The Company was originally founded in Oakland, California in 1913 as the Electro-Alkaline
Company. It was reincorporated as Clorox Chemical Corporation in 1922, as Clorox
Chemical Co. in 1928 and as The Clorox Company (an Ohio corporation) in 1957,
when the business was acquired by The Procter & Gamble Company.
The Company's business operations, represented by the aggregate of its Household
Products ' North America, Specialty Products, and Household Products ' Latin
America/Other, include the production and marketing of consumer products sold
primarily through grocery, mass merchandise, club and other retail stores.
The products of the Household Products ' North America segment include: (a)
plastic bags, wraps and containers, under the Glad brand, (b) home care cleaning
products such as disinfecting sprays and wipes, toilet bowl cleaners, dilutable,
spray and gel household cleaners, glass and surface cleaners, carpet cleaners,
reusable cleaning cloths, drain openers and septic-system treatments, steel-wool
soap pads and scrubber sponges, mildew removers, soap scum and bathroom cleaners,
daily shower cleaners and pre-moistened towelettes, primarily under the brands
Clorox, Formula 409, Pine-Sol, Tilex, Soft Scrub and S.O.S, (c) laundry products,
such as liquid bleaches, laundry stain removers and dry and liquid color-safe
bleaches under the brands Clorox and Clorox 2, and (d) water filtration systems
and filters under the Brita brand.
The products of the Specialty Products segment include: (a) auto care products
such as protectants, cleaners and wipes, tire- and wheel-care products and washes,
automotive fuel and oil additives and appearance products, primarily under the
Armor All and STP brands; (b) cat litter products such as clumping cat litter,
scoopable and silica-gel crystals cat litter, primarily under the Fresh Step
and Scoop Away brands; (c) food products such as salad dressings and dip mixes;
seasoned mini-croutons, seasonings, sauces, and marinades, primarily under the
Hidden Valley and K C Masterpiece brands; (d) seasonal products such as charcoal
briquets, charcoal lighter and wood chips under the Kingsford and Match Light
brands and insecticides under the Combat brand and (e) products for institutional
markets such as bleaches, toilet bowl cleaners, disinfectants, disinfecting
sprays and wipes, dilutable cleaners, insecticides, cleaners, food-storage bags,
wraps, trash bags, dressings, barbecue sauces, charcoal briquets, clog removers,
cleaners, steel-wool soap pads, mild-abrasive liquid cleansers, mildew removers,
soap scum removers and bathroom cleaners.
The products of the Household Products ' Latin America/Other segment include:
(a) in the Asia-Pacific region: bleaches, insecticides, disposable gloves, cleaning
cloths, floor cleaners, sponges and scourers, non-stick baking paper, ice cube
bags, non-stick frying pan sheets, aluminum foil, foil trays, plastic covers,
oven bags, reclosable bags, paste cleaner, food bags, cling films, trash bags,
coolant concentrates, brake fluids and sponges, primarily under the Glad, Chux,
Home Mat, Armor All, Combat, Clorox and Handy Andy brands and (b) in the Latin
American region: laundry additives, waxes, bleaches, spray and gel cleaners,
liquid household cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, bathroom cleaners, disinfecting
sprays, cleaning utensils, brooms, candles, air fresheners, and fabric refreshers
primarily distributed under the Clorox, Ayud'n, Limpido, Clorinda, Los Conejos,
Poett, Mistolin, Lestoil and Bon Bril brands.
Most non-durable household consumer products are nationally advertised and
sold within the United States to grocery stores and grocery wholesalers primarily
through a network of brokers and to mass merchandisers, warehouse clubs, military
and other retail stores primarily through a direct sales force. Within the United
States, the Company also sells institutional versions of many of its products.
Outside the United States, the Company sells consumer products to the retail
trade through subsidiaries, licensees, distributors and joint-venture arrangements
with local partners.
The Company purchases raw materials, packaging supplies, transportation and
other services, products and energy from numerous unaffiliated firms. Interruptions
in the delivery of these materials or services could adversely impact the Company.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and its affiliated companies were 25 percent,'of the
Company's consolidated net sales.
COMPETITION. The markets for consumer products are highly competitive. Most
of the Company's products compete with other nationally advertised brands within
each category and with 'private label' brands and 'generic' non-branded products
of grocery chains and wholesale cooperatives. Competition is encountered from
similar and alternative products, many of which are produced and marketed by
major national concerns having financial resources greater than those of the
Company. Depending on the product, the Company's products compete on price,
quality or other benefits to consumers. A newly introduced consumer product
(whether improved or newly developed) usually encounters intense competition
requiring substantial expenditures for advertising and sales promotion. If a
product gains consumer acceptance, it normally requires continuing advertising
and promotional support to maintain its relative market position.