Tech Directions - January 2009 - (Page 11) maceuticals and high performance plastics. An international company with facilities in 50 countries, Solvay has about 3,400 employees at several manufacturing sites in the United States. References Gillispie, Charles Coulston (Ed.). (1975). Dictionary of scientific biography. Charles Scribner’s Sons Publishers. Rapaille, Mixime. (1989). Solvay—A giant. Didier Hatier Publishers. Library of Congress Participants at the 1927 Solvay conference ously mixed. Recycling the ammonia helped make his method cheaper than others. Solvay patented every stage of the operation and granted licenses to manufacturers in other countries. His was among the world’s first industrial chemical processes, and it is still called the Solvay Process. The business grew and by 1890, the company had plants in most European countries, Russia, and in America at Solvay, NY. The brothers showed early concern for the welfare of their employees. In 1878, long before it was standard, they provided health benefits for their workers. They established an 8-hour work day in 1897, and pensions and paid vacations in 1913. Alfred died in 1894 and Solvay founded the Institute for Social Sciences that same year. He also organized the International Solvay Institute for Physics and Chemistry conferences in 1912. The Institute met every third year, and the fifth conference in 1927 was particularly notable. It had 29 participants, of which 17 were or were to become Nobel Prize winners. Marie Curie and Albert Einstein were among those present. The group photograph is sometimes considered the most historic one of physicists ever taken. Dennis Karwatka is professor emeritus, Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology, Morehead (KY) State University. Solvay married Adele Winderick in 1863 and they had four children. He was twice a member of the Belgian Senate and a Minister of State. He enjoyed long walks and mountain hiking. Solvay became quite wealthy and used his wealth in many humanitarian ways. He constructed schools, hospitals, and libraries. He contributed liberally to universities and scientific researchers, including supporting the work of Curie. Sign outside Marietta, OH, Solvay plant Solvay led his company for almost 60 years before he died at the age of 83. In the early 20th century, Solvay’s company produced 90% of the world’s sodium carbonate, an inorganic chemical compound. It expanded into organic chemistry with phar- www.techdirections.com TECHNOLOGY’S PAST 11 http://www.softplan.com http://www.softplan.com http://www.techdirections.com
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