former Chicago Plating (Chicago, Illinois)

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In 1854, brothers Christian Wahl and Louis Wahl established the Wahl Brothers Glue Works on Chicago's North Side. Within a couple of years the plant was relocated to the eastern bank of the South Fork of the South Chicago River. It soon became the largest enterprise of its kind in the United States, occupying 8 acres and employing over 200 men making glue, neat's foot oil and fertilizer from animal waste produced by nearby meat packing operations. In 1884, meat packer Armor and Company saw the value in processing waste from their own operations into valuable by-products and considered building their own glue manufacturing plant. At that time the Wahl Brothers facility became available and was purchased by Armor.
Armor set up its own department to conduct research into other potential products and in 1888 produced cleansing soap from waste animal grease and in 1896, a separate soap plant was built. Additional facilities were built over time including a Hair Plant and a Sandpaper Works.

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