Procter and Gamble

Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Procter and Gamble is a large manufacturer of consumer goods. They are #23 in the FORTUNE 500.

Fast Facts

1. Stock symbol: PG (NYSE)
2. Annual revenue (2007): $76.5
3. Founders: William Procter, James Gamble
4. Year established: 1837
5. Industry: Consumer products
6. Phone: (513) 983-1100
7. Fax: (513) 983-9369
8. HQ: Cincinnati, Ohio
9. European HQ: Geneva, Switzerland
10. Chairman/President/CEO: Alan G. Lafley
11. CFO: Clayton C. Daley Jr.
12. Staff: 138,000

Key Dates

1. 1837: Forms as soap and candle company
2. 1860s: Supply soap and candles to Union Army during Civil War
3. 1911: Introduce Crisco
4. 1920: Cease production of candles
5. 1946: Introduce Tide detergent
6. 1955: Introduce Crest toothpaste
7. 1960: Introduce Downy fabric softener
8. 1961: Introduce Pampers disposable diapers
9. 1996: Introduce Olestra
10. 2005: Acquire Gillette

Soap Operas

Because Procter and Gamble were primarily a soap-making company in the 1920s and '30s, the popular radio programs they sponsored during this time soon became known as "soap operas." The name stuck, and even today Procter and Gamble produces the soap operas Guiding Light and As the World Turns.

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