Church & Dwight

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Church & Dwight Co., Inc.
TypePublic
NYSE: CHD
S&P 500 Component
IndustryDental
Medical
Founded1847: as John Dwight and Company
1896: as Church & Dwight, Co.
FounderJohn Dwight
Headquarters
Ewing, New Jersey
,
US
Key people
Matthew T. Farrell, CEO
ProductsLaundry detergent
Baking soda
Depilatories
Pregnancy tests
Revenue$3.4 billion (2015) [1]
Number of employees
4,700[2] (2017)
DivisionsOrajel
Arm & Hammer
Nair
First Response
OxiClean
Toppik
Water Pik
Pepsodent
Websitewww.churchdwight.com

Church & Dwight Co., Inc., is a major American manufacturer of household products that is headquartered in Ewing, New Jersey. While it manufactures many products, it is best known for its Arm & Hammer line which includes baking soda and a variety of products made with it, including laundry detergent and toothpaste. Church & Dwight was founded in 1847 as John Dwight and Company, and changed to its current name in 1896. Church & Dwight is incorporated in Delaware.[3]

The current CEO of Church & Dwight is Matthew T. Farrell.

History[]

The company was founded in 1847 to unify two companies created by John Dwight of Massachusetts and his brother-in-law, Austin Church of Connecticut. Their partnership had begun in 1846 with the two founders selling sodium bicarbonate (also known as baking soda) that they refined in Dwight's kitchen.[4]

The Arm & Hammer name and logo, which dates back to the 1860s,[5] is often incorrectly claimed to have originated with tycoon Armand Hammer. Hammer was so often asked about the Church & Dwight brand, however, that he attempted to buy the company. While this attempt was unsuccessful, Hammer's Occidental Petroleum in 1986 acquired enough stock for him to join the Church & Dwight board of directors until his death in 1990.[6]

In 1970, the Arm & Hammer brand introduced the market's first nationally distributed, phosphate-free detergent: Arm & Hammer Powder Laundry Detergent. Recent findings had shown the harmful effects phosphates could have on the health of lakes, streams and other freshwater bodies. The brand rushed to provide a solution and, in less than a year, was able to bring the product from concept to market.[4]

In 2001, the consumer product line of Carter-Wallace was sold to Church & Dwight, and MedPointe bought the diagnostics and drug businesses.[7] The same year, Church & Dwight expanded its business into laundry detergent products by acquiring small detergent company USA Detergents, the original owner of Xtra detergent.

In 2003, Church and Dwight bought the domestic rights to Unilever's oral care business, which includes Pepsodent, Mentadent, Close-Up, and Aim. Unilever still owns the brands outside of the aforementioned countries.

Church & Dwight expanded its household brand portfolio with the acquisition in 2006 of Orange Glo International, which included such brands as OxiClean, in the laundry pre-wash additive category, Kaboom bathroom cleaners, and Orange Glo household cleaning products.[8]

In 2008, Church & Dwight acquired the Orajel business from Del Labs, which includes pain relievers for toothache, mouth sore and teething as well as non-fluoride toothpaste.

Church & Dwight was ranked 723 in the Fortune 500 listing of companies in 2010. The same year, Church & Dwight acquired Simply Saline, Feline Pine, and . [9]

In 2016, Church & Dwight acquired Spencer Forrest, Inc., the maker of Toppik hair care products.

In 2017, MidOcean Partners agreed to sell Water Pik to Church & Dwight for $1 billion. At the time of the sale announcement, it was reported that Water Pik had "$265 million of revenue in the fiscal year ended June 30, about 70% of which came from its water flosser products".[10]

Notable brands[]

  • Aim Toothpaste (acquired in 2003 in the US from Unilever)
  • Arm & Hammer
  • Arrid (acquired in 2001 from Carter-Wallace)
  • Close-Up (licensing rights acquired in 2003 in the US from Unilever)
  • Mentadent (acquired in 2003 in the US from Unilever)
  • Nair (acquired in 2001 from Carter-Wallace)
  • Orajel (acquired in 2008 from Del Pharmaceuticals)
  • OxiClean (through merger in 2006 with Orange Glo International)
  • Pepsodent (acquired in 2003 in the US from Unilever)
  • RUB A535
  • Trojan (acquired in 2001 from Carter-Wallace)
  • Waterpik

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Profile: Church & Dwight", NASDAQ
  2. ^ "American Eagle Outfitters". Fortune.com. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  3. ^ "EDGAR Search Results". SEC.gov. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  4. ^ a b "History". churchdwight.com. Church & Dwight.
  5. ^ "History of Product Names & Trademarks: Arm & Hammer Baking Soda". trivia-library.com. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  6. ^ Adams, Cecil (May 21, 1982). "Did tycoon Armand Hammer have anything to do with Arm & Hammer baking soda?". The Straight Dope. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  7. ^ "Carter-Wallace's brands will be sold to 2 different companies for a total of $1.12 billion". Los Angeles Times. May 9, 2001. Retrieved 2011-09-26. Carter-Wallace, ending a yearlong process to find buyers for its many brands, will split its consumer brands—including Trojan condoms and Arrid deodorant—from its health business, after failing to attract a better offer for the entire company. For Church & Dwight, which owns the Arm & Hammer baking soda product line, the purchase of Carter-Wallace's deodorant and pet- care lines will help the firm expand internationally, it said. A 50-50 venture Church has formed with Kelso will take the other consumer lines. MedPointe will get Carter-Wallace's diagnostics and drug businesses, which make the allergy medicine Astelin, the muscle relaxant Soma and Rynatan/Tussi cough and cold products. ...
  8. ^ Moore, Paula (2004-05-02). "OxiClean breathes new life into cleaning line". Denver Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  9. ^ "Fortune 500 listings". CNNMoney.com. CNN. 2010.
  10. ^ Vasquez, Justina (July 17, 2017). "Church & Dwight to Buy Water Pik for $1 Billion". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 17 July 2017.

Further reading[]

External links[]

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