April Feature: The continuing evolution of aerosol automotive products

The aerosol automotive products category got off to a rather slow start. The products were never mentioned in H.R. Shepherd’s book Aerosol Science & Technology (1961) and only briefly in M.A. Johnsen’s The Aerosol Handbook (1972). In 1970, these products had a sales volume of 57.3 million units, of which about 85% were windshield de-icers (4.5% carbon dioxide [CO₂] or nitrous oxid [N₂O]) and engine starting fluids (9.1% CO₂). The modest production volume was marketed by the Union Carbide Corp., Radiator Specialty Co., Turtle Wax, Inc., the American Grease Stick Co. and several other firms.

Fast forwarding to modern times, sales in the Automotive, Lubricants and Industrial products category have been fairly static for the past ten years, as illustrated in Table One. Read more