Dominion Colour Corporation (DCC) lays claim to over half a century of pigment making in North America. The company has transformed itself from a small Canadian operation, into a competitive, proud organization with a world-wide presence in the paint, plastic and printing ink industries.

    Incorporated in 1946 as a division of Canadian Wallpaper Manufacturers (CWM) making pigment dispersions for colouring wallpaper; it did not take long for DCC to develop a reputation for consistent high quality product and service. In 1952 an organic pigment manufacturing facility was built on a two-acre site in New Toronto. Never a company to rely on merit alone, DCC set a parallel growth course toward inorganic pigments, and in 1955 the facility was expanded to manufacture inorganic pigments covering chrome yellow, moly orange, zinc and strontium chromate.

    In 1968, CWM was acquired by Reed International, a pulp and paper company. DCC continued to grow and by 1970, a second plant was erected on a new site in Ajax, ON, dedicated to the production of chrome yellow and molybdate orange pigments.

    AUTONOMOUS AND INDEPENDENT

    Ownership of DCC changed hands in 1988 when Reed International sold DCC to Daishowa Forest Products. But that change was short-lived; in 1989 Kikuchi Color & Chemicals Corporation, a Japanese pigment manufacturer, purchased DCC.

    That was a pivotal event in DCC's history. For the first time, DCC became a totally autonomous organization in control of its future; also for the first time, DCC had owners that were in the pigment business, who understood its needs, technologies and markets. Independence and autonomy continue to be a competitive advantage for DCC because it has the ability to respond quickly to ever-changing market demands.

    PREPAREDNESS FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM

    From 1989 DCC underwent many changes to reposition itself for the new millennium.

    In the early 1990s, with the demand for lead chromate pigments declining in North America, DCC shifted the emphasis of its inorganic pigment business to Europe, Asia, and Latin America and increased its resources for organic pigments in North America. Today, DCC and Kikuchi sales of lead chromate represent more than 15 percent of world sales while the organics business which has been growing by over 10 percent p.a., now represents over 45% of DCC's total sales.

    In 1993, DCC decided to venture into the European market and established an independent network of distributors and agents throughout the region, with great success.

    To accommodate the growing demand for its pigments, both manufacturing sites at New Toronto and Ajax underwent the first of many changes in 1993-94 to automate and reposition the operations with the installation of state of the art drying, pressing and process control equipment.

    As part of a continuous quality improvement plan, DCC achieved ISO 9001 registration in November, 1995. In January, 1996, the company transformed its largest competitor in lead chromate into its largest customer when Cookson Pigments agreed to stop manufacturing these pigments and have DCC supply its requirements. And in an interesting role reversal, DCC purchased its parent company's US facility early in February, 1996, adding two new elements to the company's production capabilities - silica encapsulation of lead chromate and a firm presence in the US.

    1997 was a bellwether year as DCC purchased the order book of Cookson Pigments, as well as all rights to it's Krolor﹍ine of silica-encapsulated pigments. The importance of this to DCC's future was further emphasized when DCC invested heavily, expanding it's Ajax facilities to accommodate the manufacture of these high-performance products.

    In 1999 DCC purchased the manufacturing facilities of a small pigment manufacturer in Bromont, Quebec and restored it to operation.

    FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL PRESENCE

    DCC has expanded its sales network to over 70 countries around the world, with dramatic impact. In the last 6 years especially, sales have increased 20% p.a.. Today, over 80% of DCC's sales are exported world-wide.

    How has DCC accomplished so much in just a few years? It's no secret; a focus on quality and an aggressive work force dedicated to the success of the company.

    To improve customer service, the company implemented a Materials Management function in 1996 to better manage the flow of materials and improve the quality of product delivery to customers. To better address customers' technical needs, DCC implemented a strategy in 1996 of employing a field chemist.

    Changes throughout the company's history have been implemented with ease, in large part because of an open, participative management approach to business. Ideas from anyone in the organization are always welcomed.

    A CLEAR VISION OF THE FUTURE

    The corporation's greatest strength lies in its people and clear vision of the future. As it has done from the very beginning, DCC has set a growth course through the 21st Century. Its strategy is to provide colour to the world with a reputation for consistent quality excellence. With the calibre of people at DCC, the journey into the future will no doubt prove successful.