Philadelphia Quartz Co. gets sodium silicate, derived from silica sand, shipped here to their plant, they then manufacture silicate of soda in its various forms. They are the main suppliers of liquid mineral adhesives for the plywood and composition industries. Exterior view of the plant's liquid storage tanks and office buildings.

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Storage tanks--Tacoma; Minerals; Philadelphia Quartz Co. of California (Tacoma);

Philadelphia Quartz Co. opened up their plant in Tacoma in 1941. They have an 8 acre fenced site that measures 80 x 90 feet. The auxiliary building and main office building is made of steel and they have liquid storage tanks on site. The company's headquarters are located in Berkeley, California. Exterior view of buildings and storage tanks, company sign is visible above the main entrance.

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Storage tanks--Tacoma; Minerals; Philadelphia Quartz Co. of California (Tacoma);

An aerial view of Philadelphia Quartz' plant on the Tacoma tideflats. Philadelphia Quartz, with its plants in Berkeley, Los Angeles and Tacoma, was the leading producer of soluble silicates. Its products were used in paper mills, soaps, detergents, high octane gasoline, plywood, corrugated boxes and television sets. Silicates were the unknown product that made modern conveniences possible.

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Minerals; Philadelphia Quartz Co. of California (Tacoma); Aerial photographs;

An aerial view of Philadelphia Quartz' plant on the Tacoma tideflats. Philadelphia Quartz was one of the leading producers of soluble silicates. The company had plants in Berkeley, Los Angeles and Tacoma. The silicates were components of the adhesives used in plywood production and corrugated paper board for the container industry. They were used in city and industrial waterways to clarify raw and waste water and stop rusting.

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Minerals; Philadelphia Quartz Co. of California (Tacoma); Aerial photographs;

An aerial view of Philadelphia Quartz' plant on the Tacoma tideflats. Belgian silica sand and California soda ash were chemically combined to provide a product sold largely in Tacoma but marketed also in other Northwest cities. Silicate of soda, water-glass to farm households, was used in adhesives for the plywood industry and corrugated paper-board for the container industry.

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Minerals; Philadelphia Quartz Co. of California (Tacoma); Aerial photographs;

An aerial view of Philadelphia Quartz' plant on the Tacoma tideflats. Since earlier in July 1952 the company has added another large tank on the left making a total of three and a smaller, vertical tank to the right of the main building and one at the far end of that building.

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Minerals; Philadelphia Quartz Co. of California (Tacoma);

The Philadelphia Quartz Co. of California plant's image is reflected in water, creating an optical illusion, in a February, 1953, photograph. Philadelphia Quartz was a chemical manufacturer located in the Tideflats area on Taylor Way. According to clippings from the NWR, it was established in Tacoma in 1942 and was the only sodium silicate plant in the state. It produced silicate of soda which was used as an egg preserver during World War II and also used in the manufacture of plywood, solid fiber and corrugated paper boxes. Charles W. Thomsen was listed in the 1953 City Directory as the superintendent of the plant.

Reflections; Philadelphia Quartz Co. of California (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Minerals;

Philadelphia Quartz Company, established in 1942, was the only sodium silicate plant in the Tacoma area. Belgian silica sand and California soda ash were chemically combined to obtain the product sold largely in Tacoma but marketed also in other Northwest cities. Silicate of soda, water-glass to farm households, was used in adhesives for the plywood industry and corrugated paper-board for the container industry. Televisions of the time required potassium silicates to produce the phosphor screen in the picture tubes. Philadelphia Quartz was headquartered in Berkeley, California. (TNT, 2/17/1948, p.6-A; 5/17/1954; 5/16/1955)

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Minerals; Philadelphia Quartz Co. of California (Tacoma);