in the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area American companies established in 1857 Manufacturing companies established in 1857 American companies established in 1947 Manufacturing companies established in 1947 1857 establishments in Ohio 2003 mergers and acquisitions 2015 mergers and acquisitions Newell Brands Borden (company)