Brandt Books

"Growth Company: Dow Chemical's First Century," by E. N. Brandt, Michigan State University Press, East Lansing, MI, 1997. This 649 page hardback tells the story of Dow Chemical Company from its founding in 1897. Herbert Dow, the founder, was born in Belleville, Ontario Canada, where his father worked as a machinist, and later moved with his employer to Cleveland, OH. He graduated from Cleveland High School and was a member of the third graduating class of the Case School of Applied Science. There he did a senior thesis on the salt brines of Northern Ohio. He soon developed a process to recover bromine from brine. His first company, Canton Chemical failed. He then turned his attention to Midland, MI, where brines contained higher levels of bromine. His financing came from associates in Cleveland.

The Dow process apparently required oxidizing bromide in the brine to bromine and then blowing with air. Bleach, calcium hypochlorite, made by chlorinating lime, was the oxidizing agent. Chlorine and caustic soda were produced almost from the beginning by electrolysis of brine. Hence, chlorine and caustic soda were early basic Dow products, but Dow was unique in several ways. It located its facilities near the salt and made its own electricity. It sold caustic soda; chlorine was sold as derivatives. Initially bleach was the main derivative, but later carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, trichloroethylene (industrial degreasing solvent), perchloroethylene (dry cleaning solvent), vinyl chloride monomer, ethylene dichloride, hexachloroethane (Naval smoke screen agent), and chlorinated herbicides/pesticides (2,4-D, Agent Orange, DDT) were added. (Epichlorohydrin, epoxy resins, polycarbonate plastics, and isocyanates also fit in this family of chlorine derivatives.)

Prior to World War I, most chemicals in the US were supplied by European, especially German, chemical companies. Dow found its bromine business blocked by bromine cartels. A US cartel was affiliated with the German cartel. The Germans attempted to put Dow out of business by cutting prices in the US. But Dow countered by buying up German product and reselling it in Germany. A similar cartel was encountered in the bleach business. But bleach ended as a business for Dow when Penn Salt of Philadelphia began to ship rail cars of liquid chlorine in 1909. The cost of cylinders was considered prohibitive. Hence, Dow decided to sell other derivatives instead. Calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salt) followed.

During World War I, supplies of many chemicals were caught in the blockade of German ports. Dow and other US companies responded by undertaking production of needed chemicals. Dow made phenol, a raw material for artillery explosives. Dow also helped with mustard gas after the Germans introduced its use as a war gas in 1917. A process was developed reacting sulfur chloride with ethylene. The army ran equipment to make mustard gas at Midland. Two soldiers were killed after being exposed while repairing a failed lead lining in a rotating drum reactor. The ethylene was made by dehydration of ethanol.

Dow also developed a process to recover magnesium metal from brine. This light metal proved especially useful in the high performance engines used in racing in the 1920s (but it proved not strong enough for the high compression engines that came later). It was also used in flares during the war.

Dow's product line proved resilient during the Great Depression. No layoffs were necessary. Dow continued its research efforts and was able to hire first rate chemists as they graduated. Their continued research investment while others cut back gave them an advantage in the development of petrochemical processes, especially ethylene, styrene, and vinyl chloride. Hence, Dow was first in styrene monomer, needed in World War II for synthetic rubber, and first in polystyrene plastic. Polystyrene and vinyl are the two large volume commodity plastics. Dow was in on the ground floor of both. Polyethylene and polypropylene came later. Dow also made them.

The development of tetraethyl lead as a gasoline antiknock additive created a major market for bromine as ethylene dibromide, used to scavenge lead residue from the engine. Dow set up to extract bromine from seawater, initially (1933) in Kure Beach, NC, but that site proved costly to operate. Freeport, TX was selected as a second site (1940). At the time, oil companies flared natural gas to get to the oil they considered the product. Natural gas flares lit up the night between Freeport and Houston. Dow bought its first natural gas for $0.005/MMBtu in 1940. In 1968, gas in Texas was still available for $0.25/MMBtu. Now the price is $10.00/MMBtu.

Inexpensive energy, salt and access to transportation and pipelines soon made Freeport Dow's main production location. It also became the model by which Dow grew in the future with petrochemicals and plastics. The many unions on site and their turf battles resulted in strikes. After strikes two years in a row, 1955 and 56, Dow selected an alternative site in Plaquemine, LA in 1958. Initially it made vinyl chloride and propylene glycol, and it was an all salary location.

After World War II, Dow became a national chemical company supplying the nation from several plants. It also grew with the growth of plastics and petrochemicals. Beginning in about 1960, Dow became interested in international growth. The book describes this expansion in detail region by region and country by country. The typical pattern was to begin with a distributor who sold imported Dow products. Gradually, they were replaced with Dow salesmen and with Dow plants. Global growth of the basic industries continued through about 1980. Global operations exposes investments to local politics. At least one plant was nationalized in Chile.

In 1978, as its traditional businesses began to mature, Dow identified pharmaceuticals, consumer products and agricultural chemicals as attractive areas for growth. A series of acquisitions resulted in the formation of Marion Merrell Dow, which for a time was a major profit contributor. In the 1990s, drug companies began to merge to form global giants. That forced a decision to either buy and become a drug company or sell. Dow decided to sell to Hoechst, then the world's largest chemical company, who followed the opposite decision. Hoechst spun off their chemical operations (as Celanese and Clariant) and merged with Rhone Poulenc (whose chemical business was spun off as Rhodia) to form Aventis, now Sanofi-Aventis, a world scale drug company.

Dow's consumer product business was based on Saran Wrap, Dow Oven Cleaner, Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner, Ziploc bags, and related products. Texize products was acquired in 1985. The business became Dow Brands. (It was later sold to SC Johnson.)

Dow merged its agricultural chemicals business with that of Eli Lilly to form Dow Elanco in 1989. It remains a major business unit of Dow.

Having acquired Union Carbide, Dow is now the largest US chemical company and arguably the best managed chemical company. As such it can be regarded as a model of most US chemical companies. Most went through the same stages of growth from entrepreneurial founder, to family leadership, to professional management, and from regional, to national, to global businesses. Most relied on technology and low energy costs as drivers of profitability. One can easily understand Dow's interest in an LNG terminal at Freeport, to allow importing liquified natural gas at best available prices from the world market. One can also understand their interest in selling commodity chemicals businesses to OPEC interests. But a key question is how do you grow a giant company? Will ag chemicals alone be enough? (Monsanto and Dupont appear to be the ag leaders with gene modified seed businesses that reduce the need for traditional pesticides.) And do they have promising new ventures coming along to drive that growth? Rumors of possible sale of the company or taking it private seem justified.

Students of the chemical business will find this a fascinating read. Bibliography. Indexed.

This book is from the Heartsong Presents historical series, sweet historical romances in various settings with an inspirational theme. This particular book is set during the voyage of the Titanic in 1912.

Twenty-four-year old ship's stewardess Esther Mason is tired of waiting. For several years, she has had a relationship with fellow steward John Addison. But John is reluctant to give up the life at sea, and Esther wonders if he will ever want to marry her and settle down; it always seems to be just "one more voyage." Now, they have both been assigned to work in first class on the maiden voyage of the Titanic, and Esther knows she won't be able to avoid John forever; they need to find out where their relationship really stands. Meanwhile, Esther finds herself becoming involved with Philip Winslow, a wealthy passenger in first class. Philip had led something of a wild life, but finds himself drawn to Esther and wanting to become a better man for her. John sees what he thinks is a relationship developing between Philip and Esther, and fears the worst. Esther struggles to decide the right course for her life as the Titanic sails toward tragedy.

This was a pretty good historical romance that should appeal to readers fascinated by the story of the Titanic. It was rather predictable; it was pretty obvious to me what Esther's final choice would be. However, it's not really any more predictable than other romance novels. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy a sweet romance and who love to read books set on the Titanic.

"Behind The Mask" by Lauralee Bliss is a good story, but difficult to read because of the formality of the author's language. Dialog and commentary started out so uptight that I couldn't just read it for enjoyment. The plot was well-developed, though, so I stuck it out and managed to finish the story. I did appreciate the author's message regarding marriage and the commitment we need to have to our spouse.

In Gloria Brandt's "Yesteryear", Carillon, a troubled young woman, meets Jack, a summer tourist attraction employee. This is a sweet story about two people who need to deal with their pasts and forgive themselves. Jack's stutter makes him an even more charming hero.

"Love In Pursuit" by DiAnn Mills is a thrilling read that is over too quickly. Allison and Beau meet under tense circumstances and develop a relationship that neither of them expected. But before they can start planning their life, the crime that brought them together must be solved. Although predictable, the story is fast-paced and entertaining.

"Escape" by Kathleen Paul is the suspenseful story of "Daisy", a woman running away from her past, and Peter, the wealthy cattle rancher who comes to her rescue. Because of her feelings for Peter, Daisy begins to trust him with her past. But can they overcome the obstacles they face and have a future together? These pages turn so quickly, you can read it in one sitting! I loved the illustration used by the author to describe how a believer can go with a non-believer to the Throne of grace.

THIS WAS A EASY TO READ BOOK BY SOMEONE WHO HAS A GREAT HEART FOR GOD AND THE PEOPLE OF CHINA. I COULD ALMOST HEAR HIM SPEAK AS I READ THE ACCOUNTS TO MY CHILDREN. WE ENJOYED THE BOOK SO MUCH WE RECOMMENED IT TO MANY OF OUR FRIENDS.

This is a thoughtful autobiography from a visionary leader and statesman. Willy Brandt (1913-1992) of Germany was a liberal/socialist who fled into exile during Nazi rule, then returned to Germany after the war ended and became one of its most capable post-war leaders. Brandt was a humane visionary who led his nation and promoted détente with the Communist East. He resigned in 1974 due to a spy scandal, but lived to see the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989. In these pages Brandt recounts his life, his experiences as a journalist-in-exile, Mayor of Berlin, and Chancellor of West Germany. Brandt offers many insights into other nations including the USA. One wonders what wisdoms Brandt might provide us with in today's troubled era. My favorite sections concerned his life as a young socialist (but not a communist) who fled Hitler's Gestapo, changing his name from Herbert Frahm and living for years as an exile and journalist in Norway and then Sweden.

The book reads a bit stiffly in places due to the translation (thus I gave four stars). Still there is much interesting knowledge here from this very capable man.

I read this good book, here in Brazil.This book isn't longing or boring, but it is a little outdated, because it was published, more than 20 years ago.
As I wrote on the title of this review, this book is outdated and good, because americans and in fact, almost all the mankind, didn't do nothing really new, about venereal diseases.To example, writing about USA in first deacde of twenty century, on page 23:"The press reamined reticent on the subject of sexual diseases, refusing to print accounts of their effects".
On page 176, writing about american press and venereal disease in 1960 decade:"In 1964 NBC cancelled plans to air a two-part drama on two popular television series , "Mr. Novak " and "Dr. Kildare" in which a high school student contracted veneral disease."

I think that I'll be the only reviewer of this book, than I must show the table of contents of this book:
Introduction:Sex Disease and Medicine > Page 3.
I-"Damaged Goods":Progressive Medicine and Social Hygiene > Page 7.
II-"Fit to Fight":The commission on Training Camp Activities > Page 52.
III-"The Claenest Army in the World":Venereal Disease and the AEF>Page 96.
IV-"Shadow in the Land">Thomas Parran and the New Deal> Page 122.
V-Dr. Erlich's Magic Bullet:Venereal Desease in the Age of antibiotics > Page 161.
VI-"Plagues and Peoples":The AIDS Epidemic > Page 183.
Appendix > Page 205.
Note on sources > Page 206.
Manuscript Sources > Page 207.
Abbreviations > Page 209.
Notes > Page 210.
Index > Page 259.
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Failures of this book really exists.Some of them:
1-Has nothing about circumcision; it was also used "to prevent" veneral diseases in USA.
2-Being published in 1987, it is very outdated about AIDS.
3-Has nothing about anti-masturbation hysteria and its relation with doctors, clergy,etc.

After seven years, environmental poet Di Brandt has released her fifth book of poetry. She's won numerous awards for her writing including the CAA National Poetry Prize. Now You Care is a poignant piece with its message beginning with the cover: power lines with green skeletons. You can't help but be effected from beginning to end.

Now You Care is potent at times but deceptively safe. Brandt doesn't overstep any bounds into the grotesque. The flow of words is unhampered by periods giving it a feel of a conversation. Her imagery is vivid.

Brandt words stab at what we know is true but often ignore because we are so unaffected until our bubble is popped and someone we love or even ourselves is put through an ordeal for lives. While Brandt words can sometimes be harsh and distracting from the real issue they are a wake up call to the world around us. The world we all live in.

She talks a lot about breast victimization; it makes me wonder if someone close to her has lived through breast cancer for her to catch this topic by its heart. Now You Care isn't all doom and gloom, ok it mostly is.

Throughout I kept wondering if she followed her own advice or if she contributes to the breakdown of the environment like everyone else (I didn't see anywhere that the book was printed on recycled paper for instance.) Everything from the conglomerates to politics is fare game. Especially America and Bush ("the enemy, their king will release us from her untimely
abandonment, like the Pharoah, like Herod, like Hitler, like Bush...")

Now You Care is a wonderful read, a reminder of what we've done, what we should do and the cost of ignorance. At times it comes across a preachy but there's no way to approach the subject without that angle. Beautiful words, harsh lessons, worth reading. Reviewed by M. E. Wood

Although I've developed macros for years in MS Word, MS Excel, MS Access, and PowerPoint, this book still gave me new information and ways to accomplish tasks. The book is well worth the time to wander through. The only suggestion I have is that unless things have changed, PowerPoint has to dynamically create and assign macros to the buttons via the Auto_Open subroutine. An Add-In is created and loaded. This wonderfulness might have been briefly explained. But maybe the assumption is that folks know this already. I'm speaking from the perspective of a person who is new to PowerPoint macros.

As a horse owner, I was able to dive right into the many short stories within this outstanding book! From the "Immortal Horse" to the "Unloving Horse" each story touches the heart in a different way. Filled with glorious poems and well-known works of art. This is a book you want to keep on the coffee table to share with others!

This book explains various kinds of lens design. It starts right from the basics, like manufacture of glass, after that comes a chapter on aberrations and then the methods to correct those. A chapter on basic photographic lens types and at last a separate chapter on Modern Photographics lens design which continues till the end. At the end of the book, there is a big list of lenses made by various companies with technical details of focal length and maximum aperture. Those who are beginers and don't know anything about the technical aspects of lens design, I hightly recomend this book.