Basf Marks Master Builders Brand’s 100Th Anniversary

BASF Construction Chemicals has kicked off celebration of the 100th anniversary of its Master Builders brand, spanning chemical admixtures; concrete repair

BASF Construction Chemicals has kicked off celebration of the 100th anniversary of its Master Builders brand, spanning chemical admixtures; concrete repair and flooring products; and, 100-plus patents for technical achievements. Throughout 2009, Cleveland-based BASF Construction will highlight the people, projects and products that have made the brand a success, spotlighting activities via website at http://www.100yearsofchemistry.com.

Founded in 1909 by S.W. Flesheim, the Master Builders brand has been a construction market fixture since the introduction of its first product, a cement/iron floor topping mix broadcast on freshly placed factory-floor slabs. It replaced wood block systems and dramatically improved wear resistance and appearance of floors. The same innovative thinking led to the company’s first chemical admixtures, giving producers the ability to make uniform, predictable concrete. Today, the brand represents more than 150 products, including tried-and-true agents like the Pozzolith admixture and Mastercron cemetitious dry-shake surface hardener. Recent products and technologies include MasterFiber for extended service life and reduced maintenance; and, Glenium high-range water-reducing admixtures that can be regionally tailored for specific performance.

Over the past century, Master Builders products have been used in concrete landmarks including Hoover Dam, Sydney Opera House, and Toronto City Hall. Likewise, they have been important components in national infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, factories and public utilities. The people behind Master Builders products have solved challenges for organizations such as the California Department of Transportation with whom they developed a high-strength concrete that could harden in only four hours.