The site's industrial history spans back to 1892 with the construction of the Carney Point smokeless gunpowder plant. Most of the black gunpowder manufactured during World War I occurred at the former Carneys Point plant.
Chambers Works' operations started in 1917 and since that time have included the production of dyes, Freon®, aromatic chemicals and elastomeric polymers. The site was used during World War II for research and development of chemicals in support of the Manhattan Project.
By the 1980s, the manufacture of explosives and dyes ended, making chemical manufacturing the primary focus at the site.
Over the years, employees have developed and manufactured more than 1200 chemicals at Chambers Works.
Chambers Works holds a unique position in technological history for research and development achievements at its Jackson Laboratory. Scientist Roy Plunkett invented Teflon® at the lab in 1938 and Charles J. Pedersen discovered crown ether molecules there, earning him the 1987 Nobel Prize for chemistry.
The plant is a major contributor to the local economy:
- More than $6.2 million in annual local taxes
- Gross investment of more than $685 million
- Net investment of more than $160 million
