Sep. 29—A company that bills itself as one of the world's leading producers of fluorochemicals has a manufacturing plant in North Augusta.

Because of its location, "some really special stuff is happening here in Aiken County," said Halocarbon's director of human resources, Kevin Hyman, during a presentation to the Rotary Club of Aiken on Sept. 26 at Newberry Hall.

Fluorochemicals contain fluorine, "a nonmetallic gaseous chemical element of the halogen group with atomic number 9," according to Merriam-webster.com.

Founded in 1950, Halocarbon got its start in New Jersey, but the company's headquarters has been based in Atlanta since 2015.

Among Halocarbon's early products were lubricants used by the U.S. military and gyroscopic fluids for navigation systems that helped this country send men to the moon in the 1960s.

"We are in some pretty unique niches," Hyman said.

Halocarbon makes isoflurane and sevoflurane, which are inhalation anesthetics used in human and veterinary medicine.

Another of the company's products provided a solution when Samsung phones were catching on fire because of issues with batteries, according to Hyman.

Battery oil supplied by Halocarbon prevented that hazard from occurring, he said.

Hyman added that the flexible displays in some smart phones are "the result of chemistry developed here in Aiken County."

The North Augusta plant at 1100 Dittman Court is Halocarbon's only such facility.

"We broke ground in South Carolina in 1980 and started our operations here around 1983," Hyman said.

Halocarbon currently has 167 employees.

For more information about Halocarbon, visit halocarbon.com.