One of Hull's major employers for many years, the Reckitt Beckiser company
has had a mojor effect on the people of Hull and the growth of the City itself.
Reckitt & Coleman
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, becoming renowned for starch, washing blue and
black lead for polishing His four sons take over after his death. (Reckitt's
history page). |
1886 |
Reckitt & Sons begins its expansion and
opens businesses around the world - the first in Australia. |
1888 |
Reckitt & Sons is launched on the London
Stock Exchange. |
1904 |
Hull's
Garden Village was inaugurated by Sir James Reckitt, Bart.
|
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. |
1913 |
Reckitt & Sons merge with J&J Colman
to become Reckitt & Colman Ltd |
1933 |
The Chiswick Polish Company merges with Reckitt
& Colman Ltd. |
1938 |
Benckiser diversifies into consumer goods and
industrial cleaning products. In the same year, Benckiser launches Calgon
water softener |
1954 |
Benckiser develops and launches Calgonit Automatic
Dishwashing Detergent and Quanto Fabric Softener in 1966. |
1956 |
Benckiser continues its expansion into consumer
goods via acquisitions and divestitures and in 1985 acquires St. Marc S.A,
France |
1964 |
Reckitt & Colman buys Airwick products |
1982 |
Benckiser purchases Mira Lanza Spa and Panigal
Spa, Italy |
1989 |
Benckiser acquires S.A. Camp Group, Spain |
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. |
1991 |
Benckiser begins expansion into Eastern Europe
|
1994 |
Reckitt & Colman acquires Lehn & Fink
Products, including Lysol, the famous household disinfectant brand in the
USA |
1995 |
Reckitt & Colman sells the Colman’s food business |
1996 |
Benckiser continues its expansion into the Baltic
countries, Belorussia, China, Israel |
1999 |
Reckitt & Colman plc and Benckiser N.V.
merge to become Reckitt Benckiser plc – The world no.1 in household
cleaning |
2000 |
In November, Reckitt Benckiser acquires Tiga
Roda - an Indonesian pest control business |
2001 |
March - RB acquires Oxy, a leading household
business in Korea |
2001 |
April - RB disposes of (non-core) firelighter
business |
2001 |
August - RB disposes of Dr. Becher, a non-core
business |
2002 |
Reckitt Benckiser acquires outstanding minority
interest in India and Sri Lanka |