Innovation has been a hallmark of Loctite since company founders Dr. Vernon Krieble and Robert Krieble, father and son chemists, solved a longstanding industrial problem not long after R.S. Hughes started doing business 70 years ago.

The Kriebles eliminated the issue of vibrational loosening of nuts and bolts in machinery, which caused wear and tear, leaks and other mechanical failures. They developed adhesives that hardened without air and kept nuts and bolts in place.

When it debuted in 1956, the game-changing threadlocking anaerobic adhesive brought a new era of mechanical reliability to the world. Sales soon soared to $1 million annually by 1960 and Loctite began marketing its adhesive as a “system” rather than simply a bottle of glue. This move highlighted the critical role the product played in the maintenance and durability of industrial machinery.

Today, Loctite’s foundational adhesive is available in various strengths and applications, demonstrating the company’s unabated quest for creating products that make a difference.

An Era of ‘Super’ Advancements

Eight years after introducing that groundbreaking product, Loctite began selling a revolutionary adhesive with countless household uses. The glue, made with cyanoacrylate adhesives that cured instantly at room temperature, was initially sold as Loctite Quick Set 404.

Loctite developed a variant marketed as Super Bonder, but by 1975, the name was changed to Super Glue. It has been prized ever since for its bond strength, ease of use, quick drying time and ability to bond with an array of materials.

Today, Loctite offers every conceivable style of Super Glue, including a pen, gel, brush-on applicator, dishwasher-safe version and even a repositionable control product.

Inventiveness Spurs Product Line Expansion

Loctite’s innovations didn’t end with their Super Glue products. From the mid-1960s on, the company introduced many cutting-edge products, including silicones, epoxies, acrylics and new anaerobics.

It entered the automotive market in 1968 with a product that eliminated engine vibrations by preventing locking fasteners from loosening. When the German manufacturer Henkel acquired Loctite in 1997, the speed of new product introductions accelerated.

Soon, it relaunched the Liquid Super Glue range, featuring a shock-resistant formula. It also introduced Loctite Power Flex, the first flexible instant adhesive. That advancement was quickly followed by Loctite Power Easy, which features a longer curing time that allows for realignment and repositioning.

Today, Loctite provides consumers and industries a wide range of products, including construction adhesives, specialty glues and epoxies, super glues, sealants and caulks, tapes, insulating spray foams, mounting putties and spray adhesives. It even offers robot parts and accessories, as well as aerospace coatings,—positioning the company for continued success over the next 70 years.

R.S. Hughes is proud to have a strong partnership with Loctite. We carry nearly two thousand different Loctite products—from adhesives to additives—in our inventory.

Learn more about Loctite solutions for your business.