- Great American Business Leaders of the Twentieth Century
Leo H. Baekeland
Bakelite Corporation
1909 - 1939
Chemicals & Industrial
b. 1863
| Education |  |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | University of Ghent |
| Graduate | PhD, University of Ghent |
| Personal | |
|---|---|
| Born-Died | 1863 - 1944 |
| Birthplace | Belgium |
| Race | White |
In 1907, Baekeland invented a high-quality synthetic substance that would change the lives of individuals and businesses forever – plastic (called Bakelite). Products produced with Bakelite were considered to be synonymous with high quality and durability – essentially becoming the 1920s and 1930s equivalent of “ built with Intel Inside.” Bakelite Corporation became the precursor to the formation of Union Carbide Corporation.