▁an ▁operating ▁company ▁of ▁R PM ▁International . ▁R PM ▁International ▁Inc ., ▁a ▁holding ▁company , ▁manufact ures ▁coat ings , ▁se al ants , ▁and ▁special ty ▁chemical s . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁D AP ▁traces ▁its ▁roots ▁back ▁to ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁when ▁Robert ▁H . ▁D icks ▁and ▁El mer ▁W igg im ▁began ▁producing ▁se aling ▁w ax ▁for ▁food ▁can ning ▁in ▁D icks ’ ▁gar age ▁in ▁Day ton , ▁Ohio . ▁In ▁those ▁days ▁before ▁re fr iger ation ▁and ▁commer cially ▁prepared ▁food s , ▁can ning ▁was ▁a ▁general ▁practice . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁D icks ▁bought ▁out ▁W igg im ▁and ▁joined ▁with ▁George ▁Pont ius , ▁incorpor ating ▁their ▁partners hip ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁as ▁the ▁D icks - P ont ius ▁Company . ▁When ▁Robert ▁D icks ▁died , ▁his ▁son ▁John ▁entered ▁the ▁business ▁and ▁expanded ▁it ▁to ▁include ▁put ty ▁and ▁ca ulk ▁manufact uring ▁in ▁bulk ▁form . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁the ▁D icks - P ont ius ▁Company ▁began ▁s elling ▁ca ul ks ▁and ▁se al ants ▁in ▁dispos able ▁cart rid ges . ▁Through ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁the ▁company ▁grew ▁through ▁several ▁ac quis itions , ▁including ▁a ▁mer ger ▁with ▁the ▁Chicago - based ▁Arm strong ▁Company ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 .