E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company Repauno Works manufactured high explosive dynamite. The company began as the Repauno Chemical Company on June 7, 1880, by Lammot du Pont (1831-1884), a chemist working for the family business, E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, a chemical company which originally produced gunpowder. The plant was built near Gibbstown, New Jersey and the first dynamite produced was called "Atlas Powder." The DuPont Company would not get involved in dynamite production directly, as it felt the product too new and dangerous, but supported Lammot du Pont in his efforts. Around 1895, the company became known as the Eastern Dynamite Company, and shortly after the turn of the century, the DuPont Company took over the enterprise. In 1902, Eastern Laboratory, one of the first dedicated research facilities in the company, was built. In 1954 dynamite production was phased out, and the plant has been involved in the production of commodity chemicals, primarily acids, especially nitric acid, since then.