America @ 250
By DENNIS HART, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHEMISTRY COUNCIL OF NEW JERSEY On Jul 8, 2026
From the nation’s earliest days, chemistry has played a vital role in building America’s independence and economic strength. Early chemical manufacturing produced essential materials – glass, gunpowder, dyes, soaps, and acid salts – that supported agriculture, infrastructure, and domestic industry. These foundational products helped reduce reliance on imports and laid the groundwork for American industrialization.
In New Jersey, that story began to take shape in the early 19th century. Rooted in the state’s 18th-century ironworks and bog iron industry, chemical manufacturing expanded rapidly alongside improvements in transportation and infrastructure. The construction of canals, roads, and later rail lines – such as the Central Railroad of New Jersey – connected Newark, Elizabeth, and Jersey City, giving rise to what would become known as the state’s “Chemical Coast.”
Along the Passaic River and throughout northern New Jersey, early industries began to flourish. Powder mills, influenced by operations like DuPont’s early gunpowder works, relied on local raw materials such as charcoal, sulfur, and saltpeter. This foundation also gave rise to companies like Hercules Powder Company, which became a major force in explosives and later diversified into specialty chemicals and advanced materials, with a significant presence in New Jersey. At the same time, Paterson emerged as a major textile hub, driving demand for chemical dyeing and finishing processes and further expanding the region’s industrial base.
At the same time, New Jersey was at the epicenter of another transformative force in American industry: petroleum refining and petrochemicals. The Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (SONJ), formed in 1882, established its dominance from Bayonne, where it controlled an extraordinary share of the nation’s refining capacity and helped shape modern industrial chemistry. Enabled by New Jersey’s forward-looking corporate laws, SONJ became the primary holding company for Rockefeller’s Standard Oil empire by 1899, overseeing dozens of affiliated companies and building one of the most powerful industrial networks in the world. Even after the landmark 1911 Supreme Court decision that broke up Standard Oil under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, the New Jersey entity emerged as the largest successor, continuing operations under the Esso brand before eventually becoming Exxon and later ExxonMobil.
That legacy of innovation and scale continues to be felt today. The Bayonne and Linden corridor, once the heart of Standard Oil’s operations, has evolved into the modern Bayway Industrial Complex, now a multi-company hub of advanced manufacturing. Today, the site is home to the Phillips 66 Bayway Refinery, the largest on the East Coast, as well as Infineum, a global leader in fuel and lubricant additives born from a joint venture between ExxonMobil and Shell. Supported by integrated energy infrastructure such as Linden Cogeneration, the complex reflects how New Jersey’s historic chemical and refining assets have been repurposed for a modern, interconnected industrial ecosystem.
South Jersey has played an equally important role in this legacy. The refinery in Paulsboro, established in 1917 by the Vacuum Oil Company along the Delaware River, became an early center of innovation in refining technology. In the 1930s, it helped advance the Houdry catalytic cracking process, a breakthrough that proved vital in meeting fuel demands during World War II. Now operated by PBF Energy, the Paulsboro Refinery remains a major producer of gasoline, diesel, and lubricant base oils, underscoring the continued importance of refining and petrochemical operations to the region’s economy.
As the nation industrialized, so did New Jersey. Chemical manufacturing evolved from basic materials into more advanced products, including paints, coatings, and specialty chemicals that supported construction, transportation, and consumer goods. By the early 20th century, New Jersey had firmly established itself as a leader in innovation.
One of the most significant breakthroughs of this era was the development of Bakelite, the world’s first fully synthetic plastic. Invented by Leo Baekeland in 1907, Bakelite was industrialized and first produced in Perth Amboy, marking the beginning of the modern plastics industry. This revolutionary material enabled the mass production of durable, lightweight goods and helped usher in a new era of manufacturing. Building on that success, the Bakelite Corporation expanded its footprint with a major production facility in Bound Brook, established in 1929 along what is now Baekeland Avenue. The site became a cornerstone of the early plastics industry and later continued its industrial legacy under Dow Chemical, which acquired the operation in 1939.
Chemistry also played a transformative role in public health. In 1908, Jersey City became the first city in the US to use chlorine to disinfect drinking water; a breakthrough that dramatically reduced waterborne diseases such as typhoid and cholera. This innovation quickly spread across the country and remains one of the most important public health advancements in American history.
The story continues…
Related innovation continued at the local level as well. In 1919, Carl Kuehne began producing small batches of bleach in a Newark basement, laying the foundation for what would become a long-standing New Jersey-based chemical enterprise. Today, Kuehne remains a leading producer of sodium hypochlorite, playing a critical role in ensuring safe drinking water for more than 36 million people, approximately 11% of the US population.
By the mid-20th century, New Jersey had earned its reputation as the “Medicine Chest of the World.” Companies such as Merck, Johnson & Johnson, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Schering-Plough developed life-saving medicines and vaccines that transformed global health. At the same time, DuPont and others advanced petrochemicals, polymers, and specialty materials that shaped modern life.
One of the most enduring examples of this legacy is the Chambers Works site along the Delaware River in Deepwater. Established by DuPont in 1892 for the production of smokeless gunpowder, the facility played a critical role in early industrial chemistry and later contributed to wartime research efforts during World War II. Over time, the site evolved with the industry, transitioning away from explosives and dyes to modern chemical manufacturing. Today, under Chemours, Chambers Works produces advanced fluoroproducts used in applications ranging from semiconductors and textiles to agriculture and personal care; illustrating how New Jersey’s historic chemical sites continue to adapt to meet the needs of a changing world.
At its peak, New Jersey’s chemical industry directly employed well over 100,000 workers, supporting hundreds of thousands more across supply chains and related industries. These were high-skill, high-wage jobs that built communities and anchored the state’s economy.
Like much of American manufacturing, the industry has faced significant headwinds in recent decades. Global competition, rising energy costs, and regulatory complexity have reshaped production decisions. New Jersey’s industrial electricity rates, among the highest in the nation, have posed challenges for energy-intensive operations. As a result, some manufacturing capacity has shifted elsewhere, even as research, development, and corporate leadership have remained deeply rooted in the state.
Yet the business of chemistry in New Jersey has proven resilient.
Today, it remains the state’s largest manufacturing sector, generating more than $15 billion annually and directly employing approximately 47,000 people. These jobs pay an average wage exceeding $100,000, reflecting the technical expertise required in modern chemical manufacturing.
The evolution of New Jersey’s chemical industry has been matched by the growth of its collective voice. Founded in 1955, the Chemistry Council of New Jersey (CCNJ) has blossomed into one of the nation’s leading state trade associations, representing a diverse membership across chemical manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, and advanced materials. For decades, CCNJ has advanced sound public policy, supported science education, and promoted operational and environmental excellence. It serves today as a trusted partner to policymakers, regulators, and communities.
As America marks 250 years of progress, the chemical industry stands as a testament to the power of innovation to build and strengthen a nation. In New Jersey, that legacy is visible in every community shaped by industry, every breakthrough that improved lives, and every facility continuing to produce the materials that make modern life possible.
Chemistry helped build New Jersey and, with the right conditions, it will continue to shape its future for generations to come.
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