Testor Corporation

Testor Corporation is an American manufacturer of model kits, tools, and accessories based in Rockford, Illinois and is part of RPM International.

Axel Karlson had been producing a product known as "Karlsons Klister" (klister being Swedish for glue), which was originally intended for use in the repair of women's stockings, but had quickly found use in other applications as well. In February 1929, Karlson convinced Nils F. Testor, then the manager of an F.W. Woolworth store in the Swedish district of Rockford, Illinois, to serve as office manager of his new enterprise. It was a relatively risky move for Testor, who began his career as a stockroom boy in Woolworth's Chicago store on State Street. Karlson's Klister ultimately proved unsuccessful and Karlson returned home to Sweden. Testor borrowed enough money to purchase the firm's assets and founded The Testor Chemical Company.

By the time Testor came along, cobblers had become the product's primary market. Coming to the conclusion that the only way to save his new acquisition was to sell the product to additional markets, Testor renamed the adhesive "Crystal Clear Household Cement" and began marketing it to households as a general-purpose repair product while continuing to sell a large quantity to shoemakers.

Testor's actions proved to be successful, and by 1936 the company was able to expand its product line. Staying true to its status as a chemical corporation, hobbyist model cement and butyrate dope was introduced to the public. Four years later, Testor Corporation became a founding member of The Hobby Industry of America, an association of hobby parts suppliers and manufacturers.

Industrial production necessitated by World War II caused severe shortages of raw materials for manufacturers not directly involved in the war effort. In Testor's case, this manifested itself in difficulties acquiring the chemicals necessary to continue producing its line of adhesives and paints. As a result, the company was forced to branch out into other segments of the hobby market. To this end, Testor began producing static scale models of popular aircraft out of pinewood. These scale models proved enormously popular, and enabled Testor Corporation to survive despite its inability to produce its flagship chemical products in any significant quantity.

...
Wikipedia