Colgate-Palmolive
Encyclopedia
Colgate-Palmolive Company is an American
diversified multinational corporation
focused on the production, distribution and provision of household, health care and personal products, such as soap
s, detergent
s, and oral hygiene
products (including toothpaste
and toothbrush
es). Under its "Hill's
" brand, it is also a manufacturer of veterinary
products. The company's corporate offices are on Park Avenue
in Midtown Manhattan
, New York City
.
, himself a soap and candle maker, opened up a starch, soap and candle factory on Dutch Street in New York City
under the name of "William Colgate & Company". William Colgate in 1833 suffered a severe heart attack stopping his business from selling. But after a couple of years of recovery he continued with his business. In the 1840s, the firm began selling individual cakes of soap in uniform weights. In 1857, William Colgate died and the company was reorganized as "Colgate & Company" under the management of Samuel Colgate, his son, who did not want to continue the business but thought it would be the right thing to do. In 1872, Colgate introduced Cashmere Bouquet, a perfumed soap. In 1873, the firm introduced its first toothpaste, an aromatic toothpaste sold in jars. His company sold the first toothpaste in a tube, Colgate Ribbon Dental Cream, in 1896. In 1896, Colgate hired Martin Ittner
and under his direction founded one of the first applied research labs. By 1908 they initiated mass selling of toothpaste in tubes. His other son, James Boorman Colgate
, was a primary trustee of Colgate University
(formerly Madison University).
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the B.J. Johnson Company was making a soap entirely of palm
and olive oil
, the formula of which was developed by B.J. Johnson in 1898. The soap was popular enough to rename their company after it - "Palmolive". At the turn of the century Palmolive, which contained both palm and olive oils, was the world's best-selling soap. Extensive advertising included The Palmolive Hour
, a weekly radio concert program which began in 1927 and Palmolive Beauty Box Theater
which ran from 1934 to 1937. A Missouri
-based soap manufacturer known as Peet Brothers merged with Palmolive to become Palmolive-Peet. In 1928, Palmolive-Peet bought the Colgate Company to create the Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Company. In 1953 "Peet" was dropped from the title, leaving only "Colgate-Palmolive Company", the current name.
Colgate-Palmolive has long been in fierce competition with Procter & Gamble
, the world's largest soap
and detergent
maker. P&G introduced its Tide laundry detergent
shortly after World War II
, and thousands of consumers turned from Colgate's soaps to the new product. Colgate lost its number one place in the toothpaste
market when P&G started putting fluoride
in its toothpaste. But that didn't stop Colgate. In the beginning of television, "Colgate-Palmolive" wished to compete with Procter & Gamble
as a sponsor of soap opera
s. Although the company sponsored many shows in part, they fully sponsored the serial The Doctors.
George Henry Lesch
was president, CEO, and chairman of the board
of Colgate-Palmolive in the 1960s and 1970s, during that time transformed it into a modern company with major restructuring.
In 2005, Colgate sold the under-performing brands Fab, Dynamo, Arctic Power, ABC, Cold Power and Fresh Start, as well as the license of the Ajax brand for laundry detergents in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, to Phoenix Brands, LLC as part of their plan to focus on their higher margin oral, personal, and pet care products.
In 2006, Colgate-Palmolive announced the intended acquisition of Tom's of Maine
, a leading maker of natural toothpaste, for US $100 million. Tom's of Maine was founded by Tom Chappell
in 1970.
Today, Colgate has numerous subsidiary organisations spanning 200 countries, but it is publicly listed in only two, the United States
and India
.
In June 2007, counterfeit Colgate toothpaste imported from China
was found to be contaminated with diethylene glycol
, and several people in eastern U.S. reported experiencing headaches and pain
after using the product. The tainted products can be identified by the claim to be manufactured in South Africa
by Colgate-Palmolive South Africa LTD, they are 5oz/100ml tubes (a size which Colgate does not sell in the United States) and the tubes/packaging contain numerous misspellings on their labels. Colgate-Palmolive claims that they do not import their products from South Africa into the United States or Canada and that DEG is never and was never used in any of their products anywhere in the world. The counterfeit
products were found in smaller "mom and pop" stores, dollar stores and discount stores in at least four states.
in honor of the Colgate family following decades of financial support and involvement.
The Colgate-Palmolive Company has sponsored a non-profit track meet open to women of all ages. This event is called the Colgate Women's Games. The Colgate Women's Games is the nation's largest amateur track series open to all girls from elementary school through college. Held at Brooklyn
's Pratt Institute
, competitors participate in preliminary meets and semi-finals over five weekends throughout January. Finalists compete for trophies and educational grants-in-aid from Colgate-Palmolive Company at New York City's Madison Square Garden
in February.
, though this is no longer the case. Ethiscore.org has rated Colgate a 5.5 out of a possible 20. However, the company has made important steps and according to PETA "in March 1999, Colgate-Palmolive established a moratorium on animal testing for adult personal care products (this includes deodorants, shampoos, fragrances, and shaving creams)."
Colgate-Palmolive, as a successor to The Mennen Company, is one of about 300 companies held potentially responsible for hazardous waste
at the Chemsol federal Superfund site in Piscataway
, New Jersey
. Their involvement in this site may have contributed to the contamination
of an estimated 18500 cubic yards (14,144.3 m³) of soil with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PCBs
, and lead
off-site. A proposed $23 million agreement with the government and state of New Jersey would require Colgate-Palmolive and the other involved companies to pay for the cleanup of this hazardous waste that is contaminating the soil as well as the groundwater
. The company completed a LEED Silver certified manufacturing plant in Morristown, Tennessee
in March 2008 which was the first of its kind in the U.S.
of Colgate-Palmolive are: John T. Cahill
, Jill Conway, Ellen Hancock
, David W. Johnson
, Richard Kogan, Delano Lewis
, J. Pedro Reinhard, and Stephen I Sadove.
Chief Executive Reuben Mark retired July 1, 2007. Ian M. Cook, President and CEO
, replaced him.
Colgate now markets a broadly diversified mix of products in the United States and other countries. Major product areas include household and personal care products, food products, health care and industrial supplies, and sports and leisure time equipment.
Overseas, the company operates approximately 280 properties of which 76 are owned in over 70 countries. Major overseas facilities used by the Oral, Personal and Home Care segment are located in Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Guatemala, Italy, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, Thailand, Venezuela and elsewhere throughout the world.
Colgate-Palmolive has closed or is in the process of phasing out production at certain facilities under a restructuring program initiated in 2004 and has built new state-of-the-art plants to produce toothpaste in the U.S. and Poland.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
diversified multinational corporation
Multinational corporation
A multi national corporation or enterprise , is a corporation or an enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country. It can also be referred to as an international corporation...
focused on the production, distribution and provision of household, health care and personal products, such as soap
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
s, detergent
Detergent
A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water...
s, and oral hygiene
Oral hygiene
Teeth cleaning is part of oral hygiene and involves the removal of dental plaque from teeth with the intention of preventing cavities , gingivitis, and periodontal disease. People routinely clean their own teeth by brushing and interdental cleaning, and dental hygienists can remove hardened...
products (including toothpaste
Toothpaste
Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush as an accessory to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it serves as an abrasive that aids in removing the dental plaque and food from the teeth, assists in suppressing...
and toothbrush
Toothbrush
The toothbrush is an oral hygiene instrument used to clean the teeth and gums that consists of a head of tightly clustered bristles mounted on a handle, which facilitates the cleansing of hard-to-reach areas of the mouth. Toothpaste, which often contains fluoride, is commonly used in conjunction...
es). Under its "Hill's
Hill's Pet Nutrition
Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc is a subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive Company. They are a large scale provider of dog and cat foods.- History :In 1928, Dr. Mark L. Morris Sr. established Raritan Hospital for Animals in Edison, New Jersey. At the time, this was one of only two small animal hospitals in the...
" brand, it is also a manufacturer of veterinary
Veterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
products. The company's corporate offices are on Park Avenue
Park Avenue (Manhattan)
Park Avenue is a wide boulevard that carries north and southbound traffic in New York City borough of Manhattan. Through most of its length, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenue to the east....
in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
History
In 1806, William ColgateWilliam Colgate
William Colgate was an American manufacturer who founded what became the Colgate toothpaste company in 1806.- History :...
, himself a soap and candle maker, opened up a starch, soap and candle factory on Dutch Street in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
under the name of "William Colgate & Company". William Colgate in 1833 suffered a severe heart attack stopping his business from selling. But after a couple of years of recovery he continued with his business. In the 1840s, the firm began selling individual cakes of soap in uniform weights. In 1857, William Colgate died and the company was reorganized as "Colgate & Company" under the management of Samuel Colgate, his son, who did not want to continue the business but thought it would be the right thing to do. In 1872, Colgate introduced Cashmere Bouquet, a perfumed soap. In 1873, the firm introduced its first toothpaste, an aromatic toothpaste sold in jars. His company sold the first toothpaste in a tube, Colgate Ribbon Dental Cream, in 1896. In 1896, Colgate hired Martin Ittner
Martin Ittner
Martin Hill Ittner was primarily a chemist, who is best known for his contributions to applied chemistry such as the development of toothpaste and detergent while working for Colgate, now known as Colgate-Palmolive...
and under his direction founded one of the first applied research labs. By 1908 they initiated mass selling of toothpaste in tubes. His other son, James Boorman Colgate
James Boorman Colgate
James Boorman Colgate , son of William Colgate, was an American financier. He was born in New York City and received his first training in the house of Boorman, Johnston, and Company...
, was a primary trustee of Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
(formerly Madison University).
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the B.J. Johnson Company was making a soap entirely of palm
Palm oil
Palm oil, coconut oil and palm kernel oil are edible plant oils derived from the fruits of palm trees. Palm oil is extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis; palm kernel oil is derived from the kernel of the oil palm and coconut oil is derived from the kernel of the...
and olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
, the formula of which was developed by B.J. Johnson in 1898. The soap was popular enough to rename their company after it - "Palmolive". At the turn of the century Palmolive, which contained both palm and olive oils, was the world's best-selling soap. Extensive advertising included The Palmolive Hour
The Palmolive Hour
The Palmolive Hour was a critically acclaimed radio concert hour in the USA, sponsored by Palmolive Soap and broadcast on NBC from December 9, 1927 to July 29, 1931. The Palmolive Musical Stock Company offered a mix of jazz, show tunes and opera selections.The program usually opened with a duet by...
, a weekly radio concert program which began in 1927 and Palmolive Beauty Box Theater
Palmolive Beauty Box Theater
Palmolive Beauty Box Theater was an American radio program that featured an operetta or other musical each week from April 3, 1934 to October 6, 1937. It was sponsored by Palmolive soap and produced by Bill Bacher....
which ran from 1934 to 1937. A Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
-based soap manufacturer known as Peet Brothers merged with Palmolive to become Palmolive-Peet. In 1928, Palmolive-Peet bought the Colgate Company to create the Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Company. In 1953 "Peet" was dropped from the title, leaving only "Colgate-Palmolive Company", the current name.
Colgate-Palmolive has long been in fierce competition with Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
, the world's largest soap
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
and detergent
Detergent
A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water...
maker. P&G introduced its Tide laundry detergent
Laundry detergent
Laundry detergent, or washing powder, is a substance that is a type of detergent that is added for cleaning laundry. In common usage, "detergent" refers to mixtures of chemical compounds including alkylbenzenesulfonates, which are similar to soap but are less affected by "hard water." In most...
shortly after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and thousands of consumers turned from Colgate's soaps to the new product. Colgate lost its number one place in the toothpaste
Toothpaste
Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush as an accessory to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it serves as an abrasive that aids in removing the dental plaque and food from the teeth, assists in suppressing...
market when P&G started putting fluoride
Fluoride
Fluoride is the anion F−, the reduced form of fluorine when as an ion and when bonded to another element. Both organofluorine compounds and inorganic fluorine containing compounds are called fluorides. Fluoride, like other halides, is a monovalent ion . Its compounds often have properties that are...
in its toothpaste. But that didn't stop Colgate. In the beginning of television, "Colgate-Palmolive" wished to compete with Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
as a sponsor of soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
s. Although the company sponsored many shows in part, they fully sponsored the serial The Doctors.
George Henry Lesch
George Henry Lesch
George Henry Lesch was the president and CEO of the Colgate-Palmolive company from 1960 to 1971, and was also the chairman of the board of the company from 1961 to 1974. He was featured on the cover of Forbes Magazine in 1966....
was president, CEO, and chairman of the board
Chairman of the Board
The Chairman of the Board is a seat of office in an organization, especially of corporations.Chairman of the Board may also refer to:*Chairman of the Board , a 1998 film*Chairmen of the Board , a 1970s American soul music group...
of Colgate-Palmolive in the 1960s and 1970s, during that time transformed it into a modern company with major restructuring.
In 2005, Colgate sold the under-performing brands Fab, Dynamo, Arctic Power, ABC, Cold Power and Fresh Start, as well as the license of the Ajax brand for laundry detergents in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, to Phoenix Brands, LLC as part of their plan to focus on their higher margin oral, personal, and pet care products.
In 2006, Colgate-Palmolive announced the intended acquisition of Tom's of Maine
Tom's of Maine
Tom's of Maine is a brandname and manufacturer of natural-ingredients-only personal care products, a partially owned subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive since 2006. The company's products are intentionally made without ingredients that are either chemically derived, have a negative environmental...
, a leading maker of natural toothpaste, for US $100 million. Tom's of Maine was founded by Tom Chappell
Tom Chappell
Thomas Matthew "Tom" Chappell is an American businessman and manufacturer and co-founder of Tom's of Maine in 1970.Chappell graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut with a B.A. in English in 1966. Chappell and his wife, cofounder Kate Chappell, moved to Kennebunk, Maine in 1968 to...
in 1970.
Today, Colgate has numerous subsidiary organisations spanning 200 countries, but it is publicly listed in only two, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
In June 2007, counterfeit Colgate toothpaste imported from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
was found to be contaminated with diethylene glycol
Diethylene glycol
Diethylene glycol is an organic compound with the formula 2O. It is a colorless, practically odorless, poisonous, and hygroscopic liquid with a sweetish taste. It is miscible in water, alcohol, ether, acetone, and ethylene glycol. DEG is a widely used solvent...
, and several people in eastern U.S. reported experiencing headaches and pain
Pain
Pain is an unpleasant sensation often caused by intense or damaging stimuli such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting iodine on a cut, and bumping the "funny bone."...
after using the product. The tainted products can be identified by the claim to be manufactured in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
by Colgate-Palmolive South Africa LTD, they are 5oz/100ml tubes (a size which Colgate does not sell in the United States) and the tubes/packaging contain numerous misspellings on their labels. Colgate-Palmolive claims that they do not import their products from South Africa into the United States or Canada and that DEG is never and was never used in any of their products anywhere in the world. The counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
products were found in smaller "mom and pop" stores, dollar stores and discount stores in at least four states.
Educational and community involvement
In 1890, Madison University in New York State was re-named Colgate UniversityColgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
in honor of the Colgate family following decades of financial support and involvement.
The Colgate-Palmolive Company has sponsored a non-profit track meet open to women of all ages. This event is called the Colgate Women's Games. The Colgate Women's Games is the nation's largest amateur track series open to all girls from elementary school through college. Held at Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
's Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
, competitors participate in preliminary meets and semi-finals over five weekends throughout January. Finalists compete for trophies and educational grants-in-aid from Colgate-Palmolive Company at New York City's Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in February.
Environmental record
The Ethical Consumer Research Association once recommended that its readers do not buy Colgate because of its use of animal testingAnimal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
, though this is no longer the case. Ethiscore.org has rated Colgate a 5.5 out of a possible 20. However, the company has made important steps and according to PETA "in March 1999, Colgate-Palmolive established a moratorium on animal testing for adult personal care products (this includes deodorants, shampoos, fragrances, and shaving creams)."
Colgate-Palmolive, as a successor to The Mennen Company, is one of about 300 companies held potentially responsible for hazardous waste
Hazardous waste
A hazardous waste is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment. According to the U.S. environmental laws hazardous wastes fall into two major categories: characteristic wastes and listed wastes.Characteristic hazardous wastes are materials that are known...
at the Chemsol federal Superfund site in Piscataway
Piscataway Township, New Jersey
The township consists of the following historic villages and areas: New Market, known as Quibbletown in the 18th Century, Randolphville, Fieldville and North Stelton...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Their involvement in this site may have contributed to the contamination
Contamination
Contamination is the presence of a minor and unwanted constituent in material, physical body, natural environment, at a workplace, etc.-Specifics:"Contamination" also has more specific meanings in science:...
of an estimated 18500 cubic yards (14,144.3 m³) of soil with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PCBs
Polychlorinated biphenyl
Polychlorinated biphenyls are a class of organic compounds with 2 to 10 chlorine atoms attached to biphenyl, which is a molecule composed of two benzene rings. The chemical formula for PCBs is C12H10-xClx...
, and lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
off-site. A proposed $23 million agreement with the government and state of New Jersey would require Colgate-Palmolive and the other involved companies to pay for the cleanup of this hazardous waste that is contaminating the soil as well as the groundwater
Groundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
. The company completed a LEED Silver certified manufacturing plant in Morristown, Tennessee
Morristown, Tennessee
Morristown is a city in, and the county seat of, Hamblen County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 29,137 at the 2010 United States Census. It is the principal city of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Grainger, Hamblen and Jefferson counties...
in March 2008 which was the first of its kind in the U.S.
Corporate governance
Current members of the board of directorsBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Colgate-Palmolive are: John T. Cahill
John T. Cahill
John T. Cahill lawyer and prosecutor . Cahill served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and was the lead prosecutor in the trial of former United States Circuit Judge Martin T. Manton, which led to Manton's conviction. Cahill was the son of a New York City Police Officer who...
, Jill Conway, Ellen Hancock
Ellen Hancock
Ellen Hancock is a technology manager from the United States who has worked for IBM and Apple, among others.Hancock was born in the Bronx, New York City and raised in Westchester...
, David W. Johnson
David W. Johnson
Dave Johnson is a former member of the Ohio Senate. He represented the 18th District, which encompassed much of Northeastern Ohio. He served from 1975 to 1976.-References:...
, Richard Kogan, Delano Lewis
Delano Lewis
Delano Eugene Lewis is an American attorney, businessman, and diplomat. He was the ambassador to South Africa from 1999 to 2001, and previously held leadership roles with the Peace Corps, National Public Radio, and the U.S...
, J. Pedro Reinhard, and Stephen I Sadove.
Chief Executive Reuben Mark retired July 1, 2007. Ian M. Cook, President and CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
, replaced him.
Employment diversity
Colgate-Palmolive was named one of the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" in 2004 by Working Mothers magazine.Brands
- ABC (TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
) - Afta Lotion
- Anthony longlife soap
- Anbesol
- AjaxAjax cleanserAjax is a brand of cleaning products, introduced by Colgate-Palmolive in 1947 for a powdered household and industrial cleaner. It was one of the company's first major brands....
- Axionic Chips (The postulated axionAxionThe axion is a hypothetical elementary particle postulated by the Peccei-Quinn theory in 1977 to resolve the strong CP problem in quantum chromodynamics...
subatomic particle is named after this product.) - Caprice Shampoo (MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
) - Cold PowerCold PowerCold Power is a brand of laundry detergent made by Colgate-Palmolive. It was sold in the United States during the 1960s and into the early 1970s, but the brand was discontinued due to lagging sales. The brand is still being sold in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and many other countries...
- Colgate (toothpaste)Colgate (toothpaste)Colgate is an oral hygiene product line of toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes and dental floss.-Duraphat:Duraphat is a professional strength paste intended for the treatment and prevention of dental caries....
- Colodent (PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) - Crystal White Octagon
- Cuddly (AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) - Dermassage
- Dentagard (toothpaste) (GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) - Dynamo (detergent)
- Elmex (toothpaste)ElmexElmex is a brand of toothpaste that has been sold since 1962. It is manufactured by GABA International AG, a Swiss manufacturer of branded oral care products. It was the first toothpaste to contain the organic amine fluoride olaflur as an active ingredient for protection against dental caries....
- Fab (detergent)
- Fabuloso
- Fluffy (AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) - Fresh Start (detergent)Fresh Start (detergent)Fresh Start was the first powdered detergent to come in a plastic bottle. It was also one the first detergents to be highly concentrated, before all detergents went concentrated....
- Freska-Ra (MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
) - Gard Shampoo (GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
) - Hacı Şakir (TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
) - Handi Wipes
- Hill'sHill's Pet NutritionHill's Pet Nutrition, Inc is a subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive Company. They are a large scale provider of dog and cat foods.- History :In 1928, Dr. Mark L. Morris Sr. established Raritan Hospital for Animals in Edison, New Jersey. At the time, this was one of only two small animal hospitals in the...
(pet food) - Hurricane (detergent) (AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) - Irish SpringIrish SpringIrish Spring is the brand name of a deodorant soap, first marketed by the Colgate-Palmolive company in 1972.- History :Up until the 1990s, Irish Spring soap bars only came in one scent , but the Colgate company has since branched out into several niche varieties and scents...
- KolynosKolynosKolynos is the name of an old-time line of oral care products that was created by N.S. Jenkins in 1908 and acquired by Colgate-Palmolive in 1995.The brand was very popular in the thirties and forties, and sponsored several well-known radio programs...
- La Croix (bleachBleachBleach refers to a number of chemicals that remove color, whiten, or disinfect, often via oxidation. Common chemical bleaches include household chlorine bleach , lye, oxygen bleach , and bleaching powder...
), FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... - MennenMennenMennen is a brand owned in most parts of the world by the Colgate-Palmolive Company. Its most notable product, Mennen Speed Stick, with its fougère perfume and green wide stick, was the market leader among deodorants and antiperspirants for men for many years...
- Meridol (toothpaste)
- Murphy Oil SoapMurphy Oil SoapMurphy's Oil Soap is a cleaning product marketed by Colgate-Palmolive. It was originally invented by Murphy-Phoenix Company, later became Colgate-Palmolive's subsidy in 1991 . It is available in a concentrated liquid form which is then mixed with water, as well as pre-diluted form which comes in a...
- Palmolive (soap)
- Profiden (Toothpaste, Spain)
- Protex (Latin AmericaLatin AmericaLatin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
) - Sanex
- SoftsoapSoftsoapSoftsoap is the trade name of Colgate-Palmolive's liquid hand soap and body wash.William Sheppard of New York was granted patent number 49,561 for his "Improved Liquid Soap" on August 22, 1865, for his discovery that a small amount of conventional soap could be mixed with large amounts of hartshorn...
- Soft As Soap (Liquid SoapSoapIn chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
): (AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) - Soupline (FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) - Speed StickSpeed StickSpeed Stick is a brand of deodorant/antiperspirant that, as the name suggests, comes in stick form. The product is owned by its parent company, Colgate-Palmolive. It was formerly known as "Mennen Speed Stick" prior to Colgate-Palmolive's purchase of The Mennen Company. Currently, the products...
- Spree (detergent) (AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) - SuavitelSuavitelSuavitel is a brand of fabric softener marketed by Colgate-Palmolive....
- Tahiti (Liquid SoapSoapIn chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
): FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. - Teen SpiritTeen Spirit (deodorant)Teen Spirit is an anti-perspirant, originally sold by Mennen until the company was acquired by Colgate-Palmolive in 1992. The Teen Spirit line of products steadily lost popularity after its peak in the early 1990s...
- Tender Care Soap
- Tom's of MaineTom's of MaineTom's of Maine is a brandname and manufacturer of natural-ingredients-only personal care products, a partially owned subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive since 2006. The company's products are intentionally made without ingredients that are either chemically derived, have a negative environmental...
- Ultra BriteUltra BriteUltra Brite is an American toothpaste and tooth-whitener marketed by Colgate-Palmolive in the United States. Ultra Brite gained popularity during the 1970's with a commercial that stated, "Ultra Brite gives your mouth...[bling]...sex appeal!" It was introduced as an imitator of Maclean's adult...
Facilities
In the U.S., the company operates approximately 60 properties of which 15 are owned. Major U.S. manufacturing and warehousing facilities used by the oral, personal and home care segment of Colgate-Palmolive are located in Morristown, New Jersey; Morristown, Tennessee; and Cambridge, Ohio. The pet nutrition segment has major facilities in Bowling Green, Kentucky; Emporia, Kansas; Topeka, Kansas; Commerce, California; and Richmond, Indiana. The primary research center for oral, personal and home care products is located in Piscataway, New Jersey and the primary research center for pet nutrition products is located in Topeka, Kansas.Overseas, the company operates approximately 280 properties of which 76 are owned in over 70 countries. Major overseas facilities used by the Oral, Personal and Home Care segment are located in Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Guatemala, Italy, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, Thailand, Venezuela and elsewhere throughout the world.
Colgate-Palmolive has closed or is in the process of phasing out production at certain facilities under a restructuring program initiated in 2004 and has built new state-of-the-art plants to produce toothpaste in the U.S. and Poland.
Advertising
The iconic hand on the Palmolive dishwashing soap label belongs to Elizabeth Barbour. The image is a highly illustrated photograph taken in 1985 when the Colgate-Palmolive Company updated the image and hired Barbour who was a hand model with the Ford Agency in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
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