Hooker Chemical Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Chemical manufacturing |
| Founded | 1903 |
| Founder | Elon Huntington Hooker |
| Defunct | 1968 |
| Fate | Acquired by Occidental Petroleum |
| Headquarters | Niagara Falls, New York , United States |
| Products | Chloralkali chemicals, chlorine, sodium hydroxide, chlorinated lime, chlorobenzene, solvents (trichloroethylene, phenol), sulfur chloride, sodium chlorate, sodium sulfide, sodium sulfhydrate, sodium tetrasulfide, aluminum chloride, dodecyl mercaptan, arsenic trichloride, thionyl chloride, hexachlorobenzene, epoxy vinyl ester resins |
| Parent | Occidental Petroleum (from 1968) |
Hooker Chemical Company (also known as Hooker Electrochemical Company) was a U.S.-based manufacturer specializing in chloralkali chemicals, operating from 1903 until 1968. The firm gained infamy in 1977 when nearby residents of its chemical disposal site at Love Canal experienced elevated rates of leukemia, birth defects, and various health issues. Despite Hooker transferring ownership of the site to the Niagara Falls School Board in 1953, legal proceedings later held the company accountable.
Establishment
The enterprise was established in 1903 under the name "the Development and Funding Company" by Elon Huntington Hooker in Rochester, New York. It utilized the Townsend cell technology to electrolyze salt into chlorine and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) via the chloralkali process. Innovators such as Elmer Sperry, founder of Sperry Electric, and Leo Baekeland, creator of Bakelite, provided consultation to enhance the cell’s design.
Strategically situated in Niagara Falls, NY, the company benefited from inexpensive electricity supplied by the Niagara Falls power project, proximity to extensive salt deposits, and access to water from the Niagara River.
Initial product offerings
Hooker initially marketed chlorine for sanitation purposes and water disinfection in forms like chlorinated lime and chlorobenzene, which was used as a component in explosives during World War I. Subsequently, its subsidiary Detrex distributed solvents including trichloroethylene and phenol for applications such as degreasing and dry cleaning. The firm also licensed its diaphragm cell technology to other chloralkali manufacturers.
In 1918, Hooker expanded by establishing a venture to hydrogenate vegetable oils and began producing chemicals like sulfur chloride and sodium chlorate. By 1922, it had acquired S. Wander & Sons Company to handle retail sales of lye and chlorinated lime, though this segment was divested in 1927. A new chloralkali facility commenced operations in Tacoma, WA in 1929. The company’s product range further included sodium sulfide, sodium sulfhydrate, sodium tetrasulfide, and aluminum chloride.
World War II era and subsequent years
During the Second World War, Hooker played a significant role as a supplier of dodecyl mercaptan used in rubber production and manufactured chemicals such as arsenic trichloride, thionyl chloride, and hexachlorobenzene. Post-war, the company diversified into plastics manufacturing, developing epoxy vinyl ester resin materials. In 1955, it acquired Durez Corporation, a producer of thermoset phenolic resins founded in 1948.
Acquisition by Occidental Petroleum
Hooker Chemical Company was purchased by Occidental Petroleum in 1968. Since then, it has undergone multiple rebrandings under various ownership structures.
Documentary coverage
Director David J. Ruck documented Hooker Chemical’s environmental violations in Montague, Michigan through the 2002 film This is Not a Chocolate Factory. Additional documentaries such as The Killing Ground and A Fierce Green Fire explore Hooker’s toxic waste sites and the Love Canal incident, which has been associated with numerous fatalities caused by environmental neglect.
PBS’s American Experience broadcast Poisoned Ground: The Tragedy at Love Canal on April 22, 2024. Produced by Madrona Productions for GBH, this program further investigates the company’s ecological legacy.