Kao Corporation facts for kids
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Kao headquarters in Tokyo, Japan
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Native name
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花王株式会社
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Romanized name
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Kaō Kabushiki-gaisha |
| Public (K.K) | |
| Traded as | TYO: 4452 TOPIX Large 70 Component |
| Industry | Personal care, Cosmetics |
| Founded | June 1882 Nihonbashi-Bakurocho, Tokyo, Japan |
| Founder | Tomiro Nagase |
| Headquarters | , |
| Revenue |  ¥1,381,997 million (2020) |
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Operating income
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¥175,563 million (2020) |
| ¥128,067 million (2020) |
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| Total assets |  ¥1,665,616 million (2020) |
| Total equity | ¥938,194 million (2020) |
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Number of employees
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33,409 (consolidated) (2020) |
Kao Corporation is a big Japanese company. It makes many products like soaps, cosmetics, and cleaning supplies. Its main office is in Tokyo, Japan. The company is known around the world for its different brands.
Contents
How Kao Started and Grew
Kao was started in 1882 by Tomiro Nagase. At first, it made soap for homes. The company was first called Kao Soap Company. Later, in 1985, its name changed to Kao Corporation.
Expanding in the 1960s and 1970s
During the 1960s and 1970s, Kao started selling its products in other countries. These included Taiwan and countries in Southeast Asia. The company also began making chemicals used in its products. This helped them grow their main business. They launched many new products for homes. These included laundry detergents like New Beads and fabric softeners like Humming. They also made bleaches such as Haiter and cleaners like Magiclean.
Growing in the 1980s
In the 1980s, Kao launched even more popular products. These included Merries diapers and Attack laundry detergent. They also introduced skincare products like Bioré and Curel. Sofina cosmetics were also launched during this time. Kao worked with other companies and bought some businesses. They bought Andrew Jergens Company in 1988 and Goldwell AG in 1989. This helped them grow in North America and Europe.
New Products and Global Reach in the 1990s and 2000s
Kao continued to grow in the 1990s and 2000s. They expanded into China and Vietnam. These countries were opening up their economies. The company also started making food products like Econa and Healthya. Kao also created a new type of cleaning product. This was the Quickle Wiper, which cleans with static electricity. They also bought other well-known brands. These included John Frieda in 2002, Molton Brown in 2005, and Kanebo Cosmetics in 2006.
Awards and Space Travel
In 2020, Kao Corporation was recognized as a top company. It was ranked highly for its new ideas and for keeping its employees happy. The company also earned praise for its eco-friendly products. Because of this, Kao Corporation received the "Environmental Heroes of the Year" award in 2020.
In 2021, two of Kao's products were chosen for a special mission. The 3D Space Shampoo Sheet and the Space Laundry Sheet were sent to the International Space Station. This happened in 2022 with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Popular Brands by Kao
Kao owns many well-known brands that you might use every day. Some of these include:
- Attack
- Ban (deodorant)
- Bondi Sands
- Bioré
- Biozet
- Curel
- Goldwell
- Guhl
- Healthya
- Jergens
- John Frieda
- Kanebo
- Kate
- KMS
- Laurier
- Liese
- Magiclean
- MegRhythm
- Merries
- Merit
- Molton Brown
- Oribe
- Segreta
- Sensai
- Sofina
- Success
Images for kids
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This picture was part of an advertising campaign by the Andrew Jergens Company in 1917. It was given out for every purchase of a cake of Woodbury's Facial Soap.
