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Date: July 5, 1988

Title: National Starch and Chemical Company Author: Patricia E. Lynch

Starch may not be a National Starch and Chemical Corporation glamorous product, but for Bridgewater-based National Starch it has been a profitable one. Last year the company”s net sales reached a record high $1.208 billion, an increase of 13.6% over 1986. Net income rose 28.4% to $92.2 million.

National Starch, a subsidiary of Unilever, the world”s largest producer of consumer packaged goods, makes specialty chemicals, adhesives, industrial starches and food products. Even before the takeover games of the 1980s, Unilever paid more than $480 million for National Starch in 1978.

The company attributes much of its success to an emphasis on research and development. It holds more than 1,000 patents worldwide and says that the list is growing. National Starch now hopes that its experience in manufacturing adhesives will help it develop products for the growing microelectronics market.

PERFORMANCE RECORD 1987 1986 1985 Net Sales (in thousands) $1,207,875 $1,063,644 $880,570 Gross Profit (in thousands) 375,385 310,306 256,854 Operating Income (in thousands) 175,285 140,227 114,565 Net Income (in thousands) 92,217 71,806 66,013 Percentage Distribution of Consolidated Sales Adhesives 43% 41% 43% Industrial Starches 37 38 40 and Food Products Resins and Specialty 20 21 17