Case Study: Rohm and Haas

Milestone:  100th Anniversary

Copies In Print:  15,000

Objective:  Specialty chemicals manufacturer Rohm and Haas wanted to commemorate a milestone anniversary for employees, customers, and the Haas family that coincided with the company's acquisition by the Dow Chemical Company.

Challenges:  Rohm and Haas wanted two books in one. They wanted a manuscript written by an academic well respected within the chemicals industry, but they also wanted the book to be richly visual an

Solutions:  We worked with notable historian Reggie Blaszczyk and the Chemical Heritage Foundation to develop a manuscript that would meet Rohm and Haas's expectations. To make the book visually compelling, we spent a week photographing images, artifacts, and memorabilia at Rohm and Hass's headquarters and also traveled to five locations around the country to take day-in-the-life imagery of employees performing a wide variety of job functions in a range of settings—from the corporate offices and laboratories, to the manufacturing plants and loading docks.

Fulfillment:  A retail edition of the book was sold by University of Pennsylvania Press and we worked with Rohm and Haas to execute worldwide distribution directly to employees from our printer's facility in Hong Kong.

Results:  The company in transition was able to chronicle its history and honor its employees with a modern, high-design book that served as the centerpiece of its centennial celebration. After the acquisition was complete, the book served as a lasting tribute to the company that was and a strategic tool for the newly combined operations.