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Formica Corporation NOVEMBER 09 www. bus- ex. com 101 Deco décor of Radio City Music Hall in New York City. During World War II, production largely moved back into military components, and Formica found that its new lines of glass- melamine and early silicone and epoxy laminates were in great demand as electrical insulation. Entirely different uses came from plastic- impregnated " Pregwood"- used in airplane propellers- while " burster tubes" for bombs generated the company's single biggest order. In 1943, sales reached a record $ 15.7 million. After the war, the American brand remained on that side of the Atlantic and licensed production to a new manufacturing plant in the United Kingdom. Formica was soon as popular throughout Europe as it was in North America, with additional manufacturing capacity coming on stream in France and Spain. In the 1970s, the product went global when Asian markets began to be opened. Architects and designers so loved the brand that local manufacturing facilities were soon needed to support Asian markets, where Formica is also used as a wall and floor covering. With the acquisition of Perstorp in 2000, Formica had a presence in Thailand, while in 2005, as Chinese people became more affluent, a brand- new plant was opened in Shanghai to satisfy the demand for Formica products. With the entire world to supply, it's hardly surprising to learn that there are thousands of variations on the basic