GOJO Reacquires PURELL® Brand

Inventor Once Again Owns the Best-Known Instant Hand Sanitizer

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Oct 29, 2010, 01:13 ET

AKRON, Ohio, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- GOJO Industries today announced that it has bought the PURELL® brand from Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company Division of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. With this transaction, GOJO once again has ownership of the PURELL brand and will build on its science-based innovations to drive consumer market growth in the hand sanitizer category.

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GOJO invented PURELL Instant Hand Sanitizer in 1988 for use in foodservice and healthcare situations when people lacked access to soap and water. When GOJO introduced PURELL to the consumer market in 1997, it created the hand sanitizer product category as a new way for people to help stay well and established PURELL as the category-defining brand.

In 2004, GOJO sold the PURELL brand to Warner-Lambert Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer, Inc. Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. acquired the brand as part of the company's acquisition of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare in 2006.

Even though GOJO sold the brand, it continued to market PURELL in professional settings such as healthcare, education and foodservice, where it has driven significant, ongoing innovation and growth in the hand hygiene and skin care category.

"Good hand hygiene knows no boundaries," said GOJO President Mark Lerner. "This transaction enables GOJO to expand the PURELL product line to include effective hand hygiene solutions for every setting – at home, at work and on the go."

GOJO has introduced a steady stream of science- and insight-based innovations in professional markets, including advanced dispensing, packaging and formulation technology. PURELL breakthroughs include formulas with advanced germ-killing efficacy and the world's first green-certified hand sanitizer.

"Retailers can expect GOJO to introduce breakthrough innovation to the consumer market, just as it has in professional markets," said GOJO Chairman and CEO Joe Kanfer. "GOJO has consistently led the industry by delivering new-to-the-world technology, furthering its position as the hand hygiene and skin care category leader."

Lerner pointed out that GOJO is the expert in the science of hand hygiene and skin care, with numerous scientific studies documenting the effectiveness of its products.

"We will use our expertise to stimulate consumer demand for PURELL and other hand sanitizing and specialized skin care products," he said. "We will innovate for consumers as we have in professional markets."

Innovation in the retail category has already begun, Lerner said. "Many consumers benefit from our innovations when they purchase our products in office retail superstores. Buying the brand aligns with our company's purpose of saving lives and making life better through well-being solutions."

About GOJO

GOJO invented PURELL Instant Hand Sanitizer and markets a full range of PURELL products to consumers and professionals worldwide. In addition, GOJO markets a full line of handwashing and skin care products to professionals under the GOJO® and PROVON® brand names. GOJO has a 64-year history of leadership in improving well-being through hand hygiene and healthy skin. GOJO products and programs kill germs on hands and solve skin care-related problems in a variety of markets, including healthcare, foodservice, food processing, manufacturing, automotive, education, government and military. GOJO is a privately-held corporation headquartered in Akron, Ohio, with offices in the United Kingdom, France, Australasia, Japan and Brazil.

SOURCE GOJO Industries