Reckitt Benckiser Inc.manufactures, markets and sells household, cleaning and speciality food products in North America. These products include LYSOL cleaners and disinfectants, EASY-OFF cleaners, RESOLVE cleaners, AIR WICK scented candles and deodorizers.
Easy Off
Easy-Off is a heavy duty cleaner brand, including oven cleaners, which is well-established in the North American region.
Lysol
Lysol is the No.1 disinfectant brand in the U.S., with over 50% of households using Lysol products. Families have trusted the brand to help keep their homes healthy for over 100 years. Hospitals across the U.S. also trust the brand to satisfy their cleaning and disinfecting needs.
History
1814 Jeremiah Colman begins milling flour and mustard in Norwich, UK. Diversifies mid-century into starch, wheat flour and laundry blue.
1823 Founding of Benckiser by Johann A. Benckiser. Core business derived from industrial chemicals.
1840 Isaac Reckitt rents, then subsequently (in 1848) buys a starch mill in Hull.
Diversifies into other household products; becomes renowned for starch, washing blue and black lead for polishing
His four sons take over after his death.
1886 Reckitt & Sons begins its expansion and opens businesses around the world.
1888 Reckitt & Sons is launched on the London Stock Exchange.
1912 Lehn & Fink Products begins US production of Lysol - originally imported from Germany.
1913 Joint venture set up in South America between Reckitt & Sons and J&J Colman - Atlantis Ltd. So successful that it is extended, in 1921, to cover all trading outside U.K.
1913 In the UK, Reckitt & Sons join the Mason brothers in forming the Chiswick Polish Company. Diversification into other branded household products continues through the war years and the Twenties.
1933 A major breakthrough for Reckitt & Sons, with the decision to market a germicide, Dettol, endorsed by the medical profession.
1938 Reckitt & Sons merge with J&J Colman to become Reckitt & Colman Ltd.
1954 The Chiswick Polish Company merges with Reckitt & Colman Ltd.
1956 Benckiser diversifies into consumer goods and industrial cleaning products. In the same year, Benckiser launches Calgon water softener.
1964 Benckiser develops and launches Calgonit Automatic Dishwashing Detergent and Quanto Fabric Softener in 1966.
1985 Reckitt & Colman buys Airwick products.
1990 Reckitt & Colman acquire Boyle-Midway, the American household products group with brands Woolite, Easy-Off, Sani-Flush, Wizard and Old English.
1990 Benckiser acquires worldwide branded business of Beecham Household Products in US and Canada.
1994 Reckitt & Colman acquires Lehn & Fink Products, including Lysol, the famous household disinfectant brand in the USA.
1995 Reckitt & Colman sells the Colmans food business.
1999 Reckitt & Colman plc and Benckiser N.V. merge to become Reckitt Benckiser plc – The world no.1 in household cleaning.
