Thu
Jul
23
John S. Barry, Main Force Behind WD-40, Dies at 84
Mr. Barry was not part of the Rocket Chemical Company in 1953, when its staff of three set out to develop a line of rust-prevention solvents and degreasers for the aerospace industry in a small lab in San Diego. It took them 40 attempts to work out the water displacement formula. The name WD-40 stands for “water displacement, formulation successful in 40th attempt.”
An interesting story because Barry was an engineer who went on to be the greatest salesman the product ever knew.
