A History of Excellence

The Early Years

In 1885, seven Worcester entrepreneurs bought the patent for a grinding wheel from Frank Norton, owner of the Water Street Pottery Shop, where the formula for the grinding wheel had been invented. They also bought his company name. And, Norton Company was born.

The founders purchased land in the city’s Greendale section, which was then farmland, and built their first grinding wheel plant. Norton has occupied that land ever since where two of the founders, John Jeppson and Milton Higgins, their sons, and grandsons, then managed the company until the 1970s.

Global Expansion

What began as a tiny start-up, Norton began to grow rapidly. By 1920, we were one of the 400 largest industrial companies in the United States. As we grew, we diversified into industrial products other than abrasives, and became a major multinational corporation. Norton became a publicly held company in 1962.

When we celebrated our 100th anniversary in 1985, we built our research center in Northboro, MA and employed 18,700 people across 130 plants in 27 countries.

In 2001, Norton officially transitioned its legal entity name to Saint-Gobain Abrasives, marking a new chapter in its global journey.

In Australia, selected Norton cutting and grinding wheels are manufactured locally at our Campbellfield facility in Victoria. This site is a key production hub and also serves as a centre of excellence for research, development, and training, supporting technical innovation and customer education across the region. The facility operates under rigorous safety and quality protocols to ensure reliable performance in demanding applications.
 

Today, Norton continues to support industries across Australia and New Zealand with high-performance abrasive solutions- backed by decades of expertise and a commitment to local manufacturing excellence.