08.04.08
United Kingdom
www.reckittbenckiser.com
Sales: $9.42 billion
Sales:
$9.42 billion for household and personal care products. Corporate sales: $10.54 billion.
Key Personnel:
Bart Becht, chief executive officer; Colin Day, chief financial officer; Javed Ahmed, executive vice president, North America and Australia and regional director North American household; Freddy Caspers, executive vice president, developing markets; Gareth Hill, senior vice president, information services; Rakesh Kapoor, executive vice president, category development; Alain Le Goff, executive vice president, supply; and Frank Ruether, senior vice president, human resources.Major Products:
Surface care—Cillit Bang, Lysol, Dettol, Harpic. Fabric care—Calgon, Vanish, Resolve, Spray ‘n Wash, Woolite. Dishwashing—Finish, Electrasol. Home care–Airwik, Mortein. Health and Personal care—Veet, Dettols, Clearasil.New Products:
Cillit Bang Grease & Floor, Dettol Herbal soap and shower gel, Veet Pump Pack, Mortein with Dettol, Mortein Naturgard range, Airwick Freshmatic Mini.Comments: I
n fabric care, 2007 net revenues rose 5% to $2.5 billion, driven by continuing growth of Vanish Oxi Action Multi and Vanish Oxi Action Crystal White. Calgon Water Softeners grew as a result of higher marketing investment. Woolite Garment Care benefited from the roll-out of Woolite Color. Excluding the private label business, where the level of activity was reduced in the year, the branded business grew 8%, according to Reckitt.In surface care, net revenues rose 8% due to the launch of Cillit Bang Grease & Floor and to strong growth for Lysol in North America and Veja in Brazil.
Net revenues of Reckitt’s dishwashing product group rose 5% due to the success of Finish Quantum and Finish All-in-1 in Europe and Electrasol 3-in-1 tablets in North America.
In home care, net revenues improved by 16%. Air care grew strongly due to the continuing success of Air Wick Freshmatic globally and strong growth for Air Wick Electrical Oils in North America. Pest control growth benefited from a number of initiatives such as Mortein Lantern, Mortein with Dettol and Mortein Professional Indoor Spray, according to Reckitt.
In health and personal care, net revenues rose 13% to $2.4 billion, with an extra month of Boots (BHI) in 2007 contributed 5% to the gain, while business disposals deducted 2%. Dettol was significantly ahead in developing markets due to new personal care products such as Dettol Herbal soap and shower gel, according to Reckitt.
Healthcare, including the former businesses of BHI, contributed strongly to the growth Reckitt experienced during the year. Net revenues from the former BHI business, led by Clearasil (as well as Nurofen, Strepsils health products) jumped more than 10% in the 11 months of ownership in 2006. Like-for-like growth in the former BHI business was 10%.
North America & Australia accounted for 28% of Reckitt’s total net revenues in 2007, with sales up 11%.
In developing markets sales rose 15% to $1.9 billion with strong growth across all regions of Asia, Latin America and Africa Middle East.
In Europe, group sales rose 7%, according to Reckitt.
In the first quarter of 2008, fabric care sales rose 6%, surface care was up 9%, dishwashing was up 7%, and home care sales rose an impressive 11%. The health and personal care unit reported the largest gain, with net revenues up 20%. Reckitt said Dettol grew strongly in developing markets behind extensions to the personal wash range and significantly increased marketing investment.