Innovation History
Listing all of the innovations launched over the course of Henkel’s history would fill a thick book. But even just a few examples serve to show that Henkel has produced a continuous stream of innovations in all areas of its business throughout its 130 years of existence and has frequently set new standards.
Example 1: Ecology
Henkel was a prime international mover in the replacement of phosphates in detergents. As early as the late 1950s, the Company was already conducting research on biodegradable surfactants and launched the first phosphate-free laundry detergent on the market in 1983. Also in the 1980s, Henkel incorporated a commitment to environmental protection in its corporate code, subjected all its sites worldwide to an eco-audit and was one of the first international companies to sign the “Business Charter for Sustainable Development". The Company declared “Ecological Leadership” as one of its strategic market objectives – courageous departures at the time.
Example 2: Products
One of the major strengths of Henkel is its ability to identify and exploit the synergies arising from its decades of experience in a variety of disciplines. Other Henkel attributes include a keen customer and consumer focus and a constant search for improved performance and ease of use. For example: Henkel’s research into smart dosing systems gave rise to the idea of providing toothpaste in a dispenser. Recognizing the demand for ever more compact detergents, Henkel developed its Persil Megaperls range of laundry detergents, together with the production technology that enabled such innovative products to be manufactured on a mass industrial scale. From its initial experiences with glue production in the 1920s – for its own packaging requirements – Henkel became the global market leader in adhesives. Today its product portfolio ranges from household glues through to high-tech bonding products for the electronics and aerospace industries. Henkel researchers not only develop tailor-made products for an increasing variety of new applications, they also improve safety for the users of the products, e.g. by designing solvent-free adhesives.
Example 3: Marketing
Henkel has always had a good reputation for creative, innovative marketing and sales promotion concepts. Back in 1907, the “Persil” launch was supported by a money-back guarantee. Sandwichmen – human billboards – populated the boulevards of major cities, and daring pilots wrote the Persil brand name in the skies. The legendary “White Lady” has been a German cult figure for decades, and courting couples arranged to meet “under the Persil clock”. Henkel produced a full-length movie with then famous actors all about laundry and laundering, which attracted a sensational number of viewers. The very first TV commercial to appear on German TV – in 1956 – also came from Henkel. The cumulative effect of these activities was that Henkel and its products came to be perceived as “friends of the family” long before “Henkel – A Brand like a Friend” was adopted as its corporate claim.
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Henkel’s Bleich-Soda [bleaching soda], one of the first branded products in Germany, marks the beginning of the Company’s success story.
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Schwarzkopf launches “Shampoon”, the first hairwashing powder on the German market. The packaging featured the now familiar Black Silhouette logo.
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After numerous laboratory trials, Persil was developed. The brand name stands for the two main components: sodium perborate and sodium silicate. Persil cleaned laundry automatically, eliminating laborious rubbing by hand and the attendant wear and tear on the fabric. This innovation meant that housewives no longer had to wait for a sunny day to lay laundry out on the grass to bleach.
At the beginning of the year, the first glues are produced in the cellar of the packaging building in Holthausen to glue Henkel’s own packs: Sula (paper glue), Desula (cardboard glue), and Buba (parcel glue).
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Inspired by a trip to the USA in 1928, Hugo Henkel orders research to be carried out on the cleaning of metal surfaces with sodium phosphate. The results were impressive and led to the production of the P3 cleaning agents in 1929.
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Schwarzkopf launches Onalkali, the world’s first alkali-free shampoo.
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Professor Vernon Krieble presents “Loctite, the liquid locknut,” promising that this adhesive would solve the problem of loose nuts and bolts in machines.
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Launch of the solvent-free Pritt glue stick.
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Dixan is the first phosphate-free powder laundry detergent in Germany.
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Under the brand name Megaperls, the new generation of laundry detergents is launched on the market in Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands. In Germany, Persil Megaperls appeared in 1994.
Henkel causes a sensation in the electronics industry by developing Loctite Chipbonders, a completely new generation of high-speed adhesives.
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Poly Re-Nature Creme restores gray hair to its natural color.
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The new flexible tile adhesive Ceresit CM 18 EasyFlex is easier to apply and easier to handle.
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Bonderite NT, a nanotechnology-based process for metal pretreatment, is simpler and offers better value and better performance than the customary iron phosphating method.
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In collaboration with Alessi, Henkel launches WC FreshSurfer, a toilet rimblock designed by Alessi, and demonstrates that even low-interest products can generate high consumer demand when offered in designer packaging.
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With Flextec, Henkel has developed a new patented basic technology for manufacturing especially user-friendly and environmentally compatible adhesives and sealants.
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Purmelt MicroEmission establishes a new generation of polyurethane hotmelts for industry which emits only minimal amounts of hazardous substances.
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2006 With a high-performance formula with 19 active ingredients, Gliss Kur Total Repair 19 restructures the hair and protects its surface.
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2006 Henkel launches with Thomsit XXL a very low-emission floor leveling compound that creates mirror-smooth surfaces for installation of floorcoverings and parquet.
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2006 Specially developed for specific cleaning steps in LCD production, the P3 Disperse series significantly improves the production process and enhances the image quality of the finished flatscreens.
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2007 This year marks the 100th anniversary of the day when Persil as the first self-acting detergent entered the market to revolutionize the world of laundry care. Today, Persil from Henkel is available in around 60 countries.
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2007 The new Caviar-Protein-Complex acts like a fresh-cell therapy to improve the cell renewing process by up to 40 percent. Diadermine Age Excellium firms the skin, verifiably alleviates even deep wrinkles and slows down the appearance of further skin ageing signs.
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2007 Under the name Multan F ASF, Henkel is offering a new series of rapidly evaporating forming lubricants that are particularly well suited to the processing of aluminium sheet metal in the manufacture of air-conditioning equipment. Users benefit not only from enhanced performance and lower consumption, but also from improved health and safety aspects.
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2008 Terra Activ: Power and nature in a new advanced-quality line. The range encompasses an all-purpose cleaner, a hand dishwashing detergent, and WC, bath and glass cleaners. An average of 85 percent of all ingredients are derived from renewable raw materials including, for the first time, certified sustainable palm kernel oil to encourage rainforest protection.
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2008 Coloriste – Schwarzkopf’s first 10-minute colorant for long-lasting, intensive and radiant results when time is tight! The 10-minute arginine formula – patent pending – improves the action of the pigments, therefore minimizing hair damage during the coloration process.
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2008 TecTalis – A new technology for the corrosion protection of metals, replacing the zinc phosphating process previously widespread in the automotive and durable goods industries. TecTalis reduces production costs and significantly decreases the process-related environmental burden.