The final season of the hit science-fiction drama “Stranger Things” will be released Nov. 26, and fans who have been following along since it debuted have been treated to one of the cool things made in Lehigh Valley. 
Smooth-On Inc., located in Macungie, develops materials used to craft movie monsters, things that go bump in the night at haunted attractions, and other creatures designed to give you a scare.
From “Stranger Things” and “The Last of Us” to the James Bond and Harry Potter franchises, makeup and special effects artists worldwide use Smooth-On products to bring other worlds to life.
Founded in 1895 by Vreeland Tompkins, Smooth-On began with a powder compound called Iron Cement, which, when mixed with water, repaired cracks and holes in iron pipes and tanks. Since then, Smooth-On has grown into an international brand known for its innovation in chemical manufacturing, room-temperature-cured rubbers, and plastics.
The company is among the nearly 700 manufacturers that make Lehigh Valley one of the Top 15% of manufacturing markets nationwide, based on Gross Domestic Product. Iconic brands such as Crayola crayons, Mack Trucks, Martin Guitars, and Lutron dimmers are among those made in Lehigh Valley.
Smooth-On’s 400,000-square-foot headquarters and facility is known for an elaborate showroom entryway and unmistakable rooftop dragon. The showroom, Reynolds Advanced Materials, is open to the public, with items available for purchase for anyone to get creative at home, along with examples to spark imagination.
“The goal of our showrooms is to inspire people for the possibilities,” said Madeline Western, Smooth-On’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
The company’s product lines of liquid silicones, urethane rubbers, foams, epoxies, and more are used across a range of industries, including molding and casting sound barriers for highways, medical simulation, sculptures, and of course, special effects and cosplay.
Smooth-On, which has been in the Lehigh Valley for a decade, employs 200 locally and another 100 worldwide. Located 60 minutes from Philadelphia and 90 from New York City, the Lehigh Valley’s location was key in the decision to move to the region. One-third of the U.S. population is within a day’s drive.
“We're accessible by our global customer base who comes to visit us all the time,” Western said. “It's just a very, accessible place to live. There's something for everyone, and it's big enough to be exciting, but small enough to feel like home.”
