Top 5 Companies Owned by DuPont

What Are the Top Five Companies Owned by DuPont?

E.I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company was founded in 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Éleuthère Irénée du Pont. Most of us know it by its more common name, DuPont (DD). The American conglomerate is one of the world’s largest producers of chemicals and science-based products.

Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, DuPont is responsible for developing innovative materials such as Teflon, Mylar, Dacron, Lycra, and Orlon. In August 2017, the company merged with Dow Chemical, forming DowDuPont. The two split in 2019, which was the same time that DuPont spun off its agricultural chemicals into a separate company. The result was three separate companies: Cortiva, Dow, and DuPont.

Acquisitions aren’t new to DuPont. In fact, it has acquired a number of companies over the years that continue to help it grow its broad range of science-based products. The following is a list of the top five companies under the DuPont umbrella.

1. Danisco

• Acquired: 2011
• Purchase Price: $6.3 billion

Danisco A/S was established in 1989. It is a Danish-based biotech company with a range of “specialty food ingredients, including enablers, cultures and sweeteners.” Danisco specializes in producing enzymes that are used to preserve foods and make biofuels.

Now operating under the name DuPont Danisco, it is one of the largest producers of the thickening agent guar gum and the gelling agent carrageenan, which adds texture and stability to dairy desserts, processed cheeses, and jellies. The company claims that its ingredients are in much of the world’s ice cream.

This company also develops many natural enzymes and antioxidants that preserve the shelf life of food worldwide.

2. Pioneer

• Acquired: 1999
• Purchase Price: $7.7 billion

Founded in 1926, DuPont Pioneer is a large U.S. producer of hybrid seeds for agriculture. The Iowa-based company is one of the largest producers of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), specializing in genetically modified crops with insect or herbicide resistance.

Pioneer produces, markets, and sells hybrid seed corn, sorghum, sunflower, cotton, soybean, alfalfa, canola, rice, wheat, and other seeds in more than 125 countries.

3. Corian

Created by DuPont scientists in 1967, Corian is the brand name for a solid surface material marketed by DuPont primarily as a countertop and is composed of acrylic polymer and alumina trihydrate.

Along with DuPont’s similar solid surface material Zodiaq quartz, Corian is used in the residential and commercial design industries, as well as food service and health care.

These durable products have many applications because they can be designed and cut to order. Common uses for Corian include public bathroom stalls, office partitions, and kitchen countertops.

4. Tyvek

Tyvek is a synthetic material developed and marketed by DuPont. The strong material is primarily used as a house wrap that protects buildings during construction. It allows water vapor to pass through while blocking liquids.

It also provides buildings with additional insulation and resists wood rot and mold growth. DuPont trademarked the material in 1965 and began selling Tyvek in 1967.

Tyvek is also used in protective shipping envelopes and in a line of protective apparel for industrial workers that includes laboratory coats and coveralls. It is often used for light hazmat applications, such as asbestos and radiation work. Tyvek’s sub-brand Tychem is rated for a higher level of liquid protection from chemicals.

5. Kevlar

Kevlar was developed by DuPont in 1965. It was first used commercially in the 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires. The high-strength material is typically spun into ropes or fabric sheets. Its applications include:

• Body armor
• Personal protection equipment
• Automotive
• Fiber optic cables

Due to its high tensile strength-to-weight ratio, it is considered to be five times stronger than steel.

Kevlar is used in a wide variety of consumer products, such as tires, socks and shoes, sports equipment, and mobile phone cases. While it has many other applications, Kevlar is best known for its use in ballistic and stab-resistant body armor for law enforcement and the military around the world.