125 Years of Material Science, Chemistry, and Innovation
1890–1940s | Foundations in Chemistry and Materials
Auto Technology Company’s DNA begins with the Harshaw Chemical Company, a Cleveland-based pioneer in plating chemicals, pigments, and advanced materials. Over the first half of the 20th century, Harshaw built a reputation for innovation in chemistry and coatings. During World War II, its laboratories played a pivotal role in the Manhattan Project, developing specialized compounds to meet urgent defense needs. By mid-century, Harshaw was known worldwide for its belief that the right chemistry could make things last.
1950s | Birth of Salt Spray Chambers and ASTM B117 Testing
While Harshaw advanced corrosion chemistry, GS Equipment was founded in nearby Brook Park, Ohio. GS pioneered the commercial manufacture of corrosion test chambers—specialized cabinets that allowed manufacturers to reproduce salt fog and salt spray test conditions in the lab. These early cabinets helped establish the practice of accelerated corrosion testing and supported the industry’s most widely recognized standard: ASTM B117 salt spray testing, first published in 1939 and still a global benchmark today.
1970s | Uniting Chemistry and Corrosion Test Equipment
Harshaw acquired GS Equipment, bringing chemistry and machinery under one roof. For the first time, coatings and the chambers to test them were united, giving industry a complete solution: the power to create protective systems and the means to prove their strength. By this time, salt spray chambers had become essential tools for quality control in automotive and industrial labs around the world.
1980s–1990s | Rise of Cyclic Corrosion Testing Standards
Ownership changed—Gulf, Kaiser, Engelhard, Atotech—but the drive to improve corrosion technology pressed forward. Industry demanded methods that better mirrored real-world conditions: salt on winter roads, drying in the sun, condensation at night. Engineers responded with cyclic corrosion chambers capable of shifting between environments to replicate the rhythm of nature itself.
This period saw the launch of important new standards, including ASTM G85 (modified salt spray, 1985), DIN 50018 (acidified SO₂ testing, 1980s), and SAE J2334 (automotive cyclic test, 1990s). International collaboration also produced ISO 9227 (neutral, acetic, and copper-accelerated salt spray tests, 1990) and ASTM B368 CASS grew in adoption for decorative coatings.
2000s | Digital Salt Spray Chambers and Global OEM Standards
At the turn of the century, local leadership and investors carried the business forward under a new name: Auto Technology. Chambers evolved rapidly: digital controls replaced manual switches, sensors tracked every variable, and software allowed complex cycles to be programmed and repeated with precision.
Our systems became widely used for OEM and global standards such as GMW 14872, GMW 3172, IEC 60068-2-60 (mixed flow gas, 1995), IEC 60068-2-52 (salt mist, 1996), and Ford L-467. These additions expanded corrosion testing beyond traditional salt fog into gas, humidity, and cyclic environments.
2008 | ATC Test Lab Becomes a Global Corrosion Testing Leader
Auto Technology opened the ATC Test Lab. What began as a handful of chambers grew into the largest independent corrosion testing laboratory in the world. Every day, parts and coatings from across industries are put to the test inside its walls. The lab routinely runs methods such as ASTM B117, ISO 9227, Ford L-467, EIA 364, and many other customer-specific protocols, ensuring compliance across automotive, aerospace, energy, electronics, and more.
Today | Auto Technology’s Leadership in Corrosion Testing Systems
More than 125 years of corrosion science is in our DNA. From Harshaw’s pioneering chemistry, we carry forward a legacy built on precision and scientific rigor.
For more than 75 years, our chambers have set the benchmark for reliable corrosion testing—engineered to the specification, no shortcuts, every detail designed to deliver consistent, repeatable results.
Today, Auto Technology Company provides corrosion systems, services, and supplies to a broad spectrum of industries, including automotive, aerospace, defense, energy, marine, infrastructure, electronics, appliances, and coatings. Our ATC Test Lab delivers a wide range of corrosion testing services, trusted by manufacturers worldwide to validate coatings, materials, and components. We continue to engineer upgrades and innovations to ensure our salt spray chambers, cyclic corrosion chambers, mixed flow gas chambers, and immersion equipment remain the most reliable and accurate machines in the field.