History

During the Great Depression of the 1930’s, Ed Huffman Sr. was working diligently on his PhD at the University of Colorado. Due to the scarcity of funding, he had to purchase much of the equipment and supplies he needed to continue his graduate pursuits. To help fund his education, he established a commercial analytical laboratory in the basement of the chemistry building of the University of Colorado. Much of the analytical work performed in this lab was done on a barter basis, predominately for equipment and supplies needed for to continue his research and to outfit the laboratory.

1936 First “paying customer” – B. F. Goodrich

1941 The war years (Manhattan Project, Los Alamos, Army Medical Hospital, Synthetic Rubber) — Ed Huffman Sr. receives a deferment from the military, at the request of B. F. Goodrich, who argues that keeping Ed Huffman in business is a matter of national defense. They further state that, “Prior to the time that Mr. Huffman undertook this work, we were sending our samples to Berlin, Germany”. As this was obviously no longer an option, B. F. Goodrich successfully persuaded the U. S. Government to keep Ed stateside to continue to perform his “precision analysis”, in service to the U. S. chemical industry.

1952 Huffman Laboratories, Inc. moves to a small brick building in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

Growth continues, adding new equipment and customers, over time.

1955-1969 Huffman expands its space to 5,000 sq. ft, purchases a Beckman IR4 Infrared spectrometer, and Aerograph Gas Chromatograph, and takes on carbon black research for Phillips Petroleum, and several government contracts.

1973 Ed Huffman, Jr. joins Huffman Laboratories. His staff includes a technician and a secretary. The primary business is nonaqueous titrations for carbon determinations, and coulometric determination of various elements and compounds.

1976 Huffman Laboratories develops a coulometer for analyzing sulfur and carbon. The instrument is spun off into a separate company: Coulometrics, Inc. It is both complimentary (used by Huffman Labs) and competitive (sold to customers that might otherwise send work to Huffman Laboratories). Models are sold to multiple customers, including DuPont. Many of these units are still on daily use.

1987 Huffman Laboratories relocate to 4630 Indiana St. in Golden, Colorado. 17,500 sq. ft – plenty of room to grow!

80’s-90’s Huffman Laboratories expands/diversifies into oil shale, uranium, coal, acid rain, and concurrently acquires tremendous expertise in sample preparation and metals analysis. Publications, recognition, and customers follow.