From the day we first opened for business as a privately held paint manufacturer, we’ve always tried to put the customer first. It was true in 1946. And it’s just as true today. At Sandstrom, we design and manufacture quality industrial coatings, including new types of DFLs for aerospace, defense, automotive, agriculture, commercial weapons and various OEM applications. And we do it without ever losing sight of what got us to where we are today: a commitment to solving actual customer challenges and exceeding their expectations.

7.1.1907   

RV Sandstrom Born

1931     

RV Sandstrom graduates Augustana Collage, Rock Island, IL. with a degree in Chemistry. He receives a one year fellowship from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. to study rubber chemistry and technology at the University of Akron.

After his fellowship Sandstrom went to work for Good Year as a research chemist.

1937 

RV Sandstrom leaves employment at Good Year for employment as technical director at a small latex manufacturer in Detroit. His goal being to open his own company. He wanted to work in a small company so he could gain more knowledge on business operations.

Shortly before WWII Sandstrom moved back to the Quad Cities to open his own business with rubber based formulas he had developed. With the beginning of the war the supply of natural rubber was allocated for military use so his dream had to wait.

During the war he was a consultant in the use of styrene-butadiene rubber in footwear for Servus Rubber in Rock Island, IL. He served in the same capacity for the Lunex Company of Pleasant Valley Iowa helping to develop a mildew proof canvas for the US Army.

1946       

Sandstrom decides it is time to go into manufacturing. He buys an old service station to set up his plant. The station is located in Port Byron, Illinois. He names his business Mid-West Products Company. The original building was 3200 square feet. Today a 46,000 square foot plant sits around that original station. Sandstrom’s first products are paints for concrete floors and corrosion resistant finishes.

1948

Sandstrom starts making basement and waterproofing paint for Sears Roebuck & Co. This business lasted until 2002.

1951  

Sandstrom moves into the development of chemical resistant finishes using alkyds, vinyl and epoxy materials.

1953  

Sandstrom incorporates as Sandstrom Products Company.

1961     

Sandstrom starts working with the Rock Island Arsenal to research and develop a Dry Film Lubricant to meet the needs of the military and developing space program.

1962   

The Rock Island Arsenal Announces Rock Island Arsenal Compound 9A. This is the first Dry Film Lubricant that meets all the needs of the military and RV Sandstrom has been instrumental in developing the material. The Army writes a specification around the performance properties of RIA and asks Sandstrom to build it in his plant.

1964 

Sandstrom 9A is on the Gemini space flights

1964 

Sandstrom 9A is on the Apollo space flights

1965     

Sears Roebuck and Co. honors Sandstrom with the “Symbol of Excellence” for Sandstrom’s performance as a paint supplier. Sears presented the award to only 180 of its more than 10,000 major merchandize sources.

1967 

Sandstrom coatings go to war in Vietnam

5.29.1968

RV Sandstrom receives the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Award for his “patriotic contributions to the military services during the past 6 years”. In that time period RV Sandstrom manufactured the new RIA Compound 9A in his plant and manufacture new coatings designed by the arsenal teams without any assurance he would ever recover the costs of manufacturing.

1985

Sandstrom LC-300 is qualified to MIL-L-8937

1988 

Sandstrom LC-300 is qualified to MIL-L-46010

1997

Sandstrom #099 was qualified to MIL-L-46010 Type III

2008

Sandstrom ​28A was qualified to MIL-PRF-46147

2010

Sandstrom #099 was qualified to MIL-PRF-46010

2011

Sandstrom 28A qualified to MIL-L-23398

2013 

Sandstrom wins the Quad City Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award.