The History of KORKAY® The KORKAY ® product line was founded in 1953 by John P. Kline. Mr. Kline started the Korkay Corporation in Gloversville, New York along with two partners. Korkay is based on a Latin word meaning to “clean with perfection”. The company used old soda filling equipment to mix and bottle their products. Korkay was the first company to develop an EPA registered germicidal cleaner. This cleaner was named Kork Rub and has EPA Registration number 6943-1. Korkay, Inc. continued to develop cutting edge products such as Perma Glaze, Super Hand Cleaner with Pumice and KORKAY® Engine Degreaser. These products quickly developed a broad customer base in upstate New York . In 1969, the partners had a difference of opinion and split. John Kline retained Korkay, Inc. and continued to manufacturer the KORKAY® line. With the help of a company sales force, sales continued to increase and KORKAY® spread throughout the Northeast and Midwest . The company outgrew their Gloversville facility and moved to Broadalbin New York . John Kline died in 1982 and his son, Tom Kline, took over as President. Tom put less emphasis on the company sales force and started signing regional distributors to sell the KORKAY® product line. Relationships with distributors from Vermont to Florida to California and most points in-between were developed. Korkay, Inc. began selling a line of high pressure vehicle washing equipment and developed an auto care product line to complement this equipment. In 1988, Tom Kline bought an old fire station in Gloversville, New York and started a new company named FTG Mfg, Inc. FTG Mfg consisted of 3 business lines; a Trucking Division, Fuel Oil Sales and the Chemical Division which manufactured the KORKAY® line. The Kline’s made the decision to sell their Chemical Division to Troy Tate in June of 2003. Troy started Tate Soaps & Surfactants, Inc., an Indiana based corporation, and completed the purchase. Troy is a Chemist and served as the Technical Director for FTG Mfg, Inc. in the 1990s. Troy developed or perfected many of the high quality formulas we sell today. Troy is deeply involved in our manufacturing and quality control processes. The KORKAY® products have a rich history of quality formulations and unmatched performance. Tate Soaps & Surfactants, Inc. is committed to continuing these values for years to come. | 