The following was sent to me by Joyce Marah of Bell Additives. Thanks, Joyce.
BELL ADDITIVES: FROM 1909 TO PRESENT
In 1909 Henry Ford began mass-producing his Model T’s. That same year Robert J. Bell realized the shortcomings in gasoline combustion and developed his first fuel additive, which we believe to be the very first on record. For the next 47 years, Mr. Bell devoted most of his time to research and development of fuel additives and other inventions, which included the cigarette vending machine in 1914, and a repair patch for pneumatic tires in 1924.
But the breakthrough, which has made Bell Additives what it is today, came in 1927 when Bell perfected his multi-functional gas treatment called MIX-I-GO.
Not only did Bell develop the first fuel additive of record, but he developed the first multi-functional fuel treatment which givers numerous benefits to the user. Even today, most fuel additives are mono-functional, while Bell’s are multi-functional.
The truly revolutionary additive MIX-I-GO succeeded in mixing gas with water while increasing mileage, cleaning the fuel system of carbons and other deposits, and lubricating cylinders and valves. Naturally, a product with such lofty claims was received with much skepticism, but exhaustive tests by fleet organizations, research foundations, local governments, and individual users proved that MIX-I-GO fulfilled all of its claims.
Bell formed his company in Virginia and began producing additives. In 1939, he moved to Orlando and in 1946, formed Bell Laboratory, Inc., A Florida Corporation.
He developed ATOM-IX, an additive for boilers and open flame furnaces, in 1952. He then developed a specialized diesel fuel treatment called DEE-ZOL in 1954. MIX-I-GO, DEE-ZOL and ATOM-IX are still in production today at the Bell Additives plant in Longwood, Florida.
Bell Laboratory remained a family-owned company even after Mr. Bell’s death in 1956. Mrs. Bell continued the tradition of value and honesty that her husband had started. But the combination of dated marketing techniques, a small and elderly sales force, and Mrs. Bell’s own health problems kept the company in obscurity. In 1972, a group of ambitious investors, including the current owner, Charles Williams, purchased the sagging company. Their main focus was to secure new market segments for their products, since Bell had sold almost exclusively to large fleet organizations in bulk.
During the 1970’s, there was scarcity of gasoline and diesel at service stations and prices of fuel doubled, which caused people to become very conscious of the cost of operating their vehicles. This created a large consumer market for the Bell products. To reach this market, Bell gave exclusive marketing rights to an Oklahoma-based, direct sales company, which became very successful for both themselves and Bell. After a number of years, internal happenings within the marketing company caused them to fail.
At that time, Bell discontinued the granting of exclusive marketing rights in the United States, and set up a network of distributors who market Bell’s products in designated geographic regions. In addition, Bell blends products for private label companies. Bell has given marketing rights to PRO-MA Systems Inc. for the countries of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, New Guinea and Indonesia. Since 1990, Bell has added distributors in many foreign countries and the market is expanding daily. Export sales are handled by C-W Products International, Inc, which is owned by Charles and Ola Williams.
In 1987, Charles and Ola Williams purchased all of the stock in Bell. The name was changed to Bell Additives, Inc. to better reflect the function of the company, while still retaining the heritage and values of the business which R.J. Bell started 80 years earlier. Under Mr. Williams’ direction, the company has progressed into the high tech world of the new millennium with new product designs, refinement of old products, computer and mechanical automation and modern marketing techniques.
In the late 1980’s, Bell developed an aviation fuel additive, MXO-AV, for use in radial and opposed aircraft engines. For many years, MIX-I-GO has been used in aircraft. During that same period, Bell developed the amazing healing oil additive and grease, X-TRA LUBE, which has a micro metallic base. X-TRA LUBE offers superior lubricity, reduces heat, cleans and actually repairs metal-to-metal wear.
In the early 1990’s, out of necessity, Bell developed a diesel Cold Flow Improver, which is needed, especially in cold weather. The new low sulfur diesel fuel lowers the cold filter plug point. The new millennium should be a substantially rewarding and exciting time as the many recent changes take hold and gain for Bell Additives their rightful share of the billion dollar fuel additive industry.
In 1991 Bell expanded by developing a line of high-tech products with the endorsement of “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, the most celebrated winner of both National and International drag-racing. In 1992, when most companies were cutting back, Bell expanded. New people were hired, a new telephone system was installed to handle more telephone lines and a new company was formed, Bell Chem Corporation. Bell Chem operates independently of Bell Additives and handles all types of industrial chemicals out of their own warehouse and office facilities.
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