Standard Chemical Company
Background of Standard Chemical Company, Limited
Pages
Background of Standard Chemical Company, LimitedThe SawmillThe Lumber Produced in South RiverThe Company RailroadThe Logging CampEfficiency and Sustainability of the Lumber OperationsThe Legacy of the Company For South River
Hand Drawn Postcard of the Standard Chemical Company South River, circa 1900 Details
The Standard Chemical Company was a medium sized business that produced chemical and lumber products from the wood
it cut from its own logging operations. From time to time wood may have bought from individuals or other businesses. In the 1920s the company's head office was in Toronto, with six plants in Ontario and four in Quebec. During World War I the company had success with its Chemical Department, which used cordwood to make wood alcohol, formaldehyde, and charcoal.
Postcard of Standard Chemical Factory, South River, circa 1920 Details
With less demand for these products in the 1920s, the company entered a transition period. It began to focus more on its lumbering operations. The South River operation had a sawmill added to its chemical plant to utilize the local forests.
Yard of the Standard Chemical Company, South River Details
The mill in South River was built beside the Grand Trunk Railway. The lumber was cut out of both soft and hard
wood logs. Cordwood was also logged for the chemical operation. The logs were bought from shopkeepers and farmers when available.
