Colgate redirects here. For the college, see Colgate University

Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE: CL (http://www.nyse.com/about/listed/lcddata.html?ticker=CL)) is a multinational corporation in the business of the provision of products such as soaps, detergents, and oral hygiene products such as toothpaste and toothbrushes. Under its "Hill's" brand, it is also a manufacturer of veterinary products.

History

In 1806 William Colgate opened up a soapmaking concern in New York called Colgate & Company. It was not until the 1830s that the company began selling individual bars in uniform weights. In 1872 Colgate introduced Cashmere Bouquet, a perfumed soap. In 1908 they sold their first tube of toothpaste.

In the Western United States, the B.J. Johnson Company was making a soap entirely of palm and olive oil. The soap was popular enough to rename their company after it - Palmolive.

A Kansas based soap manufacturer known as the Peet Brothers merged with Palmolive to become Palmolive-Peet. In 1928, Palmolive-Peet joined the Colgate Company to create the Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Company. In 1953 "Peet" was dropped from the title, leaving only "Colgate-Palmolive Company".

In the beginning of television, Colgate-Palmolive wished to compete with Procter & Gamble as a sponsor of soap operas. Although the company sponsored many shows in part, they were most famous for being the full sponsor of the serial The Doctors.

Diversity

Colgate-Palmolive was named one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers in 2004 by Working Mothers magazine.

See also

• Transesterification.