Andrew G. Gibson Papers

Collection

Identifier: 2025-003

Staff Only

Scope and Content

Arranged alphabetically by subject, the Andrew G. Gibson Papers contain publications and professional files collected and maintained by American chemical engineer and chemical engineering consultant Andrew G. Gibson. The materials in this collection mainly concern Union Carbide Corporation, which include some information regarding its UNIPOL process and Gibson’s activities with the firm. Small amounts of documentation regarding Gibson’s work with Georgia-Pacific Corporation and Gibson Technologies, Incorporated, and his extracurricular activities are also found in this collection. Single items concerning Crawford & Russell Incorporated, Constructors John Brown Limited, and Univation Technologies are also found here.

Publications and paper manuscripts are the most common materials found in the Andrew G. Gibson Papers. Small amounts of other miscellaneous materials including, but not limited to, presentations, articles, and correspondence are preserved in this collection as well.

Dates

Creation: 1958-2020
Creation: Majority of material found within Bulk 1990-2010

Creator

Gibson, Andrew G., 1929-2020 (Person)

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes and the collection is open to the public.

Copyright Information

The Science History Institute holds copyright to the Andrew G. Gibson Papers. The researcher assumes full responsibility for all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Background Note

Andrew G. Gibson (1929-2020) was an American chemical engineer and chemical engineering consultant. Born in Avoca, Pennsylvania in 1929 and raised in Milford, Connecticut, Gibson earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University (1952). After graduating from Lehigh, he went to work for Union Carbide Corporation.

Gibson rose through the ranks at Union Carbide (1952-1973), serving in the positions of Process Engineer, Group Leader, and Engineering Manager of the HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) Business Team. During his tenure with the firm, he played a key role in the development, scale-up, and commercialization of UNIPOL, Union Carbide’s low-pressure gas-phase process for manufacturing polyethylene. Gibson led the design teams for the firm’s UNIPOL plants in Seadrift, Texas, Stenungsund, Sweden, and Altona, Australia. He was also involved in the firm’s efforts to license UNIPOL technology to other countries, including Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union.

After leaving Union Carbide in 1973, Gibson subsequently held positions at several other companies, serving as Manager of Polymer Process Engineering at Crawford & Russell Engineering Company (1973-1974), Manager of Project Engineering at Olin Chemical, Incorporated (1974-1979), Vice President of Polymer Technology at John Brown Engineers, Limited (1979-1980), and Corporate Manager of Chemical Engineering at Georgia-Pacific Corporation (1980-1996). After retiring from Georgia-Pacific, he was President of his own chemical industry consulting firm, Gibson Technologies, Incorporated.

Andrew G. Gibson was an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He also authored and co-authored several journal articles and gave presentations at several professional conferences. Gibson was also the recipient of several awards, including the National Society of Professional Engineers, Atlanta Section’s Engineer of the Year in Industry Award (1996).

Andrew Gibson passed away on October 12, 2020.

Sources

Andrew G. Gibson Obituary – https://www.chandlerfuneralhome.com/obituaries/andrew-g-gibson/

Andrew G. Gibson Papers, Science History Institute Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.