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Negotiating Science-based Technology

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Heinrich Caro and the Creation of Modern Chemical Industry

Part of the book series: Chemists and Chemistry ((CACH,volume 19))

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Abstract

Making profits from new chemical processes in the 1860s provided tough challenges that engendered both friendships and jealousies. With success came profit-sharing arrangements and new status. Failure, however, led to confrontations, clashes, and rivalries. Disgruntled employees sought out new opportunities and partnerships elsewhere. Outside of the factory walls there were drama and combat in the marketplace, discreet dealings with agents and customers, gentle persuasions in order to gain acceptance of new products, and conflicts in the courtroom. We find all these aspects of business life at Roberts, Dale & Co., including widely different attitudes towards its chief inventor, Heinrich Caro. Scheming colleagues revealed their distrust of him, while agents for chemical products barely concealed their admiration. Here, in Manchester, we have a further foretaste of Caro’s later life at BASF.

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References

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  61. (Mo. Morry) to Caro, 27 February 1867, DM NL93. Caro was advised that “the Brown does not either work well now, but I think it is owing to the careless way it is now made. [We] must have a change with it or everybody will cease to use it and we should not like it to be thrown out all at once with a large stock on hand.” John Dale followed with a personal request: “Our solicitor considers that for the successful conduct of our case, it is absolutely necessary that we have you over here, and as the state of your health will not permit you now to come we intend to apply for a postponement of the trial. In order to obtain this, we must prove that we have used our best endeavours to get you here. We would put your last letter as evidence but that it contains remarks that would not do [if] put into court. Would you kindly send to me a letter stating your inability to attend at present.” Dale to Caro, 13 March 1867, DM HS 1977/32/62B/2.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Regensburg, Germany

    Carsten Reinhardt

  2. Sidney M. Edelstein Center, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

    Anthony S. Travis

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  1. Carsten Reinhardt
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  2. Anthony S. Travis
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© 2000 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Reinhardt, C., Travis, A.S. (2000). Negotiating Science-based Technology. In: Heinrich Caro and the Creation of Modern Chemical Industry. Chemists and Chemistry, vol 19. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9353-3_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9353-3_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-5575-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-015-9353-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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