Providing Creative Solutions
Hydrite was started on February 5, 1929 by a group of five men. Milwaukee was a hotspot for tanning at that time and all of the leather used for harnesses by the U.S. Armed Services came from a Milwaukee tannery. At the time, the industry appeared to be a profitable one, but as the Depression stymied business, the company’s founders wanted to sell. The name Hydrite is a creatively spelled expression that came from the idea that using our chemicals would tan “hyde right”.
Richard C. Honkamp and Wayne W. Thompson quit their jobs in 1935 at Cities Services in Milwaukee after Wayne convinced his friend Richard that there was potential in a suffering company and thought they could make it successful. They purchased a major share in Hydrite and really went to work, selling more chemicals as they found new customers like commercial laundries in addition to the tanning industry.
In the beginning, one would tend to the office and warehouse and the other would go out looking for business. Arthur Graff, a part time truck driver for Hydrite, knew the tanning industry and was the best sales person, as he frequently made deliveries to the local tanners.
After the war, Honkamp and Thompson pursued other opportunities, seeking a depression proof product. They chose chlorine because of its wide use in sanitizing. As business grew, the company built its own chlorine plant. The pattern was set: Find a niche. Do it better than the competition. Always look for ways to improve. It’s still our mantra today. We are extremely proud of our reputation, the people we work with each day, and the adventurous path we’ve taken to get here.
1929
Hydrite’s first warehouse and office located in the Menomonee Industry Valley in the heart of Milwaukee’s tanning industry.
1935
1938
Wayne Thompson and Richard Honkamp with Hydrite’s first sulfuric acid tank car at our Menomonee Industry Valley location.
1941-1945
Hydrite's first logo, an early indicator of dry chemicals being converted into liquid products.
1953
1955
1958
Wayne Thompson and Richard Honkamp at Hydrite’s first chlorine plant.
1961
1963
Wayne Thompson cutting the tape at Hydrite’s phosphoric acid plant dedication. The plant, in partnership with Monsanto, operated for 23 years.
1970
1973
1974
1976
1977
Overton Chemical was Hydrite’s first acquisition in Iowa, expanding our geographical reach in the Midwest.
1980
1981
1982
1984 - 1985
1985
After Hydrite’s 2nd Iowa acquisition of Chem-Sol, consolidation at a new larger facility with room to grow made sense.
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1997
1998
Hydrite’s former corporate office in Brookfield, Wisconsin.
2000
2004
2005
2006
2009
Hydrite’s investment into more complex manufacturing continues, pictured is a reactor train in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin.
2010
2011
2012
2015
2017
2018
2019
Servco® in Lubbock, Texas was acquired to bring us closer to our growing food customers. The acquisition of Servco also brought Hydrite into the energy industry.
2020
2021
Backed by our committed employees, customers, and partners, Hydrite continues to nurture sustainable growth through creative solutions as we move closer to 100 years in business.
The new Hydrite headquarters is a two-story, 45,000-square-foot space with floor-to-ceiling windows, energy-saving features, and recycled building materials.