Super Eco

Photo credit: tacit requiem, flickr

One of the oldest consumer products companies in the U.S., the Colgate-Palmolive Company is a maker and marketer of toothpaste, household cleaners, dish washing detergent, fabric conditioner, mouthwash, teeth whiteners, and more. Founded as a starch, soap and candle business by William Colgate in 1806 on Dutch Street in New York City, Colgate went on to merge with Palmolive-Peet Company in 1928, soon changing the company name to Colgate-Palmolive. The company is, however, the third-largest company among its chief competitors; Procter & Gamble and Kimberly-Clark, registering at no. 186 of the Fortune 500 biggest companies.

Portions of Colgate-Palmolive are located in Morristown, New Jersey; Morristown,Tennessee; and Cambridge, Ohio. The Pet Nutrition segment has major facilities in Bowling Green, Kentucky; Topeka, Kansas; Commerce, California; and Richmond, Indiana. The primary research center for Oral, Personal and Home Care products is located in Piscataway, New Jersey and the primary research center for Pet Nutrition products is located in Topeka, Kansas. Colgate purchased natural products manufacturer Tom's of Maine in 2006.

Among Colgate's major brands are Anbesol pain reliever, Ajax cleaners, Colgate toothpaste and dental care products, Fresh Start detergent, Gard hair care products, Handi Wipes personal cleaning products, Hill's Science Diet pet food, Irish Spring soap, Murphy's Oil Soap, Palmolive dish soap, Softsoap hand cleanser, Speed Stick deodorant, and Ultra Brite dental care products.

Notable Eco Activity

While Colgate-Palmolive is now the parent company of natural toothpaste manufacturer Tom's of Maine, most of its environmental fame comes in the "infamous" variety. As a successor to the Mennen Company, Colgate-Palmolive is one of a few hundred companies who are considered responsible for the Chemsol Superfund site, an area in Piscatawny, New Jersey that is contaminated with VOCs, lead and PCBs. In 2007, counterfeit Colgate toothpaste made in China and sold in several countries was discovered to have been tainted with diethylene glycol and a recall was issued for the counterfeit products.

Historically, Colgate-Palmolive has conducted animal testing, but has, since 2004, used it as a last resort only. The company's sustainability page says that "99% of all internal requests for product safety assessment have been addressed using non-animal alternatives or existing databases."

Finally, the company argues that it is striving to reduce packaging wherever possible, by creating concentrated products, such as laundry detergents, and by reducing the thickness of its toothpaste tubes and pet food cans, among other things.

• Colgate Palmolive Details

  • Year Founded

    1806

  • Founded By

    Unavailable

  • Green Products?

    Yes

  • Hazardous Products?

    Unavailable

  • Sector

    Unavailable

  • Industry

    Unavailable

  • Help Line

    212-310-2000

  • Help Address

    Unavailable

  • Fax Number

    Unavailable

  • Website

    http://www.colgate.com

  • Key Execs

    Unavailable

  • Competitors

    Tom's of Maine

  
  

• Colgate Palmolive Locations

  • Headquarters

    300 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022

  • Mail Address

    300 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022

  • Operates In

    Unavailable

  • Manufacturing

    Unavailable

  
  

• Colgate Palmolive Financial Information

  • Company Type

    C corporation

  • Yearly Revenue

    $13,789 billion

  • Traded On

    NYSE

  • Symbols

    CL

  • Notes

    2007 annual revenue