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'{{Short description|Japanese chemicals and cosmetics company}} {{more citations needed|date=October 2011}} {{Expand Japanese|花王|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox company | name = Kao Corporation<br />花王株式会社 | logo = Kao-corp-logo.svg | logo_size = 200px | caption = | image = Shibusawa Building, at Nihonbashi-Kayabacho, Chuo, Tokyo (2019-01-02) 05.jpg | image_size = 250px | image_caption = Kao headquarters in Tokyo, Japan | type = [[Public Company|Public]] ([[Kabushiki gaisha|K.K]]) | traded_as = {{Tyo|4452}}<br />[[TOPIX|TOPIX Large 70 Component]] | foundation = {{start date and age|1882|06|df=yes}}<br />Nihonbashi-Bakurocho, Tokyo, Japan | founder = Tomiro Nagase | num_employees = 33,409 (consolidated) (2020)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kao.com/global/en/who-we-are/data/|title = Kao &#124; Kao by the Numbers}}</ref> | industry = [[Personal care]], [[Cosmetics]] | revenue = {{decrease}}{{JPY|1,381,997 million}} (2020)<ref name="auto">https://www.kao.com/content/dam/sites/kao/www-kao-com/global/en/investor-relations/pdf/results-fy2020-all.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref> | operating_income = {{decrease}}{{JPY|175,563 million}} (2020)<ref name="auto"/> | net_income = {{decrease}}{{JPY|128,067 million}} (2020)<ref name="auto"/> | assets = {{increase}}{{JPY|1,665,616 million}} (2020)<ref name="auto"/> | equity = {{increase}}{{JPY|938,194 million}} (2020)<ref name="auto"/> | homepage = {{URL|www.kao.com}} | native_name = | location_country = [[Japan]] | location_city = 14-10, [[Nihonbashi]]-Kayabacho Itchome, [[Chūō, Tokyo|Chūō]], [[Tokyo]]}} {{nihongo|'''Kao Corporation'''|花王株式会社|Kaō Kabushiki-gaisha}} is a Japanese global [[chemical]] and [[cosmetics]] company headquartered in [[Nihonbashi]]-Kayabacho, [[Chūō, Tokyo]], [[Japan]]. == History == Kao was established in 1882 by Tomiro Nagase as a manufacturer of domestic toiletry soap. Until 1954, they were known as {{nihongo|Kao Soap Company|花王石鹸株式会社|}}, and finally in 1985 to Kao Corporation. ; 1960s and 1970s : During the 1960s and the 1970s, the company expanded to [[Taiwan]] and [[ASEAN]] countries, and also to [[oleochemicals]] in order to complement their main business. During this time, the company launched household products, laundry products, and industrial products to expand its revenue base (such as New Beads detergent, Humming fabric softener, Haiter bleach and Magiclean household cleaners). ; 1980s : During the 1980s, its products Merries diapers, Attack detergent, Bioré daily skincare and Bioré U daily body care, Curel (1986) and Sofina cosmetics were launched. During this time, Kao engaged in several joint ventures (haircare in Europe, [[Nivea]] in Japan with [[Beiersdorf]]), and acquisitions ({{anchor|Andrew Jergens Company}}Andrew Jergens Company in 1988, Goldwell AG in 1989) in North America and Europe. During this period, Kao also expanded to the manufacture of floppy disks. ; 1990s and 2000s : During the 1990s and 2000s, the company expanded into China and Vietnam—countries that, during that time, were opening up their economies to the rest of the world. Also, the company expanded into food products with Econa and Healthya. Additionally, the company made floppy disks and optical discs during this time.<ref name="Tech Monitor 1997">{{cite web | title=KAO TO CEASE US FLOPPY DISK MANUFACTURING | website=Tech Monitor | date=1997-12-11 | url=https://techmonitor.ai/techonology/kao_to_cease_us_floppy_disk_manufacturing_1 | access-date=2021-11-26}}</ref> It also continued to acquire businesses ([[John Frieda (brand)|John Frieda]]<ref name="Kao agrees to acquire John Frieda Professional Care">{{cite news | title=Kao Agrees to Acquire John Frieda Professional Hair Care | publisher=Business Wires | url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_August_1/ai_89956915/ | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709221147/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_August_1/ai_89956915/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=2012-07-09 | access-date=2009-11-18 | date=2002-08-01}}</ref> in 2002, [[Molton Brown]]<ref name="Charles Denton ex-CEO Molton Brown">{{cite news | title=Charles Denton ex-CEO Molton Brown | publisher=BBC | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4669173.stm | access-date=2009-01-06 | date=2005-07-10}}</ref> in 2005 and [[Kanebo Ltd.|Kanebo Cosmetics]] in 2006). In 2020, Kao Corporation was ranked the #4 out of 42 companies in the Corporate Knights Industry Group’s Personal Care and Cleaning Products category, recognized for its excellence in innovation capacity, employee retention as well as clean revenue, or revenue from all goods and services which have clear environmental benefits.<ref>{{cite news|date=January 21, 2020|title=Kao Wins a Place in the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World List|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200120005104/en/4695478/Kao-Wins-a-Place-in-the-Global-100-Most-Sustainable-Corporations-in-the-World-List}}</ref> For the company's national and international experience in sustainable development, and eco-friendly products, the Environment Possibility Award conferred the "Environmental Heroes of the Year" to Kao Corporation in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ep-a.org/medal/en/cucute-clear|title=Cucute's product won the 2020 "Environmental Heroes of the Year"|website=A.A. Environment Possibility Award|language=en-US|access-date=2020-12-27}}</ref> In 2021 two of Kao’s products, the 3D Space Shampoo Sheet and the Space Laundry Sheet, were chosen to be sent to the International Space Station, with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sky's the limit: Kao's beauty products selected for International Space Station mission|url=https://cosmeticsbusiness.com/news/article_page/Skys_the_limit_Kaos_beauty_products_selected_for_International_Space_Station_mission/180808|access-date=2021-12-01|website=cosmeticsbusiness.com}}</ref> <gallery widths="154px" heights="200px" perrow="2" caption="Advertising"> File:A skin you love to touch.png|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 Soap Company|Woodbury's Facial Soap]]. Valid in the United States and Canada through 5 October 1917 </gallery> ==Brand ownership== * Attack * Ban * [[Bondi Sands]] * Bioré * Biozet * Curel * Goldwell * Guhl * Healthya * Jergens * [[John Frieda (brand)|John Frieda]] * Kanebo * Kate * KMS * Laurier * Liese * Magiclean * MegRhythm * Merries * Merit * [[Molton Brown]] * Oribe * Segreta * Sensai * Sofina * Success ==References== {{reflist}} == External links == {{Commons category|Kao Corporation}} * [http://www.kao.com/index_en.html Kao Worldwide website in English] * [http://www.kao.com/jp/ Kao Japan website] * [http://www.kao.com/jp/en/corp/ Kao corporate website in English] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20040325040231/http://kaobrands.com/ Kao Brands Company, Kao's US subsidiary] {{Japanese beauty}} {{TOPIX 100}} {{Nikkei 225}} {{authority control}} [[Category:Companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange]] [[Category:Companies in the Nikkei 225]] [[Category:Chemical companies based in Tokyo]] [[Category:Cosmetics companies of Japan]] [[Category:Japanese brands]] [[Category:Chemical companies established in 1887]] [[Category:Japanese companies established in 1887]] [[Category:Multinational companies headquartered in Japan]]'