Decades of Innovation, Expansion, and Continuous Advancement.
OUR STORY
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1967
Composite Pumps, Inc.
Don Keehan establishes Composite Pumps, Inc. and begins manufacturing industrial composite centrifugal pumps from his basement in New York. Designed for sulfuric acid service, these first pumps lay the foundation for a lasting focus on protecting equipment in aggressive chemical environments.
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1970-72
Plastonics, Inc.
Don and Arlene Keehan relocate their family to Ohio and establish Plastonics, Inc. in Avon. The company develops solid composite pumps for industrial applications, earns a patent for its technology, and gains adoption in automotive plating operations.
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1974-78
Plastonics introduces Pyroite
Plastonics opens its European headquarters in Zurich, builds an international distributor network, and establishes a manufacturing plant in South Africa. The company also introduces Pyroite, a proprietary polymer composite material developed for demanding pump applications.
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1984
Protecting Marine Life with Composite Pump Technology
Plastonics develops a composite deepwell centrifugal pump for California’s Monterey Aquarium. The installation delivers seawater without introducing metal contamination from the pumps, helping protect fish and other aquatic life.
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1988-91
Advanced Polymer Sciences
Advanced Polymer Sciences is established to develop high-temperature polymers for aerospace and military applications. Its proprietary Siloxirane resin is subsequently developed into a high-performance lining for rail tank cars carrying aggressive chemicals, including sulfuric acid and methylene chloride.
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1995-96
First Full MarineLINE Tanker Installation
Latvian Shipping’s M/T Indra becomes the first tanker with a full MarineLINE cargo tank coating system, supporting its conversion from an oil tanker to a chemical tanker. Further installations follow, including MarineLINE’s first application aboard a chemical tanker built in China.
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1997
Advanced Polymer Coatings, Inc.
Advanced Polymer Coatings is formed as protective coatings become the company’s primary focus. Building on decades of polymer development, APC expands MarineLINE adoption among international chemical tanker operators.
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2001
Debut of MarineLINE 784 and ChemLINE 784
APC introduces MarineLINE 784 and ChemLINE 784, built on advances in its proprietary polymer chemistry. Increased cross-linking capability strengthens resistance to chemical attack, absorption, and permeation across marine and industrial applications.
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2002-03
Expanding Global Reach and Local Support
APC opens ChemLINE Europe, followed by MarineLINE Turkey in Tuzla, Istanbul. These offices expand the company’s international presence and strengthen support for customers in key industrial, shipbuilding, and repair markets.
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2004
Advancing MarineLINE Curing and Inspection
APC introduces a proprietary heat-curing system and inspection program for MarineLINE. These capabilities help ensure the coating is properly cured and inspected to support long-term performance in service.
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2006
ABS Recognition and 100 MarineLINE Tankers
MarineLINE receives a Certificate of Design Assessment from the American Bureau of Shipping and reaches its 100th full-tanker application aboard M/T Bro Nibe. APC also establishes a relationship with Germany’s Huni & Co. to expand lining applications for ISO tank containers.
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2007-08
Expanding Global Operations and Doubling Production Capacity
APC opens an office in Shanghai and doubles production capacity through an expansion of its Avon facility. A joint venture with Hydrite Chemical establishes Hydrite Advanced Resins to manufacture APC’s patented 6020 polymer.
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2009
ISO Certification and 300 MarineLINE Tankers
APC earns ISO 9001:2008 certification through ABS Quality Evaluations. That same year, MarineLINE reaches its 300th full-tanker application aboard Sinochem’s M/T SC Hai Kor.
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2017
20 Years of Growth and a New Chapter in Leadership
APC celebrates its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of growth in protective coatings. Later that year, David J. Keehan is named President, and founder Donald J. Keehan becomes Chairman.
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2019
Honoring a Legacy of Polymer Innovation
APC dedicates the Donald J. Keehan Technology Center in recognition of its founder’s contributions to polymer innovation. The company also begins a major MarineLINE project for twelve Navig8 chemical and product tanker newbuilds.
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2023
Building for Growth with a Major Manufacturing Expansion
APC invests in a 42,000-square-foot expansion of its Avon, Ohio, headquarters and manufacturing facility. Designed to quadruple production capacity, the expansion introduces advanced automation to support growing global demand for APC’s protective coatings.
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2024
TriFLEX Launches APC into Exterior Coatings
APC launches first external coating system, TriFLEX, designed with an industry-first triple resin technology packed into a single coat, DTM offering and marketed to the rail industry.
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2026
A New Chapter in Leadership for APC’s Next Stage of Growth
Matt Sokol is named President of APC, and David J. Keehan transitions to Chief Executive Officer while continuing as Chairman. The appointments support APC’s continued growth, with Sokol leading day-to-day operations and Keehan guiding the company’s long-term strategy.
A History Built on Innovation. A Future Defined by Advances in Polymer Protection.