Polyvance was born in 1981 as Urethane Supply Company by founder Jim Sparks. Jim saw that many of the urethane bumper covers that were very popular were being thrown away because of minor damage. Jim developed the airless plastic welder to repair urethane bumper covers and started a business. The business supplied the tools and materials to repair urethane bumper covers, so he named it Urethane Supply Company. As bumper covers transitioned to polypropylene, and as the company expanded into other types of plastic repair, the "Urethane Supply Company" name was no longer a good fit. The name sounded more like a yellow page heading than the name of a company dedicated to advancing plastic repair. We would get calls several times a day from people needing urethane spray foam, or urethane to make skateboard wheels. In 2016, we changed our name from "Urethane Supply Company" to "Polyvance". You see, the name "Urethane Supply Company" was never a very fitting name. After all, we don't "supply urethane". We advance polymer repair. We wanted a name that speaks to our main mission, which is advancing the technology of polymer repair. “Advancing Polymer Repair” is the official tagline and the inspiration for the name “Polyvance.” Polyvance will continue to be devoted entirely to helping body shops profit from plastic repair and refinishing through its innovative products and training.

Mission

Just about any automobile collision will result in damage to the bumper. Before the 1980's, most of the bumpers were made from steel. Today, just about all automobiles have bumper covers made from plastic. Most of the early plastic bumper covers were made from urethane and, in 1981, Polyvance (formerly Urethane Supply Company) was formed to address the needs of bumper recylcers and to supply products to repair urethane bumper covers. Hence the name Urethane Supply Company. As auto manufacturers began using other materials in bumper covers, Urethane Supply Company (now Polyvance) developed products to repair those types of plastics as well.