American Cyanamid - Headquarters and Operating Facilities

Headquarters and Operating Facilities

The company moved from its New York City headquarters to Wayne, New Jersey during the 1960s, creating modernistic facilities on a forested site adjacent to a large reservoir and waterfowl preserve (currently occupied by Toys R Us).

Cyanamid had significant chemical manufacturing facilities in Bound Brook, NJ; Bridgewater, NJ; and Linden, NJ; and also near New Orleans, LA and Hannibal, MO. There were several small ammonia/urea/ammonium nitrate plants throughout the Midwest, producing fertilizers for agricultural use.

The medical operations were headquartered and had their main manufacturing and research facilities in Pearl River, NY. Agricultural operations were headquartered in Princeton, NJ. Titanium Dioxide was produced at a large plant outside of Savannah, GA. Toiletries were produced principally in Clifton NJ. Acrylic fibers were manufactured at a large facility outside of Pensacola, Florida from 1958 until 1994, when the plant was sold to Sterling Fibers, Inc. Phosphates (for fertilizers) were produced in Florida as well. Additionally, Cyanamid had smaller manufacturing and research facilities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, and other places.

Lederle Laboratories - maker of Centrum, Stresstabs vitamins and Orimune the Sabin oral polio vaccine - was Cyanamid's pharmaceutical division. Davis & Geck was the company's medical device operation. In consumer products, its Consumer Products division made Shulton products including Old Spice cologne and after-shave lotion, Breck shampoo and Pine-Sol household cleaner. Melmac was Cyanamid's trademark for plastic kitchenware.