Profiting the Crown (Canada's Polymer Corporation, 1942-1990)

Born in the crucible of the Second World War, the Polymer Corporation - Canada's sole producer of synthetic rubber - played a critical role in the Canadian economy for over fifty years. Blending innovative science and technology with expert business and managerial strategies, Polymer kept Canada on the cutting-edge of international synthetic rubber developments. Recognizing the importance - and profitability - of this ground-breaking crown corporation, the government placed an image of its Sarnia plant on the back of the Canadian ten-dollar bill.

Profiting the Crown traces the rise and evolution of Polymer Corporation until its sale in 1990 to the German chemical giant A.G. Bayer. Crown corporations are widely regarded as a Canadian invention, but the failures of many state-run enterprises in the twentieth century have led to the widely held position that government has no place in the boardrooms of the nation. Matthew Bellamy shows how Polymer was both a successful tool of public policy and a profitable economic enterprise, bringing to light the accomplishments of one of Canada's pioneering crown corporations.