Gojo Industries
Encyclopedia
GOJO Industries, Inc., is a manufacturer of hand hygiene and skin care products. Its best known product is Purell
instant hand sanitizer. The company was founded in 1946 in Akron, Ohio
, where is again headquartered after a period in Cuyahoga Falls. GOJO introduced Purell
Instant Hand Sanitizer in 1988, and its Provon brand name in 1989.
, by Goldie and Jerry Lippman. Goldie Lippman worked in a rubber
factory during World War II
where graphite
, tar
, and carbon
often got on the hands of employees, and was difficult to remove. Goldie and Jerry worked together with Professor Clarence Cook from Kent State University
’s chemistry department to formulate a heavy duty hand cleaner that they called GOJO Hand Cleaner which they sold to rubber workers. Prior to their product, chemicals such as benzene
were used to remove soils, but these irritated the skin. After the war they began marketing to automotive service facilities.
GOJO invented a liquid soap dispenser in 1950 to dispense their product in limited quantities after realizing that users were using much more than was needed to clean their hands, hence causing buyers to think the product was too expensive. Jerry Lipmann filed a patent for this portion-limiting dispenser in 1952.
In 2004 Pfizer
acquired, from GOJO, the exclusive rights to distribute Purell in the consumer market, while GOJO Industries retained the rights to existing industrial markets. The Pfizer Consumer Healthcare division, soon thereafter was acquired by Johnson & Johnson
(on June 26, 2006) moving the consumer market distribution rights of Purell into their portfolio, and thereby creating an agreement between the two independent companies. In 2010 GOJO bought the brand back from Johnson & Johnson.
Purell
Purell is an instant hand sanitizer made of ethyl alcohol which claims to kill "99.99%" of most common germs that may cause illness in as little as 15 seconds. Its active ingredient is ethanol . It is used by wetting one's hands thoroughly with the product, then briskly rubbing one's hands together...
instant hand sanitizer. The company was founded in 1946 in Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
, where is again headquartered after a period in Cuyahoga Falls. GOJO introduced Purell
Purell
Purell is an instant hand sanitizer made of ethyl alcohol which claims to kill "99.99%" of most common germs that may cause illness in as little as 15 seconds. Its active ingredient is ethanol . It is used by wetting one's hands thoroughly with the product, then briskly rubbing one's hands together...
Instant Hand Sanitizer in 1988, and its Provon brand name in 1989.
History
GOJO was founded in 1946 in Akron, OhioAkron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
, by Goldie and Jerry Lippman. Goldie Lippman worked in a rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
factory during 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...
where graphite
Graphite
The mineral graphite is one of the allotropes of carbon. It was named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1789 from the Ancient Greek γράφω , "to draw/write", for its use in pencils, where it is commonly called lead . Unlike diamond , graphite is an electrical conductor, a semimetal...
, tar
Tar
Tar is modified pitch produced primarily from the wood and roots of pine by destructive distillation under pyrolysis. Production and trade in tar was a major contributor in the economies of Northern Europe and Colonial America. Its main use was in preserving wooden vessels against rot. The largest...
, and carbon
Carbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
often got on the hands of employees, and was difficult to remove. Goldie and Jerry worked together with Professor Clarence Cook from Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
’s chemistry department to formulate a heavy duty hand cleaner that they called GOJO Hand Cleaner which they sold to rubber workers. Prior to their product, chemicals such as benzene
Benzene
Benzene is an organic chemical compound. It is composed of 6 carbon atoms in a ring, with 1 hydrogen atom attached to each carbon atom, with the molecular formula C6H6....
were used to remove soils, but these irritated the skin. After the war they began marketing to automotive service facilities.
GOJO invented a liquid soap dispenser in 1950 to dispense their product in limited quantities after realizing that users were using much more than was needed to clean their hands, hence causing buyers to think the product was too expensive. Jerry Lipmann filed a patent for this portion-limiting dispenser in 1952.
In 2004 Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
acquired, from GOJO, the exclusive rights to distribute Purell in the consumer market, while GOJO Industries retained the rights to existing industrial markets. The Pfizer Consumer Healthcare division, soon thereafter was acquired by Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company is listed among the Fortune 500....
(on June 26, 2006) moving the consumer market distribution rights of Purell into their portfolio, and thereby creating an agreement between the two independent companies. In 2010 GOJO bought the brand back from Johnson & Johnson.