David Savastano, Contributing Editor03.24.22
In 1947, Stan Lopata was selling industrial equipment on a customer site. After his customer complained about a challenge the company had with repairing a damaged glass-lined vessel, Lopata—a chemist by training—went home and developed a carbon-based liquid repair product. Specifically known as Furan C4H40, this carbon-based "lining" eventually led to Lopata’s founding of Carboline.
Now, 75 years later, Carboline, a subsidiary of RPM International Inc., is celebrating its 75th anniversary. With more than 35 brands, Carboline specializes in a wide range of protective coatings, including linings and fireproofing. Carboline products have been used on many iconic projects, including NASA’s Cape Canaveral Launch Station, Olympic Stadiums, and countless other museums, stadiums, refineries, power plants, water tanks and more.
Over the years, Carboline has launched more than 500 products, including well-known brands such as Bitumastic, Carboguard, Carboquick, Carbozinc, Firefilm, Phenoline, Plasite, Polyclad, Pyrocrete, Pyroclad, Reactamine, Sanitile, Thermaline, Thermo-Lag, and more.
As the company looks toward the future, Carboline also celebrates its past and its present.
"Two thousand twenty-two marks our 75th anniversary, an accomplishment we are tremendously proud of,” said Chris Tiernay, president and COO of Carboline. “For 75 years, Carboline has been solving some of the industry's most challenging problems. We remain committed to the idea that there is always a solution. On behalf of our employees worldwide, vendor partners, and customers, we look forward to the next 75 years.”
The History of Carboline
Given Carboline's genesis in linings, the oil and gas market has been key to its growth over the years. Tiernay talked about some of the highlights over the years.
“The linings category was enhanced with our acquisition of the Plasite brand in 1981, which helped Carboline to penetrate the rail car market,” said Tiernay. “Our linings later progressed to various storage tanks, including frac tanks and water tanks across multiple industries.
In addition, passive fire protection across both the commercial and industrial markets has long been an essential driver of growth for Carboline.
“The acquisitions of AD Fire and NuChem in 2005 and 2006, respectively, both strengthened and solidified that position—which continues even today,” Tiernay observed. “While linings and passive fire protection are key pillars of Carboline, the core of the business remains in corrosion-control coating systems. This product range provides Carboline with competitive positions across key markets that include power, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, mining, brown water marine, OEM, commercial construction and more.”
To meet the needs of its customers, Carboline has offices and manufacturing facilities worldwide. Throughout the years, Carboline has grown to more than seven research facilities, 20 manufacturing facilities, and hundreds of warehouses. Carboline also has a state-of-the-art, full-scale Fire Protective Lab that is the only manufacturer-owned lab in North America.
“Completed in 2021, this lab allows Carboline to be quick to market with innovation, avoid costly third-party testing, and promptly respond to customer and owner needs,” Tiernay said.
R&D and product development has been a calling card of Carboline.
“Carboline has developed a wide range of innovative products, including Carbozinc 11, an inorganic zinc-rich primer that changed the industrial coatings industry with its key performance attributes and remains one of the most respected products of all time to this day,” Tiernay said.
“Carboguard 890 was the first high-solids, VOC-compliant epoxy on the market,” he added. “It was developed on a then-innovative curing technology and launched well before the competition. Pyrocrete 241 has served as the industry standard for cementitious hydrocarbon fire protection for decades and remains a leader to this day.”
Tiernay noted that a number of industry leaders have played an integral role in making Carboline the company it is today, beginning with Tom Sullivan Sr., former chairman and CEO of RPM International Inc.
“Tom Sullivan Sr. was the catalyst who drove the acquisition of Carboline in 1985 by the now $6.1-billion global leader in specialty coatings, sealants and building materials,” Tiernay said. “Carboline was a ‘bet-it-all’ acquisition, with sales revenues that rivaled RPM's at the time. The Carboline story would not have achieved its impressive longevity and growth without Tom's vision and courage to pursue our company. It was clearly a gamble that paid off.”
John Montle, a driver behind the development of Carbozinc 11, is another key figure in the history of Carboline.
“A graduate of St. Louis-based Washington University, John Montle worked for several years in research and development (R&D),” Tiernay said. “He was instrumental in the development of Carbozinc 11, an industry-leading inorganic zinc primer. Ultimately, John became the vice president of R&D at Carboline and, under his guidance, the R&D group developed many of the popular coatings that we continue to sell today.”
Paul Litzsinger was another key figure on Carboline’s R&D side.
“A chemist by training, Paul Litzsinger led R&D and marketing efforts for Carboline for many years, before finishing his career as vice president of sales,” Tiernay said. “Paul's deep technical background while interacting with the end-user is a primary reason why Carboline is considered a technical leader in the industry to this day.”
Tiernay also spoke about Sherwin (Bud) Steinberg, Mike Tellor and Dick Wilson as major leaders in Carboline’s success over the years.
“A graduate of West Point Military Academy, Bud Steinberg joined Carboline in the marketing department and later became a sales manager who drove above-market growth. After some time at another company, Bud returned to Carboline in 1986 as president and CEO, staying with the company into the early 1990s. Over those years, Bud and his team grew the Carboline business into an industry-leading corrosion protection company through determination, grit and innovative coating technologies,” Tiernay said
“As vice president of sales in the early 1990s, Mike Tellor took over the day-to-day operations of Carboline while Bud attended to some personal matters,” Tiernay added. “The discipline and process that Bud brought to Carboline were enhanced and expanded under Mike's leadership, continuing to drive the company forward. In later years, Mike ultimately went on to become president of Rust-Oleum, another industry-leading RPM company.
“Perhaps the most influential of our leaders, Dick Wilson took Carboline from a small, marginally profitable company to the leading US distributor of high-performance industrial coatings, linings and fireproofing products it is today,” Tiernay concluded. “Dick invested aggressively in salespeople and a broad distribution footprint, while supplementing this company growth with key brand acquisitions over his 12+ years as president of Carboline.”
Innovations in Coatings Over the Years
Of course, some of Carboline’s most popular product innovations include Carbozinc 11, Pyrocrete 241 and Carboguard 890. Beyond those, Tiernay pointed to a few other significant product innovations, including:
• Rustbond, a cross-linked penetrating primer/sealer with excellent wetting properties that is designed as a tie coat over marginally prepared surfaces and old coatings—saving time and money in surface preparation.
• Pyrocrete 341, a next-generation solution in cementitious passive fire protection that meets the rigorous exposures of hydrocarbon fire, jet fire and cryogenic spill protection—all at a single thickness, with zero erosion factors.
• Carboquick 200, a fast-cure, high-build polyaspartic coating that provides excellent corrosion protection, high aesthetics and long-term weatherability in just one coat.
• Supoxy technology (patent pending), an innovative new resin system that extends heat and chemical resistance beyond any current lining system. It can stand up to the rigorous environments associated with corrosion protection on fire tubes in upstream oil and gas process vessels. The impermeable film, reinforced with proprietary ceramics, blocks aggressive vapors and solutions from film penetration and subsequent corrosion.
• Plasite XHT 400, an extreme-heat-resistant lining that is designed for the long-term protection of fire tubes in oil processing vessels. The product utilizes Supoxy-based technology (patent pending), which benefits from the highly cross-linked resin to result in extreme heat and chemical resistance. Plasite XHT 400 solves an extremely challenging oil and gas industry problem.
Celebrating 75 Years
Tiernay said that Carboline has put together a busy schedule commemorating the company’s history.
“Our 75th anniversary celebration will commence with a company-wide luncheon for all St. Louis-based employees,” Tiernay noted. “Externally, Carboline will host a ‘75 Red Buckets of Surprises’ giveaway initiative, which will allow customers to submit stories about Carboline for a chance to win a ‘red bucket’ full of Carboline-branded merchandise.
“Internally, Carboline employees will participate in ‘75 Acts of Kindness,’ sharing photos of themselves completing acts of kindness on a central board that highlights the socially conscious, community-oriented culture of our employee base. This will be underpinned by a dedicated webpage showcasing Carboline’s history, along with a new promo video.”
Looking Ahead
Tiernay sees great things ahead for Carboline, as this is arguably one of the most exciting and progressive times at Carboline.
“The company is about to embark on the most extensive strategic initiative in its history, with the single-largest investment of selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses and capital in 75 years,” Tiernay added. “Carboline will expand its operations across Canada and Europe, widely diversify business in the United States, and significantly grow its sales and EBIT over the next five years. Every function and geographical region of the company will receive an injection of resources in the near future, ultimately driving sales and profit to record levels.”
To read more about the 75th anniversary events, follow this link: Carboline.com/75th
Now, 75 years later, Carboline, a subsidiary of RPM International Inc., is celebrating its 75th anniversary. With more than 35 brands, Carboline specializes in a wide range of protective coatings, including linings and fireproofing. Carboline products have been used on many iconic projects, including NASA’s Cape Canaveral Launch Station, Olympic Stadiums, and countless other museums, stadiums, refineries, power plants, water tanks and more.
Over the years, Carboline has launched more than 500 products, including well-known brands such as Bitumastic, Carboguard, Carboquick, Carbozinc, Firefilm, Phenoline, Plasite, Polyclad, Pyrocrete, Pyroclad, Reactamine, Sanitile, Thermaline, Thermo-Lag, and more.
As the company looks toward the future, Carboline also celebrates its past and its present.
"Two thousand twenty-two marks our 75th anniversary, an accomplishment we are tremendously proud of,” said Chris Tiernay, president and COO of Carboline. “For 75 years, Carboline has been solving some of the industry's most challenging problems. We remain committed to the idea that there is always a solution. On behalf of our employees worldwide, vendor partners, and customers, we look forward to the next 75 years.”
The History of Carboline
Given Carboline's genesis in linings, the oil and gas market has been key to its growth over the years. Tiernay talked about some of the highlights over the years.
“The linings category was enhanced with our acquisition of the Plasite brand in 1981, which helped Carboline to penetrate the rail car market,” said Tiernay. “Our linings later progressed to various storage tanks, including frac tanks and water tanks across multiple industries.
In addition, passive fire protection across both the commercial and industrial markets has long been an essential driver of growth for Carboline.
“The acquisitions of AD Fire and NuChem in 2005 and 2006, respectively, both strengthened and solidified that position—which continues even today,” Tiernay observed. “While linings and passive fire protection are key pillars of Carboline, the core of the business remains in corrosion-control coating systems. This product range provides Carboline with competitive positions across key markets that include power, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, mining, brown water marine, OEM, commercial construction and more.”
To meet the needs of its customers, Carboline has offices and manufacturing facilities worldwide. Throughout the years, Carboline has grown to more than seven research facilities, 20 manufacturing facilities, and hundreds of warehouses. Carboline also has a state-of-the-art, full-scale Fire Protective Lab that is the only manufacturer-owned lab in North America.
“Completed in 2021, this lab allows Carboline to be quick to market with innovation, avoid costly third-party testing, and promptly respond to customer and owner needs,” Tiernay said.
R&D and product development has been a calling card of Carboline.
“Carboline has developed a wide range of innovative products, including Carbozinc 11, an inorganic zinc-rich primer that changed the industrial coatings industry with its key performance attributes and remains one of the most respected products of all time to this day,” Tiernay said.
“Carboguard 890 was the first high-solids, VOC-compliant epoxy on the market,” he added. “It was developed on a then-innovative curing technology and launched well before the competition. Pyrocrete 241 has served as the industry standard for cementitious hydrocarbon fire protection for decades and remains a leader to this day.”
Tiernay noted that a number of industry leaders have played an integral role in making Carboline the company it is today, beginning with Tom Sullivan Sr., former chairman and CEO of RPM International Inc.
“Tom Sullivan Sr. was the catalyst who drove the acquisition of Carboline in 1985 by the now $6.1-billion global leader in specialty coatings, sealants and building materials,” Tiernay said. “Carboline was a ‘bet-it-all’ acquisition, with sales revenues that rivaled RPM's at the time. The Carboline story would not have achieved its impressive longevity and growth without Tom's vision and courage to pursue our company. It was clearly a gamble that paid off.”
John Montle, a driver behind the development of Carbozinc 11, is another key figure in the history of Carboline.
“A graduate of St. Louis-based Washington University, John Montle worked for several years in research and development (R&D),” Tiernay said. “He was instrumental in the development of Carbozinc 11, an industry-leading inorganic zinc primer. Ultimately, John became the vice president of R&D at Carboline and, under his guidance, the R&D group developed many of the popular coatings that we continue to sell today.”
Paul Litzsinger was another key figure on Carboline’s R&D side.
“A chemist by training, Paul Litzsinger led R&D and marketing efforts for Carboline for many years, before finishing his career as vice president of sales,” Tiernay said. “Paul's deep technical background while interacting with the end-user is a primary reason why Carboline is considered a technical leader in the industry to this day.”
Tiernay also spoke about Sherwin (Bud) Steinberg, Mike Tellor and Dick Wilson as major leaders in Carboline’s success over the years.
“A graduate of West Point Military Academy, Bud Steinberg joined Carboline in the marketing department and later became a sales manager who drove above-market growth. After some time at another company, Bud returned to Carboline in 1986 as president and CEO, staying with the company into the early 1990s. Over those years, Bud and his team grew the Carboline business into an industry-leading corrosion protection company through determination, grit and innovative coating technologies,” Tiernay said
“As vice president of sales in the early 1990s, Mike Tellor took over the day-to-day operations of Carboline while Bud attended to some personal matters,” Tiernay added. “The discipline and process that Bud brought to Carboline were enhanced and expanded under Mike's leadership, continuing to drive the company forward. In later years, Mike ultimately went on to become president of Rust-Oleum, another industry-leading RPM company.
“Perhaps the most influential of our leaders, Dick Wilson took Carboline from a small, marginally profitable company to the leading US distributor of high-performance industrial coatings, linings and fireproofing products it is today,” Tiernay concluded. “Dick invested aggressively in salespeople and a broad distribution footprint, while supplementing this company growth with key brand acquisitions over his 12+ years as president of Carboline.”
Innovations in Coatings Over the Years
Of course, some of Carboline’s most popular product innovations include Carbozinc 11, Pyrocrete 241 and Carboguard 890. Beyond those, Tiernay pointed to a few other significant product innovations, including:
• Rustbond, a cross-linked penetrating primer/sealer with excellent wetting properties that is designed as a tie coat over marginally prepared surfaces and old coatings—saving time and money in surface preparation.
• Pyrocrete 341, a next-generation solution in cementitious passive fire protection that meets the rigorous exposures of hydrocarbon fire, jet fire and cryogenic spill protection—all at a single thickness, with zero erosion factors.
• Carboquick 200, a fast-cure, high-build polyaspartic coating that provides excellent corrosion protection, high aesthetics and long-term weatherability in just one coat.
• Supoxy technology (patent pending), an innovative new resin system that extends heat and chemical resistance beyond any current lining system. It can stand up to the rigorous environments associated with corrosion protection on fire tubes in upstream oil and gas process vessels. The impermeable film, reinforced with proprietary ceramics, blocks aggressive vapors and solutions from film penetration and subsequent corrosion.
• Plasite XHT 400, an extreme-heat-resistant lining that is designed for the long-term protection of fire tubes in oil processing vessels. The product utilizes Supoxy-based technology (patent pending), which benefits from the highly cross-linked resin to result in extreme heat and chemical resistance. Plasite XHT 400 solves an extremely challenging oil and gas industry problem.
Celebrating 75 Years
Tiernay said that Carboline has put together a busy schedule commemorating the company’s history.
“Our 75th anniversary celebration will commence with a company-wide luncheon for all St. Louis-based employees,” Tiernay noted. “Externally, Carboline will host a ‘75 Red Buckets of Surprises’ giveaway initiative, which will allow customers to submit stories about Carboline for a chance to win a ‘red bucket’ full of Carboline-branded merchandise.
“Internally, Carboline employees will participate in ‘75 Acts of Kindness,’ sharing photos of themselves completing acts of kindness on a central board that highlights the socially conscious, community-oriented culture of our employee base. This will be underpinned by a dedicated webpage showcasing Carboline’s history, along with a new promo video.”
Looking Ahead
Tiernay sees great things ahead for Carboline, as this is arguably one of the most exciting and progressive times at Carboline.
“The company is about to embark on the most extensive strategic initiative in its history, with the single-largest investment of selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses and capital in 75 years,” Tiernay added. “Carboline will expand its operations across Canada and Europe, widely diversify business in the United States, and significantly grow its sales and EBIT over the next five years. Every function and geographical region of the company will receive an injection of resources in the near future, ultimately driving sales and profit to record levels.”
To read more about the 75th anniversary events, follow this link: Carboline.com/75th