IL Paint Spill Causes Road Closure

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022


Upon leaving a Valspar paint manufacturing plant in Kankakee, Illinois, a semi-tractor tanker was reported to have spilled part of its paint load earlier this month, resulting in the closure of a stretch of roadway near the facility.

According to city officials, on Friday, Feb. 11, the 4,000-gallon tanker lost between 50 and 350 gallons of paint along East Fair Street, causing the closure of nearby Route 50 in both directions from Grinnell Road to North Harrison Avenue. North Hobbie Avenue was also closed from East Willow Street to Route 50.

The spill was reported to be the result of an unsecured hatch on the transportation vehicle.

As a result of the incident, Kankakee firefighters were called to the scene. Members of the MABAS 7 Hazmat team and representatives of the Kankakee River Metropolitan Agency, which runs the wastewater treatment plant, were also present.

Cleanups took place over the course of the weekend following the spill, with roadways reportedly opening in stages.

About the Facility

Prior to becoming a manufacturing facility for Valspar paint in 1985, the three-story brick building on the northwest corner of Greenwood and Fair Street made a variety of products, starting back in 1890 when Kankakee quarry owner John C. Mateer subdivided 40 acres of the land into building lots. At the time, Taylor Fibre Ware Co. would be the first to build an industrial site.

Upon its completion, the company decided to run under the name Kankakee Manufacturing Co. and was known for producing pails, wash tubs, pitchers and similar waterproof containers made from a mixture of ground-up wood and resins.

In 1898, the facility was purchased by William B. Price and Frank W. Teeple and was converted to manufacture pianos. In 1902, the company was incorporated into Price & Teeple Piano Co. and moved its business to Chicago.

The following year, the Sheldon Novelty Co. obtained the property and began manufacturing products for the art market. Several years later, the company moved out and again, pianos would be manufactured at the facility, this time however, by Schaeffer Piano Manufacturing Co.

By 1906, the building was expanded by 90,000 square feet. In 1927, a company called Madison Sash and Door was given a tour of the facility and, as a result, was later replaced by Mackin Venetian Blind company in the 1929 directory.

In 1931, the property was purchased by Grover Hermann for American Asphalt Paint Co. to manufacture paint and other coating products. After more than 25 years, the plant became the home to the Chemical Coatings Division of Mobil Chemical, and in 1985, changed the name to Valspar.

In 2017, the ownership of the company was purchased by The Sherwin-Williams Company, where it still operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary within Sherwin’s Consumer Brands Group.

Other Valspar News

Late last year, Valspar announced its 2022 Colors of the Year, revealing 12 trendy, yet timeless hues that were all noted to be inspired from nature and aimed to bring a calm, comfortable presence to consumers’ homes.

According to reports, when forecasting the 2022 Colors of the Year, Valspar color experts observed global lifestyle trends that encompass culture, media, fashion, design, food and technology.

The 12 colors include:

  • Blanched Thyme – a cool, organic green;
  • Gilded Linen – an ultra-clean neutral;
  • Delighted Moon – a cheerful yellow;
  • Lilac Lane – a soft pink;
  • Mountain River – a deep blue;
  • Orchid Ash – a color-infused white;
  • Grey Suit – a warm gray with hints of red undertones;
  • Subtle Peach – a yellowish pink shade;
  • Rustic Oak – a warm, copper-like hue;
  • Sunset Curtains – a tinted neutral;
  • Country Charm – a cozy, neutral yellow; and
  • Fired Earth – a dark hue.

Explore all the trending shades and how to style them, here.

   

Tagged categories: Accidents; Coating Materials; Coatings; Health and safety; Manufacturing Plant; NA; North America; Paint; Program/Project Management; Sherwin-Williams; Valspar

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