Crayola.co.uk - Company History: Since 1903 the Binney & Smith Crayola brand continues to grow, with new products based on value, technical innovation, high quality, consumer satisfaction, and of course, colour and fun!

Binney & Smith Timeline
1864	Joseph Binney founds Peekskill Chemical Works in upstate New York, producing charcoal and lamp black.
1885	Joseph Binney retires; his son Edwin and nephew, C. Harold Smith, form a partnership and call their company Binney & Smith. Early products include red oxide pigment used in barn paint and carbon black for car tires.
1900	The company begins producing slate school pencils in its newly opened Easton, Pennsylvania mill. Listening to needs of teachers, Binney & Smith introduced the first dustless school chalk two years later - it's so successful, it wins a gold medal at the St. Louis World Exposition.
1902	The company is incorporated in New York as Binney & Smith Company.
1903	Noticing a need for safe, quality, affordable wax crayons, the company produces the first box of eight Crayola® crayons, selling for a nickel. The Crayola name, coined by Edwin Binney's wife Alice, comes from "craie," the French word for chalk, and "ola," from "oleaginous."
1920s	Crayola® Rubens crayons for art students and Perma Pressed sharpenable fine art crayons are added to the growing product line, which also includes new Artista brand paints

1936	Binney & Smith becomes a founding member of the Crayon, Watercolor, and Craft Institute, promoting product safety in art materials.
1948	To educate art teachers about the many ways to use the growing number of Crayola® products, a teacher workshop program begins to offer in-school training across the country.
1955	The company's corporate name is officialy changed to "Binney & Smith Inc." In the same year, the company's Pigment Division is sold to Columbia Carbon Company and the company focuses on its art materials business.
1958	The 64-colour assortment of Crayola® crayons - with the built-in sharpener - debuts. Binney & Smith takes 100 percent ownership of the Cosmic Crayon Company in England and the Canada Crayon Company in Canada.
1961	Binney & Smith becomes a publicly-held company when its stock is first offered for public sale. It was traded on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol "BYS."
1964	Binney & Smith acquires Permanent Pigments, makers of Liquitex acrylic paints (after many successful years, the Liquitex brand was sold to Col-Art in 2000). A new manufacturing facility for the Cosmic Crayon Company is built in Bedford, England. Today it continues to serve as the headquarters for Binney & Smith Europe.
1965	A new manufacturing facility is built in Lindsay, Ontario.
1969	The company opens an additional plant in Easton, Pennsylvania.
1972	The Cosmic Crayon Company in England is renamed Binney & Smith (Europe), becoming the company's British subsidiary.
1973	The Crayola® brand is officially introduced into the U.K. market. Binney & Smith acquires a 4-year-old manufacturing facility adjacent to its Forks Township plant. The facility is known as "Forks II."
1974	Binney & Smith Mexico, S.A. organized.
1975	10th August a fire destroyed three quarters of the Bedford factory and took the fire brigade two days to put out. Through many hours of dedication and hard work the production line of the factory was up and running by October.
1976	The first crayon rotary molds are introduced to the manufacturing facilities, drastically improving the crayon manufacturing process. The company also relocates its corporate headquarters from Madison Ave. in New York City to a new office building adjacent to its Forks Township manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania.
1977	Binney & Smith acquires the rights to Silly Putty®, one of the world's best-loved toy classics.
1978	Crayola® markers join the Crayola lineup; craft & activity kits become a vital part of company's business. The company also completes a 300,000 square foot addition to its Forks Township plant, and moves the bulk of its Pennsylvania-based manufacturing from its existing facilities along Bushkill Creek in Easton.
1979	Binney & Smith introduces a new corporate logo and identity program. A broad range of products that had carried individual brand names are consolidated under the Crayola® brand name during the next several years.
1981	Company tops $100 million in sales for the first time.
1982	The Crayola® brand is introduced into France, Germany and the Benelux countries in multi-language packaging.
1984	Binney & Smith becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Hallmark Cards Inc. of Kansas City, Mo., the world leader in social expression.
1987	Crayola® introduces Washable Markers, an instant hit with kids, teacher and moms; Crayola colored pencils also arrive.
1990	Eight traditional crayon colors retire to the "Crayola® Hall of Fame."
1993	Sixteen new colors - named by consumers for the first time - are introduced to celebrate 90 years of Crayola® crayons. In addition, the company introduces Model Magic® modeling compound.
1994	Revell-Monogram, world's leading manufacturer of plastic model kits, joins the Binney & Smith family as a business unit.
1996	A colorful and historic milestone is recorded as the 100 billionth Crayola® crayon rolls off the production line in Easton, Pa. Also during that year, Binney & Smith opens The Crayola FACTORY®, a 20,000 square foot creativity and visitors' center as a cornerstone of revitalization for Easton.
1997	Binney & Smith announces a manufacturing consolidation that brings U.S. crayon, marker, paint and activity kit production to Easton. Major renovations to the company's Forks I plant are completed to handle the increased production.
1998	Binney & Smith awarded thirty of its employees for long standing service and loyalty, which accumulated to 394 years of employment with the company. The company opens its Lehigh Valley Industrial Park V manufacturing facility to produce children's paint products, modeling compounds and activity kits. The legendary Crayola 64-count box of crayons is added to the Smithsonian Institute's permanent collection.
1999	To help alleviate consumer confusion, the company announces it will change the name of indian red. This is only the third time that the company has changed a crayon colour name; prussian blue was changed to midnight blue, and flesh was changed to peach. The Creations Brand is launched in UK and Europe, targeting young girls to express, personalise and customise their world.
2000	In 2000, Silly Putty® celebrated its golden anniversary by being included in the Smithsonian Institute's Material World collection. Also in 2000, more than 25,000 Crayola fans recorded their colour preferences in the first-ever online Crayola colour Census. The favorite? Blue. The company also sells its Liquitex business.
2001	In March, Silly Putty® is inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame. In September, the company sells its Revell-Monogram business to Alpha International.
2003	The Mini Kids Brand is launched in the UK and Europe, specifically created to develop the motor skills and self-expression of young children between the ages of 1 to 4 year.
2005	Binney & Smith successfully launches Mess Free Painting, Twistables, and Erasables into the UK and European market place.
Today	Binney & Smith continues to grow, adding new products based on value, technical innovation, high quality, consumer satisfaction, and of course, colour and fun!