University of Wyoming
Koppers Company, Inc. was founded in 1912 by Heinrich Koppers who invented a sustainable version of the coke oven that recovered byproducts of coal tar to be reused. It also produced railroad ties and other products that would aid in the company’s business of railroad bridge construction and repair as well as wood preservation. In 1915, the company moved its headquarters to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During WWII, the government authorized Koppers to open a factory which then began to help produce synthetic rubber for the war effort. The company would continue to produce chemicals after the war, including expandable polystyrene, in addition to construction materials such as crossties, coal tar, and utility poles. The company also operated a steel plant in Chile.
In 1948, Fred C. Foy joined Koppers in 1948 as vice president and manager of the central sales department. He also served as chairman of the board until his retirement in 1970. Fletcher L. Byrom became president of Koppers in 1960 and the company’s CEO and chairman of the board between 1967 and 1982.
Collection contains biographical sketches of Fred C. Foy and Fletcher L. Byrom; an address by Fred Foy; and 3 pamphlets published by Koppers Company, Inc. regarding the future plans of the company, the history of the coking industry, and the history of the company’s steel plant in Chile.
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Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
This material was received from Koppers Company, Inc. in January 1964.
Koppers Company, Inc. Records, MSS 990, Heinz History Center, University of Pittsburgh.
Koppers Company records, 1893-1981, PSUA 548, Special Collections Library, Penn State.
The American Heritage Center is in the process of converting its older container lists to a more accessible format. This link is to an older version of a container list for 1 box.