History

For more than half a century, industries all over the world have trusted Union Process for precise milling technology. We didn’t just perfect Attritor grinding and dispersing—we invented it. Today, our commitment to quality and innovation is stronger than ever. You’ll see it in every product we build and every service we provide. Our global network of licensees and agents continually assess, analyze, and service the needs of our customers. When others see problems, we recognize potential and re-imagine what’s possible.

As Dr. Andrew Szegvari prepared to display his new liquid latex process for making rubber goods at an exhibit in Paris, he needed an extremely fine sulfur dispersion to complete the vulcanizing process. Conventional ball milling methods in 1922 would have taken as long as a week to obtain the fineness he required. The problem…not enough time.

Szegvari hit upon the idea of using pebbles, a gallon can, a drill press, and a special agitator he designed for the drill bit to achieve a fine dispersion. In less than an hour, he invented an apparatus that would produce exactly what he needed.

That first apparatus, employing the dynamics of grinding media in random motion, marked the beginning of a new media milling technology, a process now known as Attritor grinding and dispersing.

In 1946, Dr. Szegvari founded Union Process, operating in a small plant in downtown Akron, Ohio. The new company’s mission was to develop grinding and dispersing technology to help customers make fine dispersions quickly, reliably, and inexpensively.

The original Szegvari Attritor®, a batch machine, evolved into new machine designs—Continuous Attritors for online production, Circulation Attritors for very narrow particle size distribution and even small media mills for grinding to submicron or nano-range particles.

After more than 20 years of constant growth, the company moved in 1968 to its present location, a custom-built research, design, and production center just outside of Akron. This Midwest location provides convenient access for customers who choose to visit the Union Process headquarters.

Scores of patents, refinements and advancements later, Union Process milling technology now plays a vital role for many Fortune 500 companies in a wide array of industries including chemicals and tungsten carbide. In addition, the foremost chocolate and confectionary processors, ink, paper, agricultural flowables, metal, magnetic oxide, coal, mineral, rubber, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and ceramic producers all employ Union Process milling technology.

Union Process maintains a global network of licensees and agents with the expertise to assess, analyze, sell and service customers’ needs.

Whether it is manufacturing innovative laboratory mills for R & D or producing large mills capable of grinding tons of material per hour, Union Process is dedicated to remaining on the forefront of milling technology.

Today, in addition to building its line of grinding and dispersing equipment, Union Process maintains a tolling processing plant and research lab that helps companies develop and produce their products.