PLEXIGLAS® – Product History
The thesis written by Otto Röhm in 1901 formed the foundation for extensive development of plastics at Röhm & Haas in Darmstadt. His thesis was entitled "On the Polymerization Products of Acrylic Acid." The polymers obtained in the course of this research had properties between those of a tough, flexible glass and a rigid plastic.
| 1907 |
Establishment of Röhm & Haas company
 
Otto Röhm Otto Haas |
| 1911 |
Research commenced in the field of acrylics. |
| 1928 |
Methyl methacrylate was synthesized in the laboratory. |
| 1933 |
A method was found to cast methyl methacrylate between two plates of glass and to polymerize it inside this cell. The crystal-clear, hard and break-resistant plastic thus obtained was trademarked PLEXIGLAS®, and later termed PLEXIGLAS® GS. The trademark was registered the very same year. |
| 1934 |
Production of roughly DIN A4-sized sheets commenced. Initial applications were for cover glasses, watchglasses and lenses for protective goggles. |
| 1935 |
After intensive preparation, endeavors to increase the sheet size of PLEXIGLAS® GS were successful. Moreover, injection-molding compounds, the subsequent PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds, were developed. These were the basis for subsequent extrusion. |
| 1936 |
The first processing methods were developed for PLEXIGLAS®: first forming, then machining. This paved the way for applications as curved windshields for buses or streamlined automobiles, and later for aircraft canopies. Sheet scrap in the form of edge trimmings was used to manufacture household cutlery such as butter knives and egg spoons, by sawing, grinding or forming. |
| 1937 |
Röhm & Haas presented PLEXIGLAS® and its first fields of application at the World's Fair in Paris. These included a clear-transparent violin. The company was awarded the Grand Prix and the gold medal for its material. Aircraft glazing applications were launched. |
| 1940 |
The annual production of PLEXIGLAS® amounted to 1,750 tonnes, twice the quantity of the previous year. |
| 1947 |
After wartime devastation, PLEXIGLAS® began to be produced again in small quantities. |
| 1950 |
New fields of application opened up for PLEXIGLAS®, e.g. shop window displays, protective screens around machine tools, jointless tubes for conveyors etc. The procurement of raw material returned to normal after World War II. |
| 1955 |
Monomer production began at the Worms plant, with the aim of safeguarding the manufacture of PLEXIGLAS®. |
| 1956 |
Following the extrusion of corrugated sheets and tubes in 1952, the production of extruded sheets trademarked PLEXIGLAS® XT now began. |
| 1965 |
The first 2 m wide sheets were extruded. |
| 1969 |
The first factory unit with 18 extruders was opened at the Weiterstadt plant. |
| 1970 |
The construction company responsible for building Munich's Olympic Stadium chose PLEXIGLAS® GS for roofing the Olympic Stadium, purchasing 75,000 square meters of biaxially stretched sheets. |
| 1971 |
The first double-skin sheet was launched on the market. |
| 1991 |
A large extrusion unit was put into operation at the Weiterstadt plant. |
| 1995 |
A new fully automatic casting line for PLEXIGLAS® GS was inaugurated in Weiterstadt. |
| 1996 |
A new range of multi-skin sheets was launched for various applications: The "Tough" Sheet, The "Noble" Sheet, The "Cool" Sheet. |
| 1999 |
Following the launch of Degussa-Hüls, Röhm merged with Agomer and the production of acrylic was combined in Weiterstadt, Austria and Portugal. |
| 2001 |
PLEXIGLAS SATINICE®, a new range of satin acrylic sheets from the Acrylic Sheet Business Line, was the perfect response to the market trend and has been successful ever since. |
| 2003 |
The "PLEXIGLAS® It's Magic" campaign toured the world to inspire designers, introduce innovations to the market and relaunch the PLEXIGLAS® brand. |
| 2007 |
Independent test institutes confirm the outstanding weather resistance and freedom from yellowing of PLEXIGLAS®. This is the basis for a new, 30-year PLEXIGLAS® guarantee. |