Henkel’s North American story officially began in 1960, but our brands were making history here long before that.
HENKEL HISTORY IN NORTH AMERICA
Henkel established its first footprint on the ground in North America in 1960 with the acquisition of Standard Chemical Products, marking the beginning of decades of growth and innovation. From early chemical solutions to major acquisitions, such as The Loctite Corporation, The Dial Corporation, the adhesives business of National Starch and Chemical Company, and The Sun Products Corporation, Henkel expanded into both industrial and consumer markets serving the adhesives, laundry and home care products, and personal care markets.
Today, Henkel continues to lead through innovative and sustainable solutions, shaping industries and creating value that extends beyond the region.
Our Milestones
1960 - 1979
The 60s and 70s
Henkel’s established its footprint in North America with the acquisition of Standard Chemical Products, followed by General Mills Chemicals to drive global growth.
1980 - 1999
The 80s and 90s
Henkel expanded via key acquisitions, including LePage and Loctite Corp., cementing its leadership in adhesives and broadening its North American reach.
2000 - 2009
The 2000s
Henkel boosted its consumer portfolio with Dial Corp. and transformed its adhesives business with the acquisition of National Starch & Chemical Co.
2010 - 2019
The 2010s
Henkel grew with key hair care brand acquisitions and bolstered its consumer portfolio by acquiring Sun Products Corp., adding popular laundry and dishwash brands.
2020 - 2025
The 2020s
Henkel continues to expand in North America, with acquisitions in home improvement, advanced materials, e-mobility, and infrastructure protection to drive future growth.
Future-Ready
Future? Ready!
Henkel continues to shape the future through innovation and sustainability, investing in educational initiatives, regional partnerships, and customer collaboration centers.
1960 - 1979
The 60s and 70s
Henkel entered North America in 1960 by acquiring Standard Chemical Products, marking the start of global expansion and innovation.
In 1971, Henkel Inc. was founded in New Jersey, and Henkel Chemicals (Canada) Ltd in Montreal. By 1977, the acquisition of General Mills Chemicals added specialty chemical assets.
In 1979, Henkel Inc., Teaneck, New Jersey, and General Mills Inc. merged to form Henkel Corporation, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. At the end of the year, Henkel of America Inc. was founded in New York as the holding company for the Henkel companies in the USA.
1980 - 1999
The 80s and 90s
During the 1980s, Henkel diversified its portfolio and continued to expand. A key milestone came with the acquisition of AMCHEM Products in 1980, which enhanced the company’s presence in surface treatment and metal pretreatment chemicals.
Throughout the decade, Henkel continued strategic acquisitions including Adhesives Consultants Group in 1987, and LePage in 1995, both of which expanded its adhesives footprint in the U.S. and Canada.
The 1997 acquisition of Loctite Corporation, based in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, helped position the organization as a global market leader in adhesive technologies. Further acquisitions of Manco, Inc. and Dep Corporation in 1998 strengthened Henkel’s presence in the consumer adhesives and personal care markets.
2000 - 2009
The 2000s
In 2004, Henkel acquired The Dial Corporation, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, significantly boosting its consumer portfolio. The acquisition included body care products and other products (which were later divested by Henkel) such as air fresheners, detergents and food products.
The company’s adhesives business continued to grow through the acquisition of Dexter Corporation in 2000 and Advance Research Laboratories, Orbseal and Sovereign Specialty Chemicals in 2004.
In 2008, Henkel’s acquisition of the adhesives business of National Starch & Chemical Company, based in Bridgewater, New Jersey, marked the largest acquisition for Henkel to date. The acquisition significantly upgraded Henkel’s portfolio and service offerings for the global adhesives market.
2010 - 2019
The 2010s
In 2014, Henkel acquired three U.S. based hair professional companies: SexyHair®, Alterna®, and Kenra Professional®. Henkel continued to make key acquisitions in the hair professional category, with Zotos Professional®, Joico®, and PRAVANA® brands in 2017 and eSalon® and DevaCurl® brands in 2019. It opened a new site in Culver City, California in 2018 to serve as the North America Consumer Brands Professional headquarters.
In 2016, Henkel acquired The Sun Products Corporation, a major player in the North American laundry market, which brought well-known brands, such as all® laundry detergent and Snuggle® fabric softener, into Henkel’s portfolio. As a result of the acquisition, Henkel moved its North American Consumer Brands headquarters from Scottsdale, Arizona to Stamford, Connecticut.
From 2014 to 2017, Henkel further expanded its Adhesive Technologies business by acquiring The Bergquist Company, Darex Packaging Technologies, and The Sonderhoff Group, enhancing its capabilities in thermal management solutions for electronics, high-performance sealants, and foam systems.
2020 - 2025
The 2020s
The acquisition of GE Sealants & Adhesives in 2020 expanded Henkel’s presence and capabilities in the DIY and home improvement markets.
In 2022, Henkel acquired NBD Nanotechnologies and Nanoramic Laboratories’ Thermal Management Materials business, advancing innovation in high-performance materials and e-mobility.
In 2023, Henkel added Critica Infrastructure, followed by Seal for Life Industries in 2024, enhancing its expertise in infrastructure protection and repair.
Future-Ready
Future? Ready!
Henkel remains committed to investing and driving growth in North America through an innovation-led and sustainability-focused strategy.
We invest in partnerships that shape the future, such as Henkel Researchers’ World, inspiring children through hands-on learning, and our multi-year partnership with U.S. Soccer, announced in 2024, during a historic era for the sport.
Customer Experience Centers across the region foster face-to-face collaboration, accelerating innovation and delivering customized solutions to ensure we stay ahead in a rapidly changing world
Did you know...?
1922
L. L. Grombach and Max Einstein founded Standard Chemical Products Inc, Hoboken, New Jersey, USA. The factory initially produced chemicals for the textile industry (1960: integrated into Henkel).
In the garage of a house in Los Angeles, the first Purex household cleaner was developed: Purex Bleach, which subsequently launched its first light duty detergent “Trend” in 1946.
1956
In New York, Professor Vernon Krieble presented “Loctite, the liquid locknut” at the University Club. Krieble promised that this adhesive would solve the problem of loose nuts and bolts in machines. With his neighbor, Paul G. Haviland, he founded the American Sealants Company in Hartford, Connecticut, USA (since 1963: Loctite Corporation; Henkel shareholding since 1985, acquisition in 1997).
1 of 5
Explore our
150 Years of Henkel Timeline
Henkel's story begins in 1876 with a twenty-eight-year-old merchant who was interested in science: Fritz Henkel. On September 26, 1876, Fritz and two partners founded the company Henkel & Cie in Aachen, Germany and marketed their first product, a universal detergent based on silicate. During the following years, the Henkel family and thousands of their employees built Henkel into a global company.
