| (1863
- 1944) |
| Inducted: |
1983 |
| Region: |
Northeast |
| Industry: |
Engineering
|
|
Leo H. Baekeland, the father of the modern plastics industry, produced a remarkable synthetic resin that he called Bakelite at the turn of the century. It could be molded into pipe stems, fountain pens, billiard balls, telephone fixtures, electrical insulators, and countless other useful products and it wouldn't burn or melt. He established General Bakelite Co. in 1910, merged it with two competing companies in 1922 to form Bakelite Corp., and sold Bakelite Corp. to Union Carbide 1939. |
