An aerial view of the Durez facility in 1965.  From simple beginnings, with five employees in an upstairs 2-room loft on Young Street in Tonawanda in 1921, the company became an employer of nearly 1,100 men and women in an expansive plant on Walck Road. Harry M. Dent, the founder, selected North Tonawanda for his business enterprise because he considered it the center of the market area for plastics.  He came at a time when few people knew the meaning of the word "plastics," but he had the confidence that there was a place for mass production in the plastics field.  Originally, known as General Plastics, Inc., until September 1939, it then became known as Durez Plastics & Chemicals, Inc.  Durez produced quality plastics and became the largest manufacturer of phenolic resins and molding compounds in the world.  They also manufactured Hefron (R) polyester resins and Hetrofoan (R), a rigid urethane foam.  When Durez became part of the Hooker Chemical Corporation in April 1955, several million dollars was invested in plant improvements and expansions. It was the second largest of the 32 operating plants of its parent company, Hooker Chemical Corporation, in the United States, Canada and foreign countries.  The North Tonawanda facility was also headquarters for the Division with other plants in Kenton, Ohio, and South Shore, Kentucky. Throughout its history, Durez placed great emphasis on research, developing new and improved processes and products, and new ideas for existing products.

Courtesy of North Tonawanda 1965 Centennial Magazine, celebrating 100 years from the date of incorporation as the Village of North Tonawanda.