Lummus

Lummus is a term that appears in several distinct contexts, primarily within the United States. The name has been used for a corporate entity in the petrochemical industry and for a naval ship during the first half of the 20th century.

The Lummus Corporation was founded in the 1930s in New Albany, Ohio, and has grown into a global supplier of equipment and services for the oil, gas, and chemical processing sectors. Its product portfolio includes furnaces, reactors, pressure vessels, and related control systems employed in the conversion of crude oil and natural gas into fuels, chemicals, and petrochemical feedstocks. Over the decades the company expanded through acquisitions and the development of new technologies, positioning itself as a key player in the energy infrastructure market. Headquarters remain in Ohio, though engineering and sales operations are situated worldwide.

The U.S. Navy also operated a vessel named USS Lummus (AK-170), a cargo ship converted for wartime service during World War II. Commissioned in 1944, the ship was used to transport supplies and equipment to support Allied operations in the European theatre. Following the war, the Lummus was decommissioned and sold for civilian use.

In addition to these primary references, the word “lummus” occasionally appears in historical texts as a surname or petty toponym, but these usages are less common. The name is thus associated mainly with industrial engineering and military logistics, reflecting a heritage of American manufacturing and naval support.