Dial (company)
Encyclopedia
The Dial Corporation, a subsidiary of Henkel
AG & Co. KGaA (Henkel Consumer Goods Inc), is a manufacturer of personal-care
and household-cleaning products based in Scottsdale
, Arizona
.
It began as a brand of deodorant
soap manufactured by Armour and Company
, a Chicago
, Illinois
, meatpacking firm, and through a series of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, emerged by the 2000s as a stand-alone personal-care and household-cleaning products company. The company's namesake, Dial soap, remains one of its major brands. In 2004, the company was purchased by Henkel, a German
consumer-products firm. The company's president, Stefan Sudhoff, took control in 2010.
introduced in the United States. It was developed by chemists from Armour and Company and introduced in the Chicago market in 1948. Armour had been producing soap since 1888; soap was made from tallow
, a by-product of the meat production process. The name Dial was chosen because the soap advertised "'round-the-clock" protection against the odor
caused by perspiration. Demand for this new soap exceeded expectations due to its deodorant effectiveness, its non-medicinal clover-like smell and bright golden yellow color. The brand was rolled out nationally in 1949, and in time became the leading deodorant soap brand in the U.S.
Because of the popularity and strong sales of Dial soap, fueled by magazine, radio and television advertising, by the 1960s Armour's consumer-products business became known as Armour-Dial. In 1970, intercity transit company Greyhound Lines
, as part of a diversification strategy, purchased Armour & Company for $400 million and relocated its headquarters to Phoenix
, Arizona, the following year. It was for a time known as Greyhound-Dial, and informally referred to as Greyhound-Armour.
In 1987, the company sold the Greyhound bus operations in the wake of bitter labor disputes. In 1989, a 24-story corporate headquarters tower was built just north of downtown Phoenix for $83 million. The company became known by its present name by 1990. For a time, the Dial Corporation was a minority investor in Phoenix's NBA basketball team, the Phoenix Suns
. John W. Teets, chairman and chief executive officer since 1982, continued to divest major business segments on an annual basis.
In 1996, the company divested itself of all products except for the personal- and household-care brands, and relocated its headquarters from central Phoenix to northeast suburban Scottsdale (across the street from its existing research facility). The remaining portions of the business stayed in the headquarters tower and was called VIAD Corporation
. John Teets's contract was not renewed and he retired at the end of that year.
After several years of marketing errors and poor performance under president and chief executivie officer Malcolm Jozoff, in 2000 Jozoff was replaced by Herbert Baum, who was specifically charged with finding a suitable buyer for Dial. In April 2004, the company was bought by Henkel, thus ending over 100 years as an American company.
On March 1, 2006, the company completed the transaction to sell its foods business for $183 million to Pinnacle Foods
, located in Cherry Hill
, New Jersey
. The foods business, the direct descendant of the original Armour business, which produces shelf-stable canned meat products (such as potted meat
and Vienna sausage
s) and ready meals under the Armour brand, had sales of approximately $230 million in fiscal 2005.
On December 15, 2008, The Dial/Henkel Consumer Goods Inc moved into its new company headquarters at North Scottsdale Road and Loop 101 just a few miles north of its old location.
Henkel
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA is an multinational company headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany.The company operates in three business areas: Home Care , Personal Care ,...
AG & Co. KGaA (Henkel Consumer Goods Inc), is a manufacturer of personal-care
Personal care
Personal care or toiletries is the industry which manufactures consumer products used for beautification and in personal hygiene.-Subsectors:Subsectors of personal care include cosmetics and feminine hygiene....
and household-cleaning products based in Scottsdale
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
It began as a brand of deodorant
Deodorant
Deodorants are substances applied to the body to affect body odor caused by bacterial growth and the smell associated with bacterial breakdown of perspiration in armpits, feet and other areas of the body. A subgroup of deodorants, antiperspirants, affect odor as well as prevent sweating by...
soap manufactured by Armour and Company
Armour and Company
Armour & Company was an American slaughterhouse and meatpacking company founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1867 by the Armour brothers, led by Philip Danforth Armour. By 1880, the company was Chicago's most important business and helped make the city and its Union Stock Yards the center of the...
, a Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, meatpacking firm, and through a series of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, emerged by the 2000s as a stand-alone personal-care and household-cleaning products company. The company's namesake, Dial soap, remains one of its major brands. In 2004, the company was purchased by Henkel, a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
consumer-products firm. The company's president, Stefan Sudhoff, took control in 2010.
History
Dial was the first antibacterial soapSoap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
introduced in the United States. It was developed by chemists from Armour and Company and introduced in the Chicago market in 1948. Armour had been producing soap since 1888; soap was made from tallow
Tallow
Tallow is a rendered form of beef or mutton fat, processed from suet. It is solid at room temperature. Unlike suet, tallow can be stored for extended periods without the need for refrigeration to prevent decomposition, provided it is kept in an airtight container to prevent oxidation.In industry,...
, a by-product of the meat production process. The name Dial was chosen because the soap advertised "'round-the-clock" protection against the odor
Body odor
Body odor or body odour, sometimes colloquially abbreviated as B.O., is the smell of bacteria growing on the body. The bacteria multiply rapidly in the presence of sweat, but sweat itself is almost completely odorless to humans....
caused by perspiration. Demand for this new soap exceeded expectations due to its deodorant effectiveness, its non-medicinal clover-like smell and bright golden yellow color. The brand was rolled out nationally in 1949, and in time became the leading deodorant soap brand in the U.S.
Because of the popularity and strong sales of Dial soap, fueled by magazine, radio and television advertising, by the 1960s Armour's consumer-products business became known as Armour-Dial. In 1970, intercity transit company Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
, as part of a diversification strategy, purchased Armour & Company for $400 million and relocated its headquarters to Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Arizona, the following year. It was for a time known as Greyhound-Dial, and informally referred to as Greyhound-Armour.
In 1987, the company sold the Greyhound bus operations in the wake of bitter labor disputes. In 1989, a 24-story corporate headquarters tower was built just north of downtown Phoenix for $83 million. The company became known by its present name by 1990. For a time, the Dial Corporation was a minority investor in Phoenix's NBA basketball team, the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
. John W. Teets, chairman and chief executive officer since 1982, continued to divest major business segments on an annual basis.
In 1996, the company divested itself of all products except for the personal- and household-care brands, and relocated its headquarters from central Phoenix to northeast suburban Scottsdale (across the street from its existing research facility). The remaining portions of the business stayed in the headquarters tower and was called VIAD Corporation
VIAD Corporation
Viad Corp is an S&P SmallCap 600 company that operates businesses that provide place-based marketing services in North America, the United Kingdom, Europe and the United Arab Emirates, as well as travel and recreation services in the United States and Canada. Viad’s businesses occupy leading...
. John Teets's contract was not renewed and he retired at the end of that year.
After several years of marketing errors and poor performance under president and chief executivie officer Malcolm Jozoff, in 2000 Jozoff was replaced by Herbert Baum, who was specifically charged with finding a suitable buyer for Dial. In April 2004, the company was bought by Henkel, thus ending over 100 years as an American company.
On March 1, 2006, the company completed the transaction to sell its foods business for $183 million to Pinnacle Foods
Pinnacle Foods
Pinnacle Foods Group LLC is a leading packaged foods company headquartered in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, owned by The Blackstone Group. Pinnacle Foods is a key player in the shelf stable and frozen food categories and their products can be found in more than 85% of American households.The company...
, located in Cherry Hill
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 71,045, representing an increase of 1,080 from the 69,965 residents enumerated during the 2000 Census...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. The foods business, the direct descendant of the original Armour business, which produces shelf-stable canned meat products (such as potted meat
Potted meat
Before the days of refrigeration, potted meat was developed as a way to preserve meat. After animals were slaughtered, especially in domestic settings, the result was more meat than could be immediately used...
and Vienna sausage
Vienna sausage
A Vienna sausage is a kind of hot dog...
s) and ready meals under the Armour brand, had sales of approximately $230 million in fiscal 2005.
On December 15, 2008, The Dial/Henkel Consumer Goods Inc moved into its new company headquarters at North Scottsdale Road and Loop 101 just a few miles north of its old location.
Brands
As well as Dial soap, major brands include:- AromaSense
- Borateem
- BoraxoBoraxoBoraxo is an American brand of powdered hand soap.As its name implies, Boraxo is composed largely of borax, and is marketed as a product for those who get their hands especially dirty during the course of their work, such as mechanics and farmers....
(acquired 1988) - Coast
- Combat Insect Control Systems
- Fels-NapthaFels-NapthaFels-Naptha is a brand of bar laundry soap used for pre-treating stains on clothing and as a home remedy for exposure to poison ivy and other skin irritants. Fels-Naptha is manufactured by and is a trademark of the Dial Corporation.-Use:...
- L.A. Looks
- Pure & NaturalPure & NaturalThe Pure & Natural is a product produced by the Dial Corporation. The line of products includes body wash, bar soap, and liquid soap. Fitting with parent Henkel's philosophy of supporting the environment and making sustainable products, Pure & Natural soaps are 98% natural in origin.The tagline...
- PurexPurex (Laundry detergent)Purex is the brand name of a popular laundry detergent in the United States, Canada and other countries. It is manufactured by the US-based Dial Corporation division of Germany's Henkel Corporation. Purex is one of the most widely used laundry detergents in North America...
(acquired 1986)
- RenuzitRenuzitRenuzit is a brand of air fresheners produced by the Dial Corporation. The Renuzit brand once included a solvent-based spot remover and cleaner as well.-How air fresheners work:Air fresheners are basically perfume dispensers...
- Right GuardRight GuardRight Guard is a brand of deodorant for men. It is also a brand of shower gel. It is manufactured by the Dial Corporation unit of Henkel of North America, which acquired the brand in 2006 as a condition for Procter & Gamble's Gillette acquisition because P&G has other deodorant brands such as Old...
, Dry IdeaDry IdeaDry Idea antiperspirant is part of the Dial Corporation's family of products.Formerly a Gillette Company brand, Dry Idea was sold to the Dial Corporation in 2006 for $420 million as a condition set forth by anti-trust authorities for Procter & Gamble's $57 billion Gillette...
, and Soft&Dri (acquired from Gillette 2006 as part of Procter & GambleProcter & GambleProcter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
's purchase of Gillette) - Soft Scrub (acquired from The Clorox Company)
- Sta-Flo
- Tone (soap)
- Trend
- Twenty-Mule-Team BoraxTwenty-Mule-Team Borax20 Mule Team Borax is a brand of cleaner manufactured by the U.S. soap firm Dial Corporation. The product is named after the 20-mule teams that were used by William Tell Coleman's company to move borax out of Death Valley, California, to the nearest rail spur between 1883 and 1889.Mule teams were...
(acquired 1988) - Zout
See also
- Greyhound LinesGreyhound LinesGreyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
- List of companies of the United States
- Viad TowerViad TowerThe Viad Tower is a highrise in Midtown Phoenix, Arizona also known as the Viad Corporate Center and formerly the Dial Tower. The tower was constructed in 1991 for the Dial company, which is why the building resembles a Dial soap bar. It rises 374 feet , topping out at 24 floors.It was designed in...
External links
- dialsoap.com, Dial soap's official website
- henkelna.com, Henkel North America's official website