 At the end of World War I in 1918, Sterling purchased the US assets of a German company now known as Bayer AG for US$5.3 million.This purchase was directed under the Alien Property Custodian Act.In 1919, Sterling sold its dye division for $2.5 million to the "Grasselli Chemical Company" (based in Linden, New Jersey), which employed many former Bayer personnel.