Colgate-Palmolive

Colgate-Palmolive is a multinational; consumer-products based company that focuses on household, health and personal products, specifically things like soap, detergent, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. Colgate-Palmolive also produces veterinary products under its line called “Hill’s.”1 The history of the Colgate firm dates all the way back to 1806, but their first real success came many years later. In 1873, Colgate introduced its first toothpaste, which was originally sold in jars. The company sold its first tubed toothpaste, called Colgate Ribbon Dental Cream, in 1896. Also in 1896, the firm hired a man named Martin Ittner. While Colgate-Palmolive was under his control, one of the first legitimate research labs was founded. By 1908, tubed toothpaste was being sold in mass. 1

Colgate had two sons, one named James Boorman Colgate, who was a primary trustee of Colgate University in Wisconsin. His company, the B.J. Johnson Company, was making soaps composed entirely of palm and olive oil. After some time, the soap became a huge success. So huge that the soap was renamed Palmolive, a name that we are all very familiar with to this day.1 At the turn of the century, Palmolive became the world’s best-selling line of soap. Soon, a soap manufacturer from Missouri called Peet Brothers wanted to merge with Palmolive. Colgate agreed, creating a company called Palmolive-Peet. In 1928, Colgate was bought out by Palmolive-Peet, creating the powerhouse company known as Colgate-Palmolive-Peet. However, in 1953 the “Peet” was removed from the name, leaving it to be known as only "Colgate-Palmolive", which has remained its name to the present-day.1