Union Sulfur

Union Sulfur did not take kindly to the threat from ASSC and responded with bold action. In 1904, the Americans dropped the price of sulfur from 26 per... 

Fortunately the Company [Union Sulfur] is owned by a few broad-minded and large-hearted men, who could not be induced to bring starvation and ruin upon the two hundred and fifty thousand people dependent upon the mining of sulfur in Sicily. 

A similar story had appeared earlier in an article on Union Sulfur by the New York Times (December 18, 1910) ... 

The Increase in value of the Union Sulfur stock from practically nothing to 12,003 a share Is due almost entirely to Mr. Frasch s Inventive mind and his ability to solve problems believed to be unconquerable. 

Frasch still passionately believed in his technology. Unlike his other ventures, Union Sulfur used a technology of his that was unique. The potential upside was staggering, if only... Determined as ever, Frasch himself proclaimed J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 4 (2), p. 137, 138 (1912)] ... 

Now, ten years from the patent filings, activity slowly resirmed at Calcasieu. Only 36 tonnes of sulfur were produced in 1900. Union Sulfur was not in good shape at the start of the new century. The company owed creditors 138,653. 

Since the inception of Union Sulfur, consolidated sulfur sales only added up to 67,327. 

Adding to their woes, the largest sulfur market, the manufacture of sulfuric acid, had disappeared in the U.S. When Frasch had filed his patent over 80% of the rapidly growing American sulfuric acid industry used elemental sulfur as its raw material. By 1901, 85% of the industry had switched to pyrites. The only major acid producers using elemental sulfur were Kalbfleisch (later purchased by Cyanamid in 1929) and Grasselli Chemical Company of Cleveland. Most of the sales of Union Sulfur had been through Petit Parsons in New York City for resale. Other shipments were made to a sulfite pulp mill in Wisconsin and fertilizer manufacturer in Meridian, MS. 

With the energy woes behind them, Frasch now had a chance, but he still had to get production up. Union Sulfur was still far fi-om being a successful company. In 1901, Union Sulfur produced 3,000 tonnes, better but still far from what was needed. The production was enough for Union Sulfur to be the largest producer of sulfur in the U.S. (which did not say too much). Sulfur sales were only a paltry 900 tonnes, valued at 12,000, in this year, and inventories stood at 2,000 tonnes. The next year was not much better, as the drilling of a new well ( 22) failed and total production only increased to 5,000 tonnes. Union Sulfur was still teetering on bankmptcy. 

Others attempted to undermine the pending success of Union Sulfur. In 1902 and 1903, several ventures tried and failed in the area using non-Frasch methods, including the Gladys Oil and Sulfur Company, the Louisiana Mining and Oil Company, the Vinton Oil and Sulfur Company, the Union Oil and Sulfur Company, and the Dirigo Oil and Sulfur Company. 

The year 1903 was the break-out year for Union Sulfur. The summer of 1903 saw four new wells, and production had risen to almost 25,000 tonnes. Union Sulfur was set to explode on the world sulfur scene. The first full year of success followed. In 1904, they were the second largest sulfur producer in the world, with 80,000 tonnes of production. This year is the most famous business milestone in the history of the sulfur industry. The Frasch technology had finally arrived. They had come a long way in the six years since the experts had written them... 

Those that had stayed with the company over the years became very wealthy from their investments. The major shareholders (90%) of Union Sulfur were ... 

Louis H. Severance ( 1848 - 1915) - Frasch s partner, who was treasurer of Standard Oil and Union Sulfur he had purchased the shares of Frank Rockefeller ... 

In 1905, Union Sulfur produced more than 200,000 tonnes of sulfur from Calcasieu. Over six hundred people were employed at the mine. The Louisiana sulfur first arrived in the New York market in July 1905 and had displaced Sicilian imports by the fall. By 1907, 30 sulfur wells were active. The sulfur world was forever changed. Not only was there a new producer, this one mine was producing as much as a hundred mines in Sicily at a fraction of the cost. 

Figure 4.7. Frasch company summary — Union Sulfur. Production from 1900 to 1913 in tonnes.

In 1928, Union Sulfur attempted to re-enter the sulfur business. On November 14, wells were drilled at Boling Dome, but Texas Gulf Sulfur out bid its com-... 

Union Texas Petroleum was the last of the successor companies to Union Sulfur. Union Sulfur did not fold when its sulfur reserves were depleted. When the mine first closed, Union Sulfur prospered becoming an oil and gas exploration and production company. A major source of revenue to the company was the oil reserves found at Sulfur Mine. For a long time they kept the name Union Sulfur even though no longer in the sulfur business. The company name later changed several times-Union Sulfur and Oil in 1950 Union Oil and Gas in 1955 Union Texas Natural Gas in 1960-before becoming part of Allied Chemical in 1962. Allied Chemical spun off the division in 1992, through an 840 million IPO. Union Texas Petroleum had sales of one billion dollars when taken over by ARCO (now part of BP) in May 1998 for 3.3 billion. This is what had become of the dream of Herman Frasch. 

Table 4.1. Frasch company summary - Union Sulfur production from 1894 to 1915 (1914 not available) in tonnes...

A great sulfur industry had been created by Herman Frasch, with Union Sulfur being the first member of this elite group. However, the time of this company, at least in the sulfur business, was relatively limited. 

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