{"id":3073,"date":"2025-05-06T08:42:22","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T12:42:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/?p=3073"},"modified":"2025-09-17T15:27:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T19:27:52","slug":"robert-henry-abplanalp-the-inventor-of-the-aerosol-valve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/eternal-3073-robert-henry-abplanalp-the-inventor-of-the-aerosol-valve","title":{"rendered":"Robert Henry Abplanalp\u2014The Inventor of the Aerosol Valve"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes, all it takes is one great idea to become rich and famous. For Robert Abplanalp, that idea was a simple upgrade to the standard aerosol valve\u2014an innovation that made him a multi-millionaire. This Bronx native went from a struggling mechanic to one of America\u2019s wealthiest entrepreneurs and a close friend of a U.S. president. Read on to discover his incredible story of success, brought to you by <a href=\"http:\/\/bronxski.com\/\">bronxski.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35320f7664f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35320f7664f\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/eternal-3073-robert-henry-abplanalp-the-inventor-of-the-aerosol-valve\/#Happy_Childhood\" >Happy Childhood<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/eternal-3073-robert-henry-abplanalp-the-inventor-of-the-aerosol-valve\/#An_Early_Passion_for_Mechanics\" >An Early Passion for Mechanics<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/eternal-3073-robert-henry-abplanalp-the-inventor-of-the-aerosol-valve\/#An_Aerosol_Revolution\" >An Aerosol Revolution<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/eternal-3073-robert-henry-abplanalp-the-inventor-of-the-aerosol-valve\/#From_Rags_to_Riches\" >From Rags to Riches<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/eternal-3073-robert-henry-abplanalp-the-inventor-of-the-aerosol-valve\/#A_Political_Friendship\" >A Political Friendship<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/eternal-3073-robert-henry-abplanalp-the-inventor-of-the-aerosol-valve\/#A_Generous_Heart\" >A Generous Heart<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Happy_Childhood\"><\/span>Happy Childhood<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Robert Henry Abplanalp was born in the Bronx in 1922 to Swiss immigrants, Hans and Marie Abplanalp. His mother was a homemaker, while his father worked as a mechanic, maintaining bakery trucks. From a young age, Robert spent countless hours with his father in their basement workshop. He later recalled learning to operate a lathe at just seven years old. When they weren\u2019t working, father and son often relaxed in Long Island Sound, where they both loved to fish. Abplanalp always remembered this time with a special fondness, cherishing a childhood filled with love, care, and family warmth. It was on one of these fishing trips that his mechanical ingenuity first showed itself: he devised a method to quickly gather large numbers of bait crabs for his father, easily outperforming the other kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/05\/ad_4nxeguhrkzjjfi5ddnrzhn9znbm7scxjaytgpnpnd-hxzk5qr51hy24p4wr_z-7_wwtm7bicf3zktzkjcwaudqirnlr1cn6j4s0ygbpgxizs7nwlcus7ywgifjnkwohazlxewejjqnwkeyjkxfyfeckgxnygp9hpgygax9.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"An_Early_Passion_for_Mechanics\"><\/span>An Early Passion for Mechanics<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After graduating from <a href=\"https:\/\/bronx1.one\/en\/eternal\/fordham-university-in-the-bronx-5353\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fordham<\/a> Prep in the Bronx, Robert enrolled in an engineering program at Villanova University. However, after just a couple of years, he decided to leave school and open his own machine shop. He was eager to start making money on his own and felt he already knew everything the university was teaching him. But his ambitious plans were put on hold by the war. From 1943 to 1946, he served in the U.S. military in Europe, specifically in a railway battalion stationed in France. After the war, Robert returned to his business, but the first few post-war years were a struggle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/05\/ad_4nxft6am-ulal5-prlvvqhekr4cg7g1lnlswqdiqarbtciucdfysrxfswl-fscaokndk-wbswiywl1n_hj1sg7dnz-ykkpgzwwgg4brcvelzol3uac9q6rxh3aulbbm4qlmhtjrjkiwkeyjkxfyfeckgxnygp9hpgygax9.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some weeks, he earned as little as <strong>$10<\/strong>, and his shop racked up <strong>$10,000 in debt<\/strong>. Despite the hardship, Robert never gave up, continuing to produce parts for a wide range of industrial <a href=\"https:\/\/bronx1.one\/en\/eternal\/summit-appliance-a-home-appliance-manufacturer-based-in-the-bronx-3589\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">equipment<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"An_Aerosol_Revolution\"><\/span>An Aerosol Revolution<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everything changed after a client, John Bessler, visited Robert with a problem. He brought in several malfunctioning aerosol valves that were hindering sales for a crucial product line. At the time, aerosol valves were poor quality: they often leaked, rusted quickly, and were far too expensive to produce.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Intrigued by the challenge, Abplanalp spent several months working on a solution with Bessler\u2019s friend, Fred Lodes, who helped him understand the technology of aerosol cans. Robert stayed up late, conducting countless experiments and testing different theories and combinations. Eventually, Abplanalp developed a new type of valve consisting of seven parts made from metal, plastic, and rubber. This design was easy to mass-produce, and the cost dropped from <strong>15 cents to just 2.5 cents apiece<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/05\/ad_4nxcprsznmloyi3t5zesj63beuyjearxyytw-2sgq7ttsutiwcecabloqlnoixwzw9xh8xe5iprwlxb0c31ssf5dp8qrq_vainrpq0xedsowibiipgujy8xd15mahln-t7zjrsmi4gkeyjkxfyfeckgxnygp9hpgygax9.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After receiving a patent, Abplanalp, Bessler, and Lodes founded the Precision Valve Corporation in September 1949. The company was an instant success, with products selling lightning-fast and generating huge profits in its first year. In 1962, Robert bought out his partners. The New York Times, reflecting on Abplanalp\u2019s early career, would later call him the <strong>\u201cHenry Ford of the packaging industry.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"From_Rags_to_Riches\"><\/span>From Rags to Riches<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By 1971, the company was bringing in an annual revenue of <strong>$50 million<\/strong>, and Abplanalp&#8217;s personal fortune was estimated at <strong>$100 million<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the U.S. federal government began phasing out fluorocarbon propellants in the 1970s due to environmental concerns, Abplanalp quickly developed a new spray technology that used liquefied natural gas as a propellant and water as a solvent. His Yonkers-based company grew into a global empire with plants and offices in 20 countries, producing <strong>4 billion valves annually<\/strong>. Precision Valve manufactured valves for major clients like Pepsi and NASA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1971, Robert Abplanalp was honored with the <strong>Horatio Alger Award<\/strong>, given to individuals who have achieved great success despite overcoming adversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m an example of what is possible only in America,\u201d he said in 1999. \u201cI thank God every day for the luck I have had. It is truly unbelievable luck. Approximately 75 percent of my success is luck.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Abplanalp also received an <strong>honorary doctorate<\/strong> from Villanova University and was named \u201cMan of the Year\u201d from the Education Foundation. Additionally, he served on the boards of both Fordham Prep and Manhattan College.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/05\/ad_4nxf33srtdz3s1r7vvrsvd0t-8ktgb8r1_vrs7dx_avqt7ct-j-rkvr_j93ovixig7eujhjn95tkfxefsifye88ryhblayeoz-4s4bw3c1iqercf_cadekvp5ebsrchhq9dhj3pjkkeyjkxfyfeckgxnygp9hpgygax9.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe most important thing is <strong>self-respect<\/strong>,\u201d Abplanalp once said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what other people think of you. The only thing that matters is what you think of yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Political_Friendship\"><\/span>A Political Friendship<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Abplanalp supported Richard Nixon\u2019s presidential campaign as early as 1960. When they first met in 1963, he told Nixon directly that he considered his defeat unfair. At the time, Nixon had just returned to private law practice in New York after losing the 1962 California gubernatorial race. Abplanalp hired Nixon\u2019s law firm to handle his company\u2019s international affairs, and a <strong>close friendship quickly blossomed<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/05\/ad_4nxevwrqn1dmbzkaotsp_na4qxcdvr8fqwolsuuzzhpjq35qufsk95avgfjtja5mkaw2l6cycr6ex2mlfmix4fliqfxcvpyhvkc5hrym-ygmqhaaqdyqwxuwrswnztpczjrqypktu1qkeyjkxfyfeckgxnygp9hpgygax9.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Though Robert downplayed his role during Nixon\u2019s presidency, he always supported him morally and financially. After Nixon\u2019s 1968 election victory, Abplanalp loaned him <strong>$625,000<\/strong> to purchase a San Clemente estate, which became the president\u2019s Western White House. He also renovated a house on his private Bahamian island for Nixon\u2019s getaways and lent him his 55-foot yacht. Interestingly, during the infamous Watergate scandal in June 1972, Nixon was vacationing on Abplanalp\u2019s island. And when Nixon resigned in August 1974, Abplanalp and his other good friend, Bebe Rebozo, immediately flew to San Clemente to offer their support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/05\/ad_4nxf3pidwnie9lcenmvo11xk3an8drocsbrtydjnba4nebhjcl6q3mogfv8igrxwwc86h8mdj6_yb2y9lauznmos5uz3asgiyzzp-z2zjj8v3q4voh85wro6npy8pdtssz9thcljczqkeyjkxfyfeckgxnygp9hpgygax9.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite rarely speaking publicly about his friendship with the famous politician, Abplanalp remained a loyal friend and supporter of Nixon to the end. In a 1999 interview, when asked about his heroes, he replied, <strong>\u201cI have two heroes\u2014my father and Richard Nixon.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Generous_Heart\"><\/span>A Generous Heart<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In February 1967, during a Fordham Prep alumni dinner, a fundraising campaign for a new school building was officially announced. Anonymous benefactors pledged <strong>half a million dollars<\/strong>. It was soon revealed that the donors were Robert and his wife, Josephine, who later added another <strong>million dollars<\/strong> to cover construction costs. According to Robert, their generosity was a tribute to Father Arthur V. Shea, a beloved dean of students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/05\/ad_4nxf7hopzt9p2sgtlqsvefcvmzdecxozs17wpte-ly6etbf3lbkbitb430-kysup6iaagpy4muezbc39kqsp2ko_lcpx3mkne3xg2jmxpct8e0vurua6eutballmg_2lmalws3f6qegkeyjkxfyfeckgxnygp9hpgygax9.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new building for Fordham Prep, named in Shea\u2019s honor, opened on October 28, 1972. But the school soon faced a financial crisis. In the mid-1970s, it nearly closed its doors. Activists launched a fundraising campaign with large-scale benefit events featuring famous artists and public figures like Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Ethel Merman, Gloria Swanson, and Bob Hope. Behind the scenes, the Abplanalp family worked tirelessly to help <strong>keep the school afloat<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Robert and Josephine, who married in 1956 and had two children\u2014John and Marie\u2014were not only members of the Fordham Prep board of trustees but also generously supported other educational and scientific institutions, including Ursuline School, the University of New England, and the Sabin Vaccine Institute. Each year, they hosted the Institute\u2019s colloquium on their private Bahamian island, where their friend, President Richard Nixon, was a frequent guest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For their continuous support of Catholic charitable initiatives, the Abplanalps were inducted into the <strong>Order of the Knights of Malta<\/strong> and the <strong>Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Abplanalp remained an active inventor and patent holder of hundreds of patents until his death at age 81. His lifelong passion for fishing evolved into a keen interest in aquatic ecology\u2014he even owned several fish farms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2025\/05\/ad_4nxfzlgi0um6csj3i2kpss66xl9sqoeprilncfdrrcpfu99rzvdmmfio-pn-p2mrbhcd74cvz3vyb-jbdxmsn-jom7vxjk945dhr1w8rloxdqnprswyliozj5jfnerin_v3fbs2udkeyjkxfyfeckgxnygp9hpgygax9.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Abplanalp served as chairman and CEO of Precision Valve until his passing in 2003. He was survived by his wife, his children, and four grandchildren. His son John, a 1975 graduate of Fordham Prep, became the company\u2019s next president.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes, all it takes is one great idea to become rich and famous. For Robert Abplanalp, that idea was a simple upgrade to the standard aerosol valve\u2014an innovation that made him a multi-millionaire. This Bronx native went from a struggling mechanic to one of America\u2019s wealthiest entrepreneurs and a close friend of a U.S. president. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":398,"featured_media":2408,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[190],"tags":[1622,1619,1627,1626,1623,1633,1621,1632,1620,1630,1629,1628,1631,1625,1624],"motype":[196],"moformat":[76],"moimportance":[],"class_list":["post-3073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-success-stories","tag-robert-abplanalp","tag-aerosol-valve","tag-american-entrepreneurship","tag-bronx-history","tag-business-success","tag-diy-innovation","tag-family-business","tag-fordham-prep","tag-horatio-alger-award","tag-industrialist","tag-invention-history","tag-inventor-story","tag-philanthropist","tag-precision-valve","tag-richard-nixon","motype-eternal","moformat-longread-short"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/398"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3073"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3073\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3074,"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3073\/revisions\/3074"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2408"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3073"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=3073"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=3073"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=3073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}