TIC Gums

While TIC Gums doesn't spend the day blowing bubbles, its gums are found in everything from donut glaze to hand lotion. The company is a leading US provider of hydrocolloids (thickeners) used in cosmetics, food (including chewing gum), and pharmaceuticals. Products -- including agar; carrageenan; guar gum; and pectin in powder, spray, and "pre-hydrated" forms -- are shipped to customers worldwide. The company has agents and stock locations in Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, and North America. TIC Gums was established in 1909 and is operated by the third generation of the Andon family, which has owned the company since 1949.