Foreign Relations Department (files concerning Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd.), 1921-1948
Part of collection: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company twentieth century records (0500-II)
Dates
- Creation: 1921-1948
Historical Note
In 1929 E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company signed an agreement with the recently formed British combine, Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd. (ICI), to exchange scientific information on a routine basis. Part of the reason for devising this agreement was to permit ICI and the DuPont Company to divide world markets without violating the Sherman Antitrust Act. DuPont and ICI agreed to grant each other exclusive licenses for patents and secret processes owned by the other, thereby dividing world markets for their diverse products. The agreement also led to extensive sharing of scientific and technical information. Coordination of this agreement was initially the responsibility of the Executive Committee, which appointed a Foreign Relations subcommittee for this purpose. However, by 1930 it became evident that detailed coordination required the kind of day-to-day monitoring that could not be done by the Executive Committee. As a result, a formal Foreign Relations Department was organized. It was renamed the International Department in 1958.
Scope and Contents
The records in this series document the DuPont Company's patent and process agreement with ICI. Also included is departmental head John K. Kenney's correspondence, which describes the rules, policies, and procedures which govern the exchange of technical information. The records describe how this exchange took place via technical delegations. They also show the differing interpretations of the contracts between DuPont and ICI, with DuPont seeing the contract primarily as a sharing of patents and processes rather than markets.
Extent
From the Collection: 416.25 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Additional Description
Access Restrictions
No restrictions on access; this collection is open for research.
Repository Details
Repository Details
Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository