Invention of Duct Tape

Extensive research debunks the myths and uncovers the facts about the invention of duct tape.

1. Invention of
Duct Tape
Invention of Duct Tape 1 Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker
Extensive research debunks the myths
and uncovers the facts about
the invention of duct tape.

2. If you do an internet search for the “invention of duct tape” or “history of duct tape”, you will
discover many websites and blogs that offer information on the subjects. You will also discover
that the story from each of these sources is almost exactly the same, picked up and passed along
from one to another with very little original research.

The story they tell, in a nutshell, is this: Duct tape was invented by a division of Johnson &
Johnson company in 1942 in response to a special request by the U.S. government for a waterproof
tape that could seal ammunition cases.

You will learn as you read the slides in this document that J&J played an important role in the
development of duct tape. But the credit for the first duct tape really belongs to a competitive
company that introduced the product in 1921. And the tape that J&J supplied to seal ammunition
cases in World War II wasn’t invented in 1942 by special request. It was actually introduced by J&J
in 1933 and was the idea of a famous inventor outside of the company.

Because of J&J’s role in developing duct tape several of the following slides provide information
about the J&J subsidiary responsible for industrial tapes. This subsidiary experienced several name
changes but was best known as Permacel Industrial Tapes.

The information contained in the following slides was researched over a period of several months.
It is presented in timeline fashion. Comments and questions are welcome and may be sent via
email to the researcher and author: [email protected]
Preface
2 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

3. 1845
First pressure- sensitive adhesive tape
invented.

Duct tape can trace its origins to 1845. In this year,
William H. Shecut and Horace H. Day are issued U.S.
patent No. 3965 for an “Improvement in Adhesive
Plasters.” In the 1800s (and through the 1930s)
fabric based, medical adhesive tapes are called
adhesive plasters.

The new adhesive plaster has two benefits over
existing products. Most importantly, it is the first
pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. This means that the
india-rubber based adhesive requires only light finger
pressure to adhere it to the skin. Previous adhesives
required heat activation prior to application. Second,
small holes are punched into the fabric backing. This
allows perspiration and excretions to escape from the
wound rather than be retained under the bandage. (1)

The rights to the patent are sold to Thomas R.
Allcock, a British born druggist living in New York.
He manufactures and sells the product as Allcock’s
Porous Plaster, which remains popular until the end of
the century
. (2)
3 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

4. 1899
Improved adhesive formula grows popularity of adhesive plasters.

Several new manufacturers enter the adhesive plasters market during the second half of the 19
th

century and the quality of the tape continues to improve. As popular as they are, the early tapes
often cause skin irritation.

The next major advance in the adhesive tape business comes in 1899 when Johnson & Johnson
adds zinc oxide to the adhesive formula. This sharply reduces skin irritation and gives the tape
much stronger sticking qualities. J & J calls their improved product Z.O. (Zinc Oxide) or Zonas
adhesive plaster. (3)

Competitors follow with their own versions and zinc oxide adhesive plasters become a common
household item. And as household penetration grows, consumers find more and more uses for
the tape other than medical applications. “Innumerable are the things…that may be mended
with it.” (4)
4 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

5. 1918
Manufacturers advertise adhesive
plasters for mending and repairs.

It’s the end of World War I, and major
manufacturers of medical supplies -- like
Johnson & Johnson and Bauer & Black -- are
beginning to run magazine advertisements for
their adhesive plasters.

The main message of the ads is not medical
applications, however. Instead, the ads tout the
“thousands of uses” that the tape has for mending
and repairing items around the house.

For more than twenty years, civilians have been
discovering the “thousands of uses” on their own.
Undoubtedly, WWI doughboys found even more
uses for the tape on the frontlines. Now it is time
for manufacturers to make everyone aware of this
versatile and utilitarian product.


5 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

6. 1918
Bauer & Black Claims Tape Is
“Strong and Enduring.”

Shown to the left, is an example of the
magazine ads run by Bauer & Black for
its adhesive plaster.

The ad explains: “This is a fabric tape,
one side of which is ever-sticky rubber.
Surgeons use it for attaching bandages,
for holding splints and strapping pains.
Millions of yards are used yearly for
every day repairs.”
Adhesive plaster is “A rubber-coated tape.
Strong and enduring. It sticks to anything that’s dry and stays stuck. It mends anything, and mends it firmly,
whatever the material.”
The ad lists and
illustrates several uses
for the tape.

6 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

7. 1918
J &J Claims Tape “Mends
Everything.”

Shown to the left, is an example of the
magazine ads run by Johnson & Johnson
for its adhesive plaster.

The ad is bordered by several
illustrations showing the tape in use.
The copy reads: “Zonas mends
everything. Every time you turn around
you find a new use for Zonas Adhesive
Plaster.” The ad lists several dozen
specific applications including: patching
electric wires and
connections, reinforcing the grips on golf clubs and tool
handles, stopping leaks
in rubber boots and
bicycle tires, and
weather sealing doors
and windows.
7 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

8. 1921
The first duct tape
is introduced by Bauer & Black.

B&B takes their standard adhesive plaster and adds
new positioning and improvements. This tape
deserves the distinction as the first duct tape for
several reasons:
> The product has a unique name, Tirro, and is spe-
cifically positioned as “The Ideal Mending Tape.”
> The tape is not one of the “old- style tapes” that
were “makeshift, made for something else.” In other
words, it is better than existing adhesive plasters that
are principally sold as medical tapes and secondarily
promoted for household repair and mending tasks.
> The fabric backing is “extra-strong.” *
> The fabric backing has been “…water-proofed to
form an impervious wrap.” *
> The rubber-based adhesive is “…ever-sticky. It
clings to any surface that is clean and dry.”
> The tape has been made a grey color to visually
differentiate it from existing white adhesive plasters.
> The product launch is supported in 1921- 22 with
an extensive print advertising campaign.

* Note: None of the advertising explains the “extra-
strong” or “water-proofed” claims in detail.
8 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

9. 1921-22
Examples of advertising for Tirro Mending Tape.

Shown here and on the next slide are several of the print ads
that ran in 1921- 22 to support the launch of Tirro Mending
Tape.
9 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

10. Invention of Duct Tape 10 Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

11. 1920s
Roll sizes very small compared to today’s duct tape.

The most common size of adhesive plaster sold in the 1920s is 1” x 1 yard, or about 36 square
inches. It is sold primarily in drug stores and is packaged in small metal tins to help keep the
rubber adhesive from drying out. If you search for “adhesive plaster” on ebay you will find many
of these vintage tins, with a variety of brand names, available for purchase.

11 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker
Today, a common size of standard duct tape is 2” x 60 yards,
or 4,320 square inches – exactly 120 times greater in size than
1920’s adhesive plaster.

Druggist endorsement from
1918 B&B magazine ad.

12. 1925
Masking tape is invented.

The first non-medical tape with pressure-
sensitive adhesive is introduced. It is a
paper-backed masking tape invented by
Richard G. Drew, a laboratory technician
with 3M Company in Saint Paul,
Minnesota. (5)

Drew is inspired to develop the tape after
observing the spray painting of
automobiles in a body shop. The shop
workers had been using off-the-shelf
adhesive plaster for paint masking with
very poor results. Drew’s patent
application describes the many “marked
objections” to the use of adhesive plaster
for this purpose. (6)

3M eventually licenses the right to make
masking tape to other manufacturers,
including Industrial Tape Corporation, a
subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson
Company. ITC will call their product
Permacel masking tape.
12 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

13. 1928
Tirro Tape disappears after B&B acquisition.

Bauer & Black is acquired by one of its major
competitors: the Kendall Company located in Walpole,
Massachusetts. Kendall makes B&B a division within
the company. (7)

B&B’s Tirro Tape has had very few references in
magazines or books since its initial advertising
campaign in 1921- 22. The fate of Tirro Tape after the
acquisition is unknown.

After World War II, around 1949, Kendall will
reorganize all of its industrial tapes into the Polyken
Industrial Tape Department, a business unit within the
B&B division. Polyken becomes a well known duct
tape brand and still exists today. (8)

13 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

14. 1930
Cellophane tape is invented.

The first cellophane-backed packaging tape with
pressure-sensitive adhesive is invented by Richard G.
Drew of the 3M Company. The product is called
Scotch brand Cellulose Tape (latter changed to
Cellophane Tape). (9)

Drew had observed the growing popularity of see-
through cellophane as a wrapping material for candy,
cigarettes and food products. He invents cellophane
tape as a quick sealing solution for cellophane that
doesn’t detract from the appearance of the package. (5)

3M eventually licenses the right to make cellophane
tape to other manufacturers, including Industrial Tape
Corporation, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson
Company. ITC will call their product Texcel
cellophane tape.

The invention of paper-backed masking tape in 1925
and cellophane-backed packaging tape in 1930 begins
to put a major dent into the use of cloth- backed
adhesive plaster for non- medical applications.
Cellophane tape, in particular, will become the go-to
tape for American households for mending and
repairing items during the Great Depression years.


Richard
Drew
14 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

15. 1930 (approximate date)
Famous inventor has idea for water-
proof adhesive tape.

Dr. Leo Baekeland is the famous inventor of
Velox photographic paper and Bakelite
plastic. Around 1930, he has an idea to make
water-proof surgical dressings and tapes.

He has recently visited a nursing home and
notices how dirty surgical dressings and tapes
become. They have to be removed often
merely because they collect dirt on the
outside. “It occurred to me,” recalls
Baekeland later in 1935, “that washable
plasters and dressings would be a great boon. We can treat woven fabrics with flexible phenolic
resinoid which will stand washing with soap, or other cleaning compounds.”

Baekeland has “another idea” for a water-proof fabric that is processed with a special Bakelite
resinoid. It could be used for raincoats, book covers, garden upholstery and shower curtains and
would be better in several ways to rubber-treated fabrics.

Baekeland begins experimenting and testing these concepts. He calls the plastic- coated, water-
proof tape Drybak and refers to the fabric as Revolite. Soon, Baekeland will take these ideas to
Johnson & Johnson Company, a leading producer of medical products and located very near the
Bakelite Corporation headquarters in New York. (10) (11)
15 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

16. 1932
Johnson & Johnson introduces Drybak..

The collaboration between Bakelite Corporation and Johnson &
Johnson comes to fruition with the introduction of water-proof, Drybak
adhesive plaster. Also launched is a Band-Aid version of the product
in a new “sun tan color to be less conspicuous.” Both companies
promote the new product with advertising.

A short article in the new products section of Business Week says, “Johnson & Johnson
think their new Drybak adhesive plaster is the greatest advance in such things in 25 years.
The backcloth is a special fabric, impregnated
to be waterproof. The smooth surface and
suntan color make it stay clean longer. The
waterproof factor makes it useful outdoors as
well as surgically.”
16 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

17. 1932
J &J forms Revolite Corporation; introduces Revolite fabric.
Revolite Corporation is formed as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Johnson & Johnson Company.
Its mandate is to collaborate with the Bakelite Corporation to develop, produce and market a new,
waterproof fabric called Revolite. The product is introduced later in the year. An article in the
Rubber Journal is typical of the coverage in many trade magazines at the time: “A new, flexible,
water-proof cloth called Revolite just made its debut in the USA. It is the result of extensive research
in the laboratories of the Revolite Corporation of New Brunswick…..and the Bakelite Corporation.
A year ago, the Johnson &
Johnson Company introduced the
Drybak Band-Aid, a surgical
dressing that is waterproof and
inconspicuous in colour. It met
with instant favour, and sales
have been increasing steadily.
Following the success of the
Band-Aid, the same process, with
some slight variations, has now
been adopted by the Revolite
Corporation for manufacture of a
flexible, waterproof fabric. In
treating the cloth, Bakelite
Resinoid is forced into the
material, so that it becomes an
integral part of the fabric.”
17 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

18. 1933
Revolite Corporation introduces an improved duct tape called Utilitape.

The Revolite Corporation’s first priority is to work with the Bakelite Corporation to develop a
waterproof fabric, but it is also charged with the responsibility to create a line of industrial tapes
for the company. This effort had begun six years earlier, in 1927, within a division of J&J.

Revolite inherits from J&J a few existing tapes to begin its product line. The oldest one is called
Nurserymen’s tape which is a cloth wrap used for tree grafting.

Two tapes are cloth-backed masking tapes sold to auto body shops. One is called Jonflex tape and
the other Industrial tape. Jonflex is a fine cloth masking tape and Industrial is similar but with a
heavier and coarser back cloth for heavy duty jobs.

Now, the corporation introduces a new tape called Utilitape. The backing for the tape is Revolite
fabric that is coated with a rubber-based adhesive and slit into various widths and lengths. True to
its name, the product is positioned as a general utility tape for household and sports use. It is also
offered in a variety of colors. (12)
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19. 19 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker
1937
Revolite Corporation changes name to Industrial Tape Corporation and sells its
fabric business.

Revolite Corporation sells its Revolite fabric business to Atlas Powder Company,
Wilmington, Delaware. In 1955, Atlas Powder sells the business to Raybestos-
Manhattan, Inc.

Revolite Corporation refocuses its efforts on the development of a line of industrial
tapes. The company also announces that it will change its name to Industrial Tape
Corporation (ITC). The name change is to be effective January 1, 1938. ITC will
continue as an independent subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson Company. (13)

20. By this time, ITC’s product line has expanded to
include the following tapes:

> Jonflex – fine cloth masking tape
> Industrial – coarse cloth masking tape
> Permacel – paper backed masking tape
> Utilitape – waterproof cloth utility tape
> Electape – Bakelite coated, cloth electrical tape
> Metacel – metal foil backed tape
> Texcel – cellophane backed transparent tape
20 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker
1941
Tape production redirected to war effort.

At the start of World War II, U.S. manufacturers redirect their production lines to the needs of the
government and the war effort. This includes all the major makers of adhesive tapes including 3M
Company and Industrial Tape Corporation (ITC).

21. Duct tape legend #2
Soldiers often use duct tape for
emergency repairs of weapons and
equipment on the front lines.

Duct tape legend #3
Duct tape is originally called Duck
tape by the soldiers in World War II.
21 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker
World War II
Duct tape legends.

Several legends about the invention and history of duct tape emanate from World War II. These stories
have been picked up and passed along from writer to writer with very little original research. The next
several slides will examine three of the most frequently published legends:

Duct tape legend #1
Duct tape was invented by a division of Johnson & Johnson in 1942 in response to a special request by
the U.S. government for a water-proof tape that could seal ammunition cases.

22. Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker 22
World War II
Duct tape legend #1:
Duct tape is invented in 1942 by a
division of Johnson & Johnson.

Industrial Tape Corporation runs a magazine
advertising campaign in 1945 with the
headline “Do you know…?” The ads high-
light the many wartime uses for its tapes and
suggest post-war applications. One of the
ads is shown to the left. Several additional
ads in the campaign are shown on slide 24.

An examination of the ads brings into ques-
tion one of the frequently published legends
about the origins of duct tape, that is: Duct
tape was invented by a division of Johnson &
Johnson in 1942 in response to a special
request by the U.S. government for a water-
proof tape that could seal ammunition cases.

The ads tell a different story. The ads feature
off-the-shelf Jonflex (introduced in the mid-
1920s) and Utilitape (introduced in 1933) as
the tapes used for sealing cases and for
several other uses.

23. The often cited story that duct tape was invented by a division of Johnson & Johnson in 1942 in response
to a special request by the U.S. government ….is not true.
A J&J ad campaign in 1945 features off-the-shelf Jonflex tape and Utilitape (introduced in the mid-1920s
and in 1933, respectively) as the tapes used for sealing ammunition cases and for several other wartime
uses.

23 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

24. 24 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

25. World War II
Duct tape legend #2:
Soldiers often use duct tape for emergency
repairs of weapons and equipment on the front
lines.

Undoubtedly, some type of tape is used for this purpose.
Probably anything they can get their hands on. However,
there is no evidence in the J&J ad campaign, or elsewhere,
that Jonflex or Utilitape is issued to soldiers or is available
for their use on the battlefield.

More likely, the tape that soldiers use is standard, medical
adhesive plaster that is packed into most first aid kits. One
example of this tape, manufactured by J&J, is shown to the
left. Dimensions of 1 inch wide by 5 yards long is the
standard spool size. Several other manufacturers also
supply adhesive plaster and medical supplies.

German soldiers carry a similar first aid tape called
Leukoplast made by Beiersdorf AG. Beiersdorf introduced
this zinc oxide adhesive plaster in 1901, two years after
J&J’s “Z.O.” plaster. (14)
25 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

26. This legend claims that the Duck name comes about because the tape’s backing is made
of cotton duck cloth. Or, it is called this because water rolls off the tape like it does off a
duck’s back. An extensive search produced no evidence to support this story. Three
different books written specifically on WWII terms and slang were consulted. (15) (16)
(17) There is no mention of Duck tape . There is no mention of Duct tape, either. That
moniker comes about in the 1950’s when the product is repurposed from carton sealing
to duct sealing (see slide 29).
26 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker
World War II
Duct tape legend #3:
Duct tape is originally called Duck tape by the soldiers in World War II.
The fact is that when many people pronounce the words “duct tape” the “t” at the end of duc t and the “t” at the
beginning of tape are pronounced as one, and it sounds more like “duck” than “duct”. An American company
has taken advantage of this tendency to mispronounce the words and has registered the trademark Duck Tape
for use on its duct tape product line.


The term Duck tape was sometimes used in the
early 1900s and referred to long strips cut from
duck cloth, commonly called canvas outside of the
textile industry. The strips were used to reinforce
rubber machinery belts and hoses, insulate electrical
cables and help protect suspension bridge cables.
All of these applications used plain duck cloth strips
without a layer of applied adhesive. Depending on
the intended use, the duck cloth strips were often impregnated with rubber, linseed oil, tar or other compounds.
This illustration from a 1902 newspaper article shows
how 7” wide cotton duck strips were wrapped around the
suspension cables of the new Manhattan Bridge. (18)

27. Post-World War II
Cellophane tape is the household
favorite for mending and repair.

During the 1930s, cellophane tape gradually
replaces adhesive plaster as the household
favorite for mending and repair. Although it
doesn’t have the strength of a cloth-backed
tape, cellophane tape’s clarity makes it a better
choice for many light- duty taping tasks.

After World War II, 3M Company invests
heavily in advertising the return of its Scotch
brand cellophane tape. Packaging has a new
and distinctive plaid design and the brand has a
new cartoon spokesperson: Scotty McTape.
Industrial Tape Corporation also focuses advertising on its Texcel brand cellophane tape. It fast- follows the leading Scotch
brand by adding a candy-striped design to its packaging and
adopting a cartoon spokesperson named Tex.
27 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

28. Post-World War II
Cloth-backed tape returns for
mending and decorating.

After the war, cloth-backed tape returns
to American households in the form of
short-length rolls in a variety of colors.
The article, shown to the left, from the
January 1954 issue of Popular Science,
illustrates several of the tape’s uses.
Colors are a primary selling point… use matching colors for inconspicuous
repairs, use contrasting colors for
decorating.

Plastic- backed adhesive tape (similar to
electrical tape) is also popular in short-
length rolls and a variety of colors.
28 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

29. Post-World War II
Heavy-duty, cloth-backed tape is
marketed for duct sealing.

After the war, the demand for heavy-duty, cloth
tape for case sealing is greatly reduced.
Manufacturers soon identify a possible new
application and begin to market the tape for
sealing the joints in heating and air conditioning
ducts. The originator and exact date of this idea
is uncertain.
29 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker
In the late ‘40s and early ‘50s there is a housing boom stimulated by easily
affordable mortgages for returning members of the military. The majority of
the new homes are being built with forced-air heating and cooling systems.
The tape appears to work well for sealing seams in the ductwork because the
heavy adhesive acts like a gasket to seal off air leaks. The tape is made in a
silver-gray color to match the color of galvanized sheet metal.

It takes some time, however, for the name “duct tape” to gain popularity.
Manufacturers’ sales literature and trade articles through the 1950s refer to
the product by the more generic descriptor “cloth tape”. (19) By the mid-
1960s, the name “duct tape” begins to catch on. The mid-1960s is when the
first Baby-Boomers became adults and home owners. It is the start of the do-
it-yourself (DIY) era for home projects. There is also rapid growth in hard -
ware and home center stores that stock masking, strapping and duct tapes.

30. 1953
Industrial Tape Corporation changes name
to Permacel.

In its previous 1945 advertising campaign,
Industrial Tape Corporation begins using the
trademark Permacel as an umbrella brand for all
of its industrial tapes. The exception is Texcel
cellophane tape that is described as a
“companion” product. In 1953, ITC officially
changes the company name to Permacel Tape
Corporation (PTC). Permacel continues as an
independent subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson
Company. (19)

1956
Permacel Tape Corporation makes an
acquisition and changes name.

Permacel Tape Corporation acquires Lepage’s
Inc., headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts,
a manufacturer of glues and adhesives. The
company changes its name to Permacel-LePage’s
Inc., but it is short- lived. In 1960, the LePage’s
product line will be sold to Papercraft Corporation
and the name reverts back to the original. (20)
30 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

31. 1959 (approximate date)
New, less costly duct tape construction is
introduced.

In the late 1950s, a new and less costly duct tape
construction is introduced. Instead of coating the
cloth backing to make it waterproof, a third layer
of polyethylene film is laminated to the backing.

Initially this new construction is made in two
stages: first laminating the film to the backing, and
then coating it with pressure- sensitive adhesive.
Later, these two steps are combined and duct tape
is made with a single pass through the equipment.
This is the duct tape people are familiar with
today. (21)

Manufacturers can achieve different
quality/strength characteristics for the finished
tape by varying one or more of the following:
1.thickness of polyethylene firm
2.type of cloth
3.amount of adhesive coating
Polyethylene film
Cloth backing
Adhesive
31 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

32. Apollo 13 is the seventh manned mission in the
Apollo space program and the third intended to
land on the moon. The lunar landing is aborted,
however, after an oxygen tank explodes.

The explosion forces the crew to use the lunar
module as a “lifeboat” to return to Earth. One of
the many problems that develops is the inability to
remove carbon dioxide from the air. Fortunately,
people on the ground anticipate the problem, and
after a lengthy brainstorming session, come up
with an answer.

They design a supplementary carbon dioxide removal system using only items that are available
on the spacecraft. Following instructions from
mission control, the astronauts take about 1 hour to
build the device out of plastic bags, cardboard,
parts from a lunar suit and a lot of duct tape. In
the words of Jim Lovell, "The contraption wasn't very handsome, but it worked.” (22)

1970
Apollo 13 astronauts use duct tape for
emergency repair.
32 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

33. 1982
J & J sells Permacel business.

Johnson and Johnson sells its Permacel
subsidiary to Avery International Corporation, a
California company best known for its adhesive
labels business.

Subsequently, in 1988, Avery sells Permacel to
Nitto Denko Corporation, a Japanese company.
In April 2004, Nitto Denko closes the 75 year old
Permacel manufacturing facility in North
Brunswick, New Jersey. (23)

In October 2009, Nitto Denko announces that
the Permacel brand name will be discontinued
with all tapes converting to the existing Nitto
Tape brand.
Permacel manufacturing plant in
North Brunswick, NJ.
33 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

34. 1998
Testing finds duct tape performs
poorly at duct sealing.

An article in the July/August issue of Home
Energy Magazine reports on laboratory
testing of various materials for effectiveness in sealing heating/cooling ducts.

The report concludes, “Most duct leakage
could be prevented with proper duct sealing.
But field examinations often find seals
failing over time. To provide lab data about
which sealants and tapes last, and which are
likely to fail, we are conducting ongoing
accelerated testing at Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory (LBNL).”

“ The major conclusion we can draw so far is
that one can use anything but duct tape--if
we define duct tape as fabric- backed tape
with rubber adhesive--to seal ducts. Under
challenging (but realistic) conditions, duct
tapes fail. Other kinds of tape and other
sealant methods have good longevity when
installed properly.”
“Lawrence Berkeley National Lab has now tested over a dozen
types of duct tape. There are several qualities--Economy,
Utility, General Purpose, Contractors, Industrial, Professional,
Premium and even Nuclear. However, accelerated testing
shows that fabric-backed tape with rubber adhesive, on its own,
tends to fall off, as shown here.”
34 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

35. 2003
Duct tape recommended for protection from
terrorist attack.

On Friday, February 7 the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security raises the national threat level
from yellow to orange, indicating a “high” risk of
terrorist attack.

On the following Monday, the Department urges
citizens to prepare for a biological, chemical, or
radiological attack by assembling a “disaster
supply kit” including duct tape and plastic sheeting
to seal windows and doors. The recommendation
causes a surge in demand for duct tape and all the
other items recommended for the kit.

35 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

36. 2013
Duct tape nearing 100 years old.

Duct tape was first introduced by Bauer & Black
Company in 1921 as Tirro Mending Tape. It is now
over ninety years old. During that time, its popularity
has continued to grow. A national survey conducted
by the Gallup Organization in 2003, reported that
59% of respondents claimed to have duct tape in their
house. (24)

Television personality Red Green called duct tape
“the handyman’s secret weapon.” Today, it has
become equally popular with hobbyists and artists due
to its wide variety of colors and patterns.
36 Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker

37. Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker 37
Notes
(1)Shecut, William H. and Day, Horace H. “Improvement in Adhesive Plasters.” US Patent 3965, issued March 26, 1845.

(2)“Allcock’s Porous Plasters.” The Quack Doctor: Historical Remedies For All Your Ills. http://thequackdoctor.com/index.php/allcocks-


(3)Foster, Lawrence G. Johnson & Johnson - A Company That Cares. New Brunswick NJ: Johnson & Johnson, 1986. p. 93.

(4)"Many Uses of Adhesive Plaster." The New York Times. October 23, 1910. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html
?

(5)Huck, Virginia. Brand of the Tartan - The 3M Story. New York: Appelton, Parsons & Company Inc., 1995. pgs. 157- 181.

(6)Drew, Richard G. “Adhesive Tape.” US Patent 1,760,820, filed May 28,1928, and issued May 27, 1930.

(7)Kendall, Henry P. 1953. “The Kendall Company: 50 Years of Yankee Enterprise 1903-1953.“
http://www.walpolelibrary.org/walpolenew/history/hpeoplekendall.htm


(8)"Polyken Distribution System." Industrial Marketing, 1952.

(9)Drew, Richard G. “Adhesive Sheeting.” US Patent 2,156,380, filed February 18, 1938, and issued May 2, 1939.

(10) Roberts, Cecil. Gone Sunwards. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1936. pgs. 220- 236. Cecil Roberts is a well-known English
journalist, novelist and writer of travel books. Gone Sunwards chronicles his trip to Miami in the winter of 1935. In a chapter
titled “The Wizard of the Bay” he recalls an afternoon spent with Leo Baekeland at his estate on Millionaires’ Row. It is during
this visit that Baekeland tells Roberts of his idea for waterproofing bandages and fabric by treating them with a special Bakeli te
resinoid.

(11) Baekeland, Leo H. 1935. “Impress of Chemistry Upon Industry – Bakelite. An Example” Industrial and Engineering Chemistry.
May Issue. p.542 In this journal article, Baekeland again recalls the genesis of his ideas for Drybak bandages and Revolite fabric.

(12) Several trade publications, such as Advertising & Selling, Hardware Age, and Plastic Products, announce the launch of Utilitape .
The wording of all the announcements is very similar and likely comes from a Revolite Corporation press release.

38. Invention of Duct Tape Copyright 2012 G.L.Kiecker 38
Notes

(13) Several trade publications, such as Electrical World, Paper Trade Journal and Hardware Age, announce the name change to Industrial
Tape Corporation. The wording of all the announcements is very similar and likely comes from a Revolite Corporation press release.

(14)
“Beiersdorf AG History.” FundingUniverse. http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/beiersdorf-ag-history/

(15) Taylor, Marjorie. The Language of World War II. New York: The H. W. Wilson Company, 1948.

(16) Dickson, Paul. War Slang. Washington D.C.: Brassey’s Inc., 2004.

(17) Rottman, Gordon L. FUBAR: Soldier Slang of World War II. Long Island City NY: Osprey Publishing, 2007.

(18) "Wrapping on Cables of the New East River Bridge." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle 21 Nov. 1902: 15. Web.
http://eagle.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/Default/Scripting/ArchiveView.asp?skin=BEagle&AppName=2&GZ=T&BaseHref=BEG%2F1902
%2F11%2F21&PageSize=3&enter=true&Page=15

(19) Gerstel, Martin H. “Pressure Sensitive Tapes.” In Adhesives and Sealants in Building, pgs. 23 -26. Washington D.C.: Building Research
Institute, 1958. At the end of the article, Martin Gerstel is identified as Product Manager for Permacel- LePages Inc.

(20) Several trade publications announce the 1953 and 1956 name changes.

(21) Johnston, John. Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tapes – A Guide to Their Function, Design, Manufacture, and Use. Northbrook, Illinois:
Pressure Sensitive Tape Council, 2000

(22) “Apollo 13 Mission.” Lunar and Planetary Institute.
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/missions/apollo/apollo_13/
(23) Kohlhepp, Jennifer. 2004. “Permacel Closing Will Affect 150 Workers.” North Brunswick Sentinel, April 22, sec. A
(24) Carlson, Darren K. 2004. “Fewer Americans Preparing for Terrorist Attack.” Gallup.com. http://www.gallup.com/poll/11578/fewer-
americans-preparing-terrorist-attack.aspx