| 1837 |
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During a difficult period, and following the advice of their father-in-law, two young men (married to sisters Olivia and Elizabeth Norris) merged their two businesses. James Gamble had a soap factory and William Procter had just started a candle factory. And so the first Procter & Gamble enterprise came into being in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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| 1859 |
Sales reached $1 million; 80 employees.
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| 1860s |
During the Civil War, P&G won contracts with the army for the supply of soap and candles. A period of great activity which confirmed their market position and built their reputation when soldiers returned home with P&G products.
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| 1878 |
Floating soap was discovered by chance: A workman in charge of production of one of the 24 types of soap let the mixture boil too long. Full of air bubbles, the soap floated. It was named "Ivory" and became the company's brand name. Inexpensive and of high quality, it was launched amidst an extensive promotional campaign in the press and on posters, which became a landmark in advertising history.
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| 1887 |
To counteract the rise of trade unions, the company established one of the first employee profit-sharing schemes in the world. Today, the 100,000 employees in the group hold 25% of the capital.
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| 1890 |
Creation of one of the earliest private research and development facilities - A successful multi-million dollar company.
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| 1915 |
First P&G factory established outside the USA, in Canada.
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| 1919-1920 |
P&G sells directly to retailers and hires 450 sales representatives.
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| 1924 |
Awareness of changing washing habits and the growing demand for laundry products prompts P&G to set up a market research department. From then onwards, the dialogue between P&G and consumers was firmly established. The concept that good customer service requires understanding the market, takes hold.
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| 1926 |
In response to the increasing popularity of perfumed beauty soaps, P&G launches the Camay brand.
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| 1930s |
P&G researchers study the discoveries made by German chemists during the World War I in a bid to replace soap with a synthetic product.
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| 1931 |
The P&G marketing organization organizes itself around the brands.
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| 1933 |
Launch of the Dreft brand, the first synthetic detergent, specifically designed for delicate fabrics. That year, the P&G launches the "soap opera", a serial daytime TV entertainment program, interspersed with brand advertising.
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| 1934 |
P&G launches Drene shampoo.
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| 1945 |
The company's net worth is $350 million.
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| 1946 |
P&G launches Tide, the first all-purpose laundry detergent. It would become a phenomenal success.
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| 1954 |
P&G starts European operations.
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| 1955 |
P&G introduces the Crest brand, the first fluoride-containing toothpaste
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| 1960 |
P&G launch the Downy brand, the first fabric conditioner.
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| 1964 |
The American Dental Association endorses Crest toothpaste.
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| 1972 |
P&G launches the Bounce brand, the first softener sheet for dryers.
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| 1980 |
P&G operations span 23 countries worldwide, with a turnover of $11 billion s - 35 times that of 1945.
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| After 1980 |
Global development continues, frequently through acquisitions.
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| 1984 |
Launch of "Tide Liquid."
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| 1984 |
P&G develops a "2-in-1" shampoo/conditioner brand: Pert Plus/Rejoice would become a market leader.
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| 1988 |
P&G announces a joint venture agreement in China.
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| 1995 |
P&G receives the National Medal of Technology - the highest award in the USA for achievement in technology - for creating, developing and marketing products that improve quality of life for billions of people worldwide.
P&G is quoted among the "Best-of-the-Best" in customer service, along with L. L. Bean, American Express, The Limited and Mariott. The company is also recognized as a leader in the areas of marketing, sales management and technology management¹.
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| the Future |
P&G continues to focus on its core brands and technology. The company has also made a firm commitment to sustainability in the broadest sense - social, economical and environmental. As quoted² from Deborah Anderson, P&G's vice president of Environmental Quality, "Sustainability . . . will be the 'price of entry' that society will demand for business success in the 21st century. I believe this is an essential message for all forward thinking businesses."
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| ¹ Camp, R. C. (1995). Business Process Benchmarking: Finding and Implementing Best Practices. Published by the American Society for Quality, Quality Press, Milwaukee, USA. |
| ² Elkington, J. (1998). Cannibals with Forks: The Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Businesses. New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, British Columbia, CA. |