The J-B Weld Company is an international company based in Sulphur Springs, Texas that produces epoxy products.[1] J-B Weld (stylized as J-B WELD) is their flagship product: a specialized, high-temperature epoxy adhesive for use in bonding materials together. The company has run advertisements showing engine block repair with J-B Weld.
The J-B Weld Company, founded in 1969 by Sam Bonham in Sulphur Springs specializes in epoxy products. Initially, the company sold to automotive shops in Texas, but now distributes its products across the United States and in 27 other countries through various retail channels. After being purchased by private investors in 2008, the company expanded its product line, which originally included J-B Weld, J-B Kwik, J-B Stik, and Waterweld.
J-B Weld epoxy is a two-part adhesive which can bond various surfaces and withstand high temperatures up to 500 °F (260 °C) constantly and 600 °F (316 °C) for short periods of time. It is water-resistant, petroleum/chemical-resistant, acid-resistant, and resists shock, vibration, and temperature fluctuations. The product consists of a resin and a hardener which need to be mixed before application. The mixture sets in 4-6 hours and fully cures in up to 15 hours. It can be used as an adhesive, laminate, plug, filler, sealant, or electrical insulator and can be drilled, ground, tapped, machined, sanded, and painted when cured.
J-B Kwik is a faster-curing two-part epoxy with medium-temperature resistance up to 300 °F (149 °C). Although not as strong or heat-resistant as J-B Weld, it has the same adhesion and does not shrink when hardening. J-B Kwik is waterproof, petroleum/chemical-resistant, acid-resistant, and resists shock, vibration, and extreme temperature fluctuations.
History
The company began in 1969[2] in Sulphur Springs, Texas. Sam Bonham, at the time running a machine shop, discovered a way to create what he called a "tougher than steel" epoxy.[2] Bonham called the epoxy Just Bond which was later abriviated to J-B Weld. In 1968, his future wife Mary persuaded him to sell his invention and he founded the J-B Weld Company. After founding the company, he said, "My life's dream is for J-B Weld to be all the way around the world, and for me to see an 18 wheeler load out of here with nothing but J-B Weld."[2] After Sam Bonham's death in 1989, Mary opened a European hub in London, internationalizing the J-B Weld Company and the distribution of the product.[2]
Initially, the company sold to automotive shops and jobbers in Texas.[2] Now, the J-B Weld Company distributes its products through multiple retail channels including automotive chains, home improvement centers, hardware stores, and farm stores.
Products
The J-B Weld Company's original product line focused on a small number of products: J-B Weld (original 2-tube epoxy), J-B Kwik (4-hour epoxy), J-B Stik (epoxy putty), Waterweld (underwater adhesive/filler), and a few others.[3]
Since 2008, the company has broadened the product line to add J-B SteelStik, KwikWood, PlasticWeld, MarineWeld, Perm-O-Seal, WoodWeld, and ClearWeld.[4][5]
J-B Weld epoxy
J-B Weld is a two-part epoxy adhesive (or filler) which can withstand high-temperature environments. J-B Weld can be used to bond surfaces made from metal, porcelain, ceramic, glass, marble, PVC, ABS, concrete, fiberglass, wood, fabric, or paper.[6]