In the beginning it wanted to blow you away, now E.I. du Pont Canada Company is happy just to keep you clean, well fed, and safe from harm. The company, a subsidiary of chemicals behemoth E. I. du Pont de Nemours, has roots in the explosives industry but now makes more than 3,000 products -- from cleaning solvents to crop-protection chemicals to Kevlar (used in protective gloves, bullet-proof vests, and tires). Its products are sold worldwide and include brand names like Corian, Sorona, and Teflon. Subsidiary DuPont Liquid Packaging Systems (formerly called Liqui-Box) manufactures the packaging for boxed wine (among other, less-intoxicating products).

HELM is in control of its own ship. A marketer and distributor of chemicals, the company's products include fertilizers, insecticides, additives, pharmaceuticals, animal and human nutrients, and plastics. Founded at the turn of the last century and based in Germany -- with about 60% of its sales coming from Europe -- HELM has operations in more than 30 countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

Central Garden & Pet is happy to help with both pets and pests. The company is among the largest US manufacturers and distributors of lawn, garden, and pet supplies, providing its products to pet supplies retailers, home improvement centers, nurseries, and mass merchandisers from approximately 40 manufacturing plants and another 35 distribution centers throughout the US; it also has sales offices in the UK. Central Garden & Pet's proprietary brand lines include AMDRO fire ant bait, Four Paws animal products, Kaytee bird seed, Nylabone dog chews, Norcal pottery, Pennington grass seed and bird seed products, and TFH pet books. Chairman and CEO William Brown controls not quite 50% of the company's voting rights.

Little Sioux Corn Processors operates an ethanol plant in northwest Iowa. (It actually owns a 60% interest in the limited partnership that owns the ethanol facility.) The company converts bushels of corn into ethanol, distiller grains (used as feed for the dairy and beef industries), and corn oil. Ethanol is used as an additive to gasoline as well as a fuel enhancer for high-octane motors, and it burns more cleanly than normal gasoline thereby reducing carbon monoxide emissions. Little Sioux's production capacity is about 90 million gallons of ethanol annually, more than double its orginal capacity after successive expansions.

Turtle Wax would have been one of those kitchen table success stories, except Ben and Marie Hirsch concocted their polish in the bathtub. In the 1950s they changed the name of their company from Plastone Polish to Super Hard Shell and later to Turtle Wax. Now led jointly by their daughter Sondra Healy and son Denis John Healy Jr., the family-owned firm makes more than 1,250 products, including car waxes, polishes, and cleaners and sells them in 90 countries. Other products include engine treatments, vinyl and leather protectants, and odor removers. Turtle Wax also supplies bulk chemicals to car washes and operates some 20 car washes in the Chicago and Kansas City areas.

Cantol Limited is out to make a clean sweep. The company manufactures and distributes cleaning, maintenance, and specialty chemicals. Brand names include Aquapower (parts washing compound), Hi-Brite (metal finish cleaner), Ora-Clean (degreaser and deodorizer), and Rug Briter (carpet and upholstery cleaner). The company operates throughout Canada and throughout the Eastern Seaboard of the US. About half of its sales are in the US. The company has also been selling in China and in Mexico. President Elmer Snethen, through his company Snethen, Inc., has acquired nearly 91% of Cantol.

KIC Chemicals distributes food, pharmaceutical, industrial, and personal care products. A short list of distributed offerings includes castor oil and castor seed derivatives, fatty acids, soap and cosmetic ingredients, flavor and fragrance ingredients, glycerin and vegetable oils, industrial chemicals, and plasticizers. KIC also provides custom packaging and labeling services. The company was established in 1985. KIC Chemicals is owned by Edward Kort, the company's president.

Southwall Technologies Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets energy saving films and glass products for automotive and architectural markets worldwide. It offers thin film coatings on flexible substrates for the automotive glass, electronic display, window film, and architectural glass products. The company’s products include transparent solar-control films for automotive glass; anti reflective films for computer screens, including flat panel displays and plasma displays; transparent conductive films for use in touch screen and liquid crystal displays; energy control films for architectural glass; and various other coatings. It develops products to save energy and reduce carbon emissions in homes, buildings, and automobiles. The company also offers various products that control sunlight in automotive glass, reduce light reflection, reduce electromagnetic radiation, and improve image quality in electronic display products, as well as conserve energy in architectural products. Southwall Technologies sells its products to original equipment manufacturers, glass and window fabricators, and distributors through direct sales force and sales representatives. The company was founded in 1979 and is based in Palo Alto, California.

Zinkan Enterprises helps to make sure what's ore is mined, and also to mine what is ore. A manufacturer of specialty chemicals for the mining industry, Zinkan's line of organics (marketed mostly under its O'Brien Products brand) helps to lower moisture in mined ores. The company also makes aggregate and water treatment chemicals and acts as a distributor for specialty chemical company SNF Floerger. Zinkan has about 10 manufacturing and distribution locations in the US, mostly in the Midwest.

O'Neil Color and Compounding makes colorants and compounds for a variety of plastics used in packaging, bottles, toys, and horticultural and industrial products. It has about 20 advanced production lines and produces custom compounds such as flame retardant, anti-stat, and wear resistant materials for resin systems. The company is a subsidiary of Primex Plastics, which is itself a subsidiary of ICC Industries. It was founded in 1957 by Frank O'Neil.

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