Unilever South Africa
UNILEVER | UNILEVER | Companies with strong influence over the South African economy. | | Kioko Kasyoka | 5/18/2013 |
INTRODUCTION
Unilever is the third largest multinational consumer goods company. It owns over four hundred brands some of which are found in South Africa. It began operations in South Africa in 1891 when it introduced the popular Sunlight brand. It is therefore fact that Unilever has always been a key player in South Africa’s economy.
During apartheid many multinationals began to withdraw from South Africa as disinvestment gained momentum. Unilever’s however decided to continue investing in the South African economy. Unilever’s Capital Expenditure between 1980 and 1985 exceeded R192 million with Lever Brothers buying Reckitt–Columbus, the industrial division of Reckitt and Colman, in 1982 and then adding a new NSD Plant and Oil Mill in Boksburg, an upgraded Bath soap manufacturing facility in Durban and production facilities for silica gels.
1985 marked the acquisition of Brooke Bond Oxo, followed by Cheesebrough Ponds in 1987, Simonsberg Cheese in 1988 and the local Elizabeth Arden business in1989.
Ola ice cream was established in 1994 and Van Den Bergh & Jurgens and Lipton were merged to establish Unifoods as an integrated foods business. Extensive capital investment was made in new IT systems, innovation in soap powders (concentrates), and in new foods. Unilever continued to consolidate and, in 1996, Lever Brothers and Elida Ponds merged to form a strong home and personal care company called Lever Ponds. In 2004, in line with the Global name alignment, Lever Pond’s was renamed Unilever South Africa Home and Personal Care. On the same basis, the Foods business was renamed Unilever South Africa Foods.
In 2007 , Unilever South Africa Home and Personal Care and Unilever South Africa Foods were merged together to form the company we today call Unilever South Africa Pty Ltd
HOW UNILEVER WORKS.
The current Unilever
INTRODUCTION
Unilever is the third largest multinational consumer goods company. It owns over four hundred brands some of which are found in South Africa. It began operations in South Africa in 1891 when it introduced the popular Sunlight brand. It is therefore fact that Unilever has always been a key player in South Africa’s economy.
During apartheid many multinationals began to withdraw from South Africa as disinvestment gained momentum. Unilever’s however decided to continue investing in the South African economy. Unilever’s Capital Expenditure between 1980 and 1985 exceeded R192 million with Lever Brothers buying Reckitt–Columbus, the industrial division of Reckitt and Colman, in 1982 and then adding a new NSD Plant and Oil Mill in Boksburg, an upgraded Bath soap manufacturing facility in Durban and production facilities for silica gels.
1985 marked the acquisition of Brooke Bond Oxo, followed by Cheesebrough Ponds in 1987, Simonsberg Cheese in 1988 and the local Elizabeth Arden business in1989.
Ola ice cream was established in 1994 and Van Den Bergh & Jurgens and Lipton were merged to establish Unifoods as an integrated foods business. Extensive capital investment was made in new IT systems, innovation in soap powders (concentrates), and in new foods. Unilever continued to consolidate and, in 1996, Lever Brothers and Elida Ponds merged to form a strong home and personal care company called Lever Ponds. In 2004, in line with the Global name alignment, Lever Pond’s was renamed Unilever South Africa Home and Personal Care. On the same basis, the Foods business was renamed Unilever South Africa Foods.
In 2007 , Unilever South Africa Home and Personal Care and Unilever South Africa Foods were merged together to form the company we today call Unilever South Africa Pty Ltd
HOW UNILEVER WORKS.
The current Unilever