Quality & Tradition since 1881

Who is Diamond?
History

Established in 1881, Diamond is a name that means quality, tradition and trust.  In the late 1870's, strong competition had arisen in the match industry.  In the interest of continued success for all the match companies the two biggest match producers in the country — Swift & Courtney & Beecher, of Wilmington, Delaware and the Barber March Company, of Akron, Ohio decided it was in everyone's best interest to create a consolidated company called Diamond Match Co.  They sent an invitation to the top ten producers of matches to join in their venture.  When this merger occurred Diamond took over 85% of the match market, virtually controlling the entire industry.  Diamond had plants all over the country.  Matches were made in Springfield, Massachusetts, Oswego, New York, Barberton, Ohio, and Chico, California.  Diamond quickly widened their array of products to include paper napkins, toothpicks, clothespins, wax paper, picnic plates and toilet paper.

The Diamond Match Company merger brought in all of the great inventions and inventors of  the individual match companies which resulted in vast improvements to match machinery and revolutionized the match industry.  The production of matches in those days was filled with danger and ailments that sometimes led to the death of the match employees.  Most of the problems were caused by the extremely flammable white and yellow phosphorous, which emitted noxious fumes that infected and decayed the mouth and jaw.  For many years, match producers tried to find the right combination of chemicals to try and make the process safer, but had no luck.  However in 1910, an engineer partnered with Diamond chemists and perfected a chemical formula that combined sesquisulfide and chlorate of potash and other chemicals to make a match head that was nonpoisonous, nonexplosive, and easy to strike.  The following year at the urgence of President William Howard Taft, Diamond Match Co. donated its patent to the public in order to make match making safe for all employees and consumers.  They even lent their engineers to competitors to instruct them in the new technique.

Over the years Diamond Match Company was known by many names as different owners or investors were involved with the company.  Throughout its days the company has produced and sold many different kinds of products including honeycomb frames for beekeepers, tongue depressors, and current items such as toothpicks, matches, clothespins/clothesline, straws, plastic cutlery and recently added multipurpose lighters.  Diamond remains a category leader in all of the items that we produce or sell and maintain the highest quality standards in all our products.   We continue to strive for innovation and growth in all of our categories by developing new items that are created specifically with our consumers in mind.