Built to Last: The Enduring History of PARATAC

The PARATAC tackifier line originated within Standard Oil of New Jersey (Esso), with the trademark first used in 1937, well before Exxon Chemical or the Paramins brand existed. In the post-war decades, Esso/Exxon formalized its fuel and lubricant-additive activities into a dedicated organization that became known as Paramins, which was firmly established as Exxon Chemical’s additives division by 1960. Paramins grew into a major global developer of industrial lubricant additives from the 1960s through the 1990s.

Among its industrial offerings was PARATAC, a high–molecular-weight tackifier designed to improve adhesion, reduce splash or sling-off, and enhance film persistence in industrial oils and greases. PARATAC became widely used in chain oils, way lubes, gear oils, and general-purpose industrial lubricants, known for its simplicity, reliability, and broad compatibility with mineral base stocks.

In 1999, Exxon consolidated the Paramins additives business with Shell’s additive division to form Infineum, one of the world’s Big Four additive companies. The PARATAC and PARATAC XT tackifier products transferred into the joint venture and remained part of Infineum’s industrial portfolio until 2017, when the entire PARATAC brand and associated business were acquired by Functional Products Inc. Functional Products integrated PARATAC and PARATAC XT into its broader family of tackifiers and polymer additives, ensuring continuity of supply while expanding formulation support and industrial applications for this legacy Paramins product line.

Today, purchasing, shipping, and technical support for PARATAC are managed from Functional Products Inc.’s campus in Macedonia, Ohio, continuing an 80-plus-year lineage that began under Standard Oil of New Jersey.