A humble beginning of Colgate Palmolive dates back to 1806, when a young Englishman – William Colgate set up a starch, soap & candle business in New York City. It was made into legal entity in 1807 with smith Francis & Colgate. With demise of the founder Mr. Colgate in 1857, the company was renamed to Colgate & Co.
Manhattan to Mumbai
In 1937, Colgate Palmolive Pvt. Ltd. was incorporated in India. It successfully rolled out new products with well executed business plans. Variety of toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoos and creams were introduced in the Indian market. By 1978, Colgate Palmolive consolidated presence in India. The launch of variety of products helped the company expand market leadership positions and gain new ones. In 1978, the Indian public was offered 60% equity in the company with shares being listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. It was successfully placed as the Blue Chip Company on the Indian bourses.
1980-1990’s was the era where company started manufacturing with state of the art facility. With its massive success, Colgate Palmolive USA reaffirms its commitment by raising its equity from 40% - 51%. Colgate started being considered as India’s No.1 brand across all categories. (Company)
Colgate oral pharmaceutical products were launched across Asia Pacific region. With brilliant launch strategy, new innovative products and having had great advantage at early stage, Colgate Palmolive entered a new category of household surface. Owing to this raising popularity, Colgate Palmolive introduced the top of the line products to Indian consumers. As the social media and user generated reviews proliferation, the organization noticed the power of valuing its customers. Websites were launched along with toll free consumer helpline for easy access to the information about the company and its wide variety of products.
The company started witnessing the ultimate vote of consumer’s confidence. Colgate maintained its status of the most trusted FMCG brand position in the tenth year of the Brand Equity survey. It was presented the “Hall of Fame” for being in the top 3 consistently for 10 years. It was voted as India’s most trusted brand across various categories in the annual survey for Economic Times Brand Equity conducted by Nielsen. Colgate Palmolive was on its way of building on success, it was ranked the 3rd most admired company in India by the global business magazine fortune and management consultancy – Hay Group. (Colgate-Palmolive, 2010)
Colgate Palmolive was a company dedicated to provide with the best oral health solutions to the nation, it launched several innovative new products in the oral care as well as personal care segment. Promoting healthy habits nationwide through its annual national oral health awareness program, these camps were scaled up significantly with wider reach every year. Colgate Caligaurd and Colgate plus toothbrush were the first to receive the Indian Dental Association’s seal of acceptance. Overseas, the company operates approximately 280 properties of which 80 are owned in over 70 countries. Major overseas facilities used by the Oral, Personal and Home Care segment are located in Australia (Sydney and the Gold Coast), Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Guatemala, Italy, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, Thailand, Venezuela and elsewhere throughout the world.
Colgate-Palmolive's chief manufacturing plant was located in Burlington, New Jersey, producing all of the fragrance and flavor oils for the company's facilities around the world. The company had numerous subsidiary organizations spanning 200 countries, but it is publicly listed in only two countries, the USA and India.