Bostik is a company with a long and rich history. It was founded as the Boston Blacking Co. in Chelsea Massachusetts in 1889. It has its origins in the shoe industry and shoe adhesives. It was taken over by USM (United Shoe Machinery) in 1929 and was developed on a global scale, focusing on the shoe industry until the 1950's when the company embarked on international expansion and diversification. In 1990, Bostik was purchased by TOTAL, the French oil and gas company, which carried on expanding Bostik by merging it with its own brought Bostik among the leading players.
Today Bostik is a wholly-owned company of the Total Group. Total is the fourth largest international oil and gas company and a world-class chemicals manufacturer.