In February of 1908, a young traveling salesman named John B. Brunner started the Peroxide Specialty Company in St. Louis, Missouri with $400. As the business started to grow, it moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. By 1912, the first rail carload of hydrogen peroxide ever sold in the United States was shipped to Kirk, Geary & Co. of Sacramento, California. In May of 1912, the company moved back to St. Louis along the Wabash tracks as "The Peroxide Chemical Company." St. Louis was becoming "The City surrounded by the United States," and this was, therefore, an excellent location for a young company.

In 1914, World War I interrupted the supplies of raw materials from Germany and England. Mr. Brunner was able to persuade the English to establish a plant in South Charleston, West Virginia, which kept the Peroxide Chemical Company running. By 1920, the business had expanded to such an extent that large shipments were being exported to Mexico, Australia, China, and India.

"To the one-story frame building along the tracks," said Mr. Brunner, "we had to add on a ‘dog house’ every now and then, until half our lot was covered with improvised warehouses." The result was, in 1929, the company tore down the old buildings and constructed the first sections of our present plant. From 1933 to 1942 more temporary sheds were added to handle the growing business. In 1943 a second permanent section was added to meet the requirements for war production. By 1957 the last of the temporary structures were replaced. In 1987, the Etzel facility doubled in size with the addition of a new warehouse.

In 1933, the Company’s name was changed from Peroxide Chemical Company to Vi-Jon Laboratories. At the time, the company had a successful line of Cosmetics, with violets and jonquils pictured on the label. Combining this with the names of our founder, John, and his wife, Viola Brunner (whose close friends called Vi), the name Vi-Jon was created.

The year 1946 brought peace and with it tragedy for the Vi-Jon family. Our founder, John B. Brunner, was killed in an accident at Union Station in St. Louis on Easter Sunday. Mr. Brunner had just put his son’s wife Virginia, on the train. She came to visit her mother and father-in-law while her husband, John W. Brunner was stationed overseas with the Navy. While walking back from the tracks to the station, our founder was struck by a baggage cart. Three days later he died. As the war was at its end our founder’s son, John W. Brunner was shipped home immediately. It was a sad reunion with his mother and young wife.

At the young age of 23, John W. Brunner assumed the presidency of Vi-Jon Laboratories. He received much support and encouragement from a great group of managers -- Carl Mueller, Howard Short and Charles Krebs, Sr. With a lot of hard work, by a lot of fine people, the company was able to continue on --successful to this day.

It is a desire of John W. and John G. Brunner, that the tradition and values of the family business that John B. Brunner started years ago continue. We also recognize that a company is not a building, not a production line, not equipment, not products, but people. Our Company is not made up of just people but individuals who, together make up a family, the Vi-Jon Family. Every March 4th (the anniversary of the birthday of our Founder) John B. Brunner, all of us can say we have contributed a part of our lives to this fine tradition.

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