Our History

McGean has supplied industrial chemical products and formulations to a variety of industries for over 85 years. From the beginning, we have built our organization through a culture of customer service, product quality, and business integrity.

1929

McGean Chemical Company founded in Cleveland, Ohio to produce inorganic and cast nickel anodes.

 

1931

 

Cee-Bee Laboratories Ltd. founded in Los Angeles to manufacture industrial cleaners.

 

1937-1945

 

McGean acquires New Jersey Antimony Company to become a major supplier of antimony oxide. Over the next 20 years, the company expands its product offerings to include electroplating additives, metallic naphthenates, chrome oxide, and catalyst grade nickel. During this period, McGean was a key supplier of nickel technology for the Manhattan Project.

 

1945-1950

 

Cee-Bee laboratories develops a line of formulated products for the aviation market.

 

1955

 

Cee-Bee established first international Cee-Bee license with C. Itoh & Company of Japan.

 

1960

 

McGean Chemical Company sold to Chemetron Corporation.

 

1961

 

Cee-Bee is established in England to supply European aviation market.

 

1974

 

McGean re-emerges as independent private company with three business divisions: McGean - Inorganic Chemicals, Cee-Bee - Aviation Products, and Northwest - Industrial Surface Treatments.

 

1976

 

McGean acquires Specialty Chrome Chemicals business from Diamond Shamrock, Inc. to become a leader in trivalent chrome technology and products.

 

1980-1985

 

McGean acquires the R. O. Hull Company (Est. 1944) from Lubrizol Corporation and changes its name to McGean-Rohco, Inc. With this acquisition, the company became a leader in electroplating and metal finishing technology. McGean obtained operations in England, Mexico, Australia, and Canada. During this period, McGean made several acquisitions to grow its metal finishing business.

 

1988

 

McGean sells Antimony Products business to Cookson Group (England) in order to focus on metal finishing, aviation, and specialty chemicals.

 

1990

 

McGean establishes McGean-Rohco Singapore (100%) wholly owned subsidiary as a platform for growth in the Asian aviation and specialty chemicals markets.

McGean enters the Custom Manufacuturing business.

McGean acquires Specialty Polymers business from MacDermid to increase its portfolio of metal finishing intermediates and adds additional custom manufacturing capacity.

 

1991

 

McGean acquires the Electronic Circuit Board Chemistry business from E.I. DuPont.

 

1996

 

McGean establishes first joint venture company in Wuxi, China for promotion of electroplating and metal finishing chemistry.

 

1997

 

McGean establishes joint venture in India for promotion of electroplating and metal finishing chemistry.

 

2001

 

McGean sells worldwide electroplating, metal finishing, and electronic chemicals business to Atotech (USA/Germany). Through this sale a strategic focus is established on Cee-Bee Aviation Products, McGean Specialty Chemicals, and McGean Custom Chemical Manufacturing.

 

2005-2008

 

McGean makes significant investment into existing Cleveland organic reactions facility installing multiple new glass, stainless pressure reactors and process control systems to support strategic growth in Custom Manufacturing and Specialty Chemicals.

 

2014-2015

 

The Cleveland organic reaction facility continues expansion with installation of its largest stainless pressure reactor to further support Custom Manufacturing and Specialty Chemicals. Additional expansion at the Livonia, Michigan facility includes a 10,000 square foot warehouse addition, increased blending capacity, and laboratory equipment and office upgrades.

 

2016

 

McGean-Rohco Singapore expands warehouse, laboratory, and office facilities  to support rapid expansion of Asian aviation market.

 

2017

 

Cee-Bee Aviation Materials in Xiamen, China is founded to support Chinese Aviation market growth.