American® Tape Celebrates 65 Years!

Founded in 1953 by Chris Kurzweil Sr. in Port Huron, Michigan, American Tape grew moderately in its first ten years while providing a paper masking tape line to the automotive manufacturing firms in the Midwest.

Founded in 1953 by Chris Kurzweil, Sr in Port Huron, Michigan

After moving to Marysville, Michigan in 1963, American Tape expanded and changed ownership several times until joining the IPG family in 1997 (while retaining the American® brand name). Today, IPG Marysville produces a large variety of masking tapes, flatback and reinforced (filament) tapes sold around the world. The high temp masking tapes are still highly recognized and well known in the Automotive Market.

During WW2, IPG Marysville's current location was a magnesium plant owned by a defense corporation

The plant consists of several coating lines and slitters, along with equipment to mix and make adhesives. Approximately 250 employees represent IPG Marysville, ranging from Manufacturing and Shipping, to R&D, Accounting, IT, Purchasing, Engineering, Marketing, Customer Service and more.

Timeline

1953 – American Tape founded by Chris Kurzweil, Sr in Port Huron, Michigan
1963 – Moved to Marysville, Michigan for expansion
1965 – Purchased by Armour & Company
1969 – Purchased by Greyhound – name changed to Armour Greyhound
1971 – Sold to Akzona – name changed to Armak
1983 – Sold to private investors including Chris Kurzweil, Jr – name changed back to American Tape
1990 – Sold to Seoul Trading Company (STC) – still called American Tape
1997 – American Tape joins IPG family – name changed to Intertape Polymer Group but American Tape brand is retained
2018 – American Tape turns 65!

A Year of Disasters – What Comes Next?

2017 has been a very tough year for the United States with weather-related damage and natural disasters impacting practically the entire nation. Flooding, hurricanes, fire, and tornadoes have impacted more than half the people in the US and its territories. Disasters like these inevitably lead to property damage and even worse–human and animal health problems such as “mold cold,” infections, antibiotic-resistant injuries, meningitis, Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) and even PTSD.

Moody’s Analytics estimates that hurricanes Harvey and Irma alone may cost the US economy $150-200 billion in damage and lost productivity, not to mention health-related costs.

Remediation (abatement) and restoration companies are responding to these disasters. They are setting up temporary locations and fortifying existing locations in the areas impacted by the disasters. Response has been tremendous.

Cleaning up and providing adequate safety measures are essential to the response. Items such as polysheeting and tapes are used to help provide safe conditions and limit exposure by helping to contain the harmful toxins such as mold, asbestos (exposed in old building materials that have been damaged) and fungi. Versatile tapes such as duct tape, polyethylene (PE) tape and masking tapes are essential in hanging barriers, sealing containment areas and tying up bags filled with old building material and waste.

To learn more about the appropriate tape solutions to use in disaster clean-up, see IPG’s Remediation & Restoration page.

Jeff Coats

Director - Market Development
Intertape Polymer Group