The factory produced a wide array of matches of international make, as well as Eau de Cologne, varnish and straightstrikes.
In 1841 the chemist and inventor Gustaf Erik Pasch became partner in the company. He removed phosphorus from the ignition kit and introduced a certain kind of ignition wallet made from non-poisonous and less flammable red phosphorus. Pasch patented his invention. The first safety matches were produced on October 1, 1844. But success remained elusive – the matches proved too expensive. Additionally, their ignition wallets expired quickly. The factory was closed in 1848 and the safety match fell out of production for almost another 20 years.
The Lundström Brothers and Jönköping, the Matchstick Town.
In 1845, brothers Johan Edvard and Carl Frans Lundström started manufacturing phosphorus matches in Jönköping. Johan Lundström was a chemist and experimented with safety matches. When Pasch’s patent expired, the brothers were able to secure a patent for an improved safety match. They participated in the World’s Fair of 1855 in Paris, where the safety match gained great attention. It won a diploma and a silver medallion for being possible to manufacture without exposing workers to the risk of phosphorus necrosis.
The Matchstick Conquers the World
It would take until 1868 for the safety match to become a competitive product. At that time, red phosphorus had gone down in price and manufacturing had started to be mechanized. Leading this development was Alexander Lagerman at Jönköpings Tändsticksfabrik. The introduction of Alexander Lagerman’s complete machine in 1892 revolutionized the manufacturing process. The complete machine replaced five different machines at once. It was fed impregnated matchstick components at one end and produced ready-made matches at the other. Lagerman’s machine was kept a secret for 20 years before it was patented. At that time, it was still an innovation.
With a number of luminary machine constructions, Jönköpings Tändsticksfabrik was ready to begin exporting the Swedish safety match. Swedish matchstick industry was on the rise.