Brand: Godrej
What is Godrej: The Godrej Group is an Indian Conglomerate Headquartered in Mumbai, having interests in real estate, FMCG, industrial engineering, appliances, furniture, security and agri care.
Brands: Good Knight, Ezee, Jet, Hit, Genteel, Cinthol, Shikakai, Swastik, Godrej No 1, Crowning Glory, Protekt, Godrej Shaving Cream, Kesh Kala, Anoop Hair Oil, Kali Mehendi, Nupoor, Renew, Go Jiyo.
Founders: Ardeshir Godrej, Pirojsha Godrej.
History: After two of his ventures burst, Ardeshir Godrej established a Lock manufacturing company in 1897 at a tiny shed in Lalbaug, Mumbai, rented at Rs.20.He began by manufacturing hi-security ‘anchor’ lock on May 7. His brother Pirojsha Godrej joined in 1906, after completing engineering from Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute, Bombay.
Trivia:
- In 1904, Godrej and Boyce gave the first public test of their fire resistant quality safes at Lalbaug which burned for three hours with paper inside. In 1905, they supplied a safe to her Royal Highness, The Princess Of Wales.
- Godrej secured its first patent (patent # 15773) in 1909 for spring less lock under the seal of King Edward VII of England.
- In 1919, godrej launched Soap No. 2. Ardeshir called it Soap No 2 as he hoped to better its quality and thereafter launch Godrej No 1 (1922).
- In 1951, in the wake of India’s 1st General Election, Godrej received an order from Election Commission to manufacture 9 Lac Ballot Boxes at Rs. 44 Lac within 3 months. These ballot boxes were dispatched from the railway sliding at Vikroli to different states.
- Cinthol was launched on 15th August, 1952 with the world-famous proven deodorant hexachlorophene (G-11). The name Cinthol is derived from Synthetic Phenol: Synth+ol.
- In 1955, Godrej manufactured India’s first indigenous typewriter, the market for which was dominated by foreign brands like Remington, Halda and Facit.
- In 1986, Sambhu Anubhawane, a job-typist from Bombay enters Guiness book of world records aftertyping continuously for 123 hours on a Godrej Prima Typewriter.
- Godrej Washing machine were used on the highways by dhabas to churn Lassi.
- The group’s original logo, red in color, depicts founder Ardeshir Godrej’s signature in a running hand. This was replaced with a bright rainbow colored cursive signature in 2008. The new corporate identity was created by Interbrand.
