Shawinigan Chemicals Ltd. was formed in 1927 through the amalgamation of the Canada Carbide Co. (founded 1911) and the Canadian Electro Products (founded 1916). The fortunes of the parent companies had been made in the manufacture of explosives during the First World War. Both they and Shawinigan Chemicals operated extensive research laboratories which were responsible for fundamental technical advances, for instance in the dry generation of acetylene gas and in the cheap production of acetone and acetic anhydride. In 1969 the company merged with British American Oil and Royalite Oil to form Gulf Oil of Canada.