In 1925, the Allied Asphalt and Mineral Corp. was formed by Mr. Gordon S. Ziegler, Mr. Garnet Lea, and a group of investors. Allied, at its plant in Dunellen, New Jersey, produced specialty compounds using animal and stearine pitches, asphalts, resins, and Gilsonite. Gilsonite became a major raw material for Allied. Gradually, through their own use and resale under the Gilsonite and North American Asphaltum trade names, Allied became one of the largest users of Gilsonite in the world.
In 1944, Mr. Ziegler left Allied Asphalt to start his own company, G.S. Ziegler & Co. The new company worked with our present plant in Piscataway, New Jersey to produce a line of products similar to that of Allied's. Over the next six years, Ziegler purchased the annual production of several small, independent Gilsonite companies for use in the plant and also acted as their exclusive sales representative. Within five years, business was so successful that Mr. Ziegler was able to purchase the plant in Piscataway.
Between 1949 and 1953, Ziegler purchased the assets of the three independent Gilsonite mining companies and combined their operations in Little Bonanza, Utah. Meanwhile, competition with Allied during this time was quite intense, but his commitment to delivering a quality product on short notice made the difference. Within 15 years Mr. Ziegler was able to win over most of Allied's customers and eventually purchase the remaining assets of Allied Asphalt.
Our office was headquartered in the Woolworth Building in New York City in the 1950’s when it was one of the tallest buildings in the world.
We often would receive international mail simply addressed:
In 1962, Ziegler purchased the assets of the remaining independent mining company, Standard Gilsonite Company and created Ziegler Chemical & Mineral Corp. From that time, until 2015, Ziegler and AGC were the primary sources of Gilsonite in the world.
In 1963, Ziegler acquired Carolina Oil Processing, a maker of unique rosin and resin products for the floor tile industry. This division grew and in 1981 was renamed Resinall, serving the ink & coatings industries with hydrocarbon and rosin resins.
Through the 1960’s Ziegler’s wax division grew to become the largest refiner of Brazilian Carnauba wax in North America. Unfortunately the economics deteriorated, and we stopped this refining in 1971.
In 1980, the Allied Division of Ziegler Chemical underwent a major expansion in Piscataway to increase its capacity to produce specialty asphalts and cutbacks.
In 1985, the Ziegler family acquired the Lawrenceville, Illinois specialty plant from Witco Chemical, and expanded our asphalt coating business into the Midwest and South. The Pioneer Asphalt Corporation produced similar products to the Piscataway operation plus granular asphalt known as Mineral Rubber.
In 1994, Ziegler Chemical’s Gilsonite mining operation became the world’s largest producer of Gilsonite with over a 50% market share.
In 2003, Ziegler Chemical began exclusive production of all Centron Potable Water coatings in our Piscataway, NJ factory and combined these products with Ziegler’s existing line of coatings for pipe, tanks, valves and fittings. These coatings are certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) for contact with drinking water.
In 2015, Ziegler Chemical sold its Gilsonite mining operation to American Gilsonite, and retained distributorship of American’s products throughout the Eastern United States and Canada.
In 2019, Ziegler Coatings was formed to purchase the assets of Chris Industries, a maker of toll blends in the adhesive, epoxy, acrylic, emulsion, and printing ink industries.
