Sir James Swinburne Swinburne became interested in the potential of plastics in 1902 when he was introduced to a product of the phenol formaldehyde reaction. He formed a small London-based company, Fireproof Celluloid Syndicate Limited, to research and market the product. Although they were unable to produce a good, solid resin or moulding material, they were able to make an excellent hard lacquer for coating metals such as brass - then in fashion for making bedsteads. In 1910, the Syndicate was wound-up and its assets transferred to a new company, The Damard Lacquer Company Limited with a small factory in Bradford Street, Birminghan in the heart of the brass industry.