Fairburn revolutionized U.S. match manufacturing by using sesquisulphate to produce matches rather than white phosphorus, which had been publicly condemned for leading to poisoning. Under Fairburn, Diamond Match controlled 90% of domestic match production and was closely allied with its British and European counterparts. In 1915, 100% of Diamond Match’s profits came from match sales. Fairburn diversified the company so that by 1940 only 50% of Diamond Match’s revenues came from match sales.