In the early 1970s, executives at Gulf Oil Chemical Company (now Chevron-Phillips) met with Peter Cloeren Sr. (Senior) to discuss a wish list for a new coextrusion apparatus. Their vision was a device that could deliver one-, two- or three-layer coextrusions from one, two or three extruders. They wanted the ability to change the layer sequence relatively quickly (without disconnecting feed pipes) and desired adjustable metering of the converging flow velocities.

Senior returned just days later with a concept sketch of the first Cloeren Feedblock — his "Black Box." The Black Box incorporated a Selector Plug™ cartridge, the first known means for changing the layer sequence without disassembly. This technology remains the industry standard today.

Within six months, the first Cloeren Black Box was installed on Gulf's coextrusion coating line in Orange. Six months later, another was installed on a three-meter (120") extrusion coating line at Champion Paper Company in Asheville, North Carolina. 

Champion purchased the first Cloeren Black Box from Gulf in 1985. It remained in operation until 1994, at which time Cloeren traded Champion a new Feedblock in exchange for the now-historic original.