| THE HISTORY OF FORMICA CORPORATION |
The Fifties: The Formica Brand Comes of Age
Although World War II spurred its growth, the Company truly came of age in the booming peacetime economy of the post-war years. And in light of its new direction – away from industrial grade laminates and towards decorative surfaces –The Formica Insulation Company officially changed its name to The Formica Company in 1948.
In 1951, Formica Corporation responded to a surging market by opening a 1,000,000 square foot plant in Evendale, Ohio, devoted entirely to the production of decorative sheet material. That same year, sales reached $24.5 million, nearly double the wartime peak. In 1956, the Company was purchased by American Cyanamid and became Formica Corporation, a subsidiary of American Cyanamid.
The Company’s focus on decorative laminates inspired a myriad of new designs. In 1949, Formica Corporation introduced the Color Range, which included six patterns each in several colorways and ten solid colors all available in “both standard and cigarette-proof grades.” With the exception of Linen and Wood finish, the patterns were synthetic designs, often with a playful bent, reflecting America’s spirit of optimism following the end of the war.
Peace and prosperity ushered in an era of exuberant consumerism and explosive residential construction that transformed the American landscape. New suburbs seemed to appear overnight, neatly laid out with split-level ranch houses that boasted kitchens equipped with gleaming appliances and colorful laminate countertops and dinettes. By the early 1950’s, one-third of the new homes built in the U.S. used laminate – much of it Formica brand.
In 1953, The Formica Company commissioned Raymond Loewy Associates to update its color line. The popular Skylark, Pearl and Linen patterns were recolored and geometrics introduced for the new Sunrise line: Capri, an irregular mosaic and Nassau, a geometric of overlapping translucent tones. Loewy Associates also created Milano, a faux Italian marble in pink, yellow, black and gray. Soft pastels and neutrals proved to be the most successful colors in the line--Sky Blue and Calypso Red fell well behind Sea Mist, Honey Beige and Cameo in 1958 sales figures.
Formica Corporation had also started making custom colors and patterns. Designer Brooks Stevens—creator of the iconic Skylark pattern—used Formica laminates throughout the Hiawatha trains designed for the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad. From sleeping cars surfaced with linen finish, walnut and gray-green laminate panels to men’s and women’s lounges paneled in different Formica patterns, Brooks used existing and custom laminates to create a stylish individual look for each room.
By the end of the 1950’s, Formica brand laminates had become as much a symbol of Americana as roadside diners, drive-in movie theaters and soda fountains. Its glossy good looks complemented the glass, chrome and molded plastics that created the streamlined aesthetic of the day and its colorful, wipe-clean surface was attractive to the busy modern housewife. Few products were as well known – or ubiquitous -- as Formica brand laminates.
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