COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 311225

Fats and Oils Refining and Blending

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

24companies1871–1986founding years24still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedAarhus United A/SFoundedAarhus United A/S
1871
FoundedPZ Cussons plc
1879
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
FoundedAjinomoto Co., Inc.FoundedAjinomoto Co., Inc.
1909
FoundedSan Miguel Corporation
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedAsahi Denka Kogyo KKFoundedAsahi Denka Kogyo KK
1917
FoundedUnilever
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
FoundedNOF CorporationFoundedNOF Corporation
1937
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedPPB Group Berhad
1948
FoundedCJ CorporationFoundedCJ Corporation
1953
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedLitehouse Inc.
1963
FoundedGenting Bhd.FoundedGenting Bhd.
1965
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1980
EnvironmentSuperfund law makes polluters pay for cleanup.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedGoodman Fielder Ltd.
1986
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1989
EnvironmentThe Exxon Valdez spill reshapes energy and shipping rules.
1990
EnvironmentThe Clean Air Act amendments tighten emissions limits.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
EnvironmentThe Deepwater Horizon spill triggers sweeping energy rules.
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Aarhus United A/S →
Active · founded 1871 · Denmark
Aarhus United A/S is a leading producer of vegetable oils for the food, confectionery, cosmetics, and healthcare…
Aarhus United A/S →
Active · founded 1871 · Denmark
Aarhus United A/S is a leading producer of vegetable oils for the food, confectionery, cosmetics, and healthcare…
PZ Cussons plc →
Active · founded 1879 · United Kingdom
PZ Cussons plc is a leading manufacturer and distributor of a variety of products, especially soaps and other personal…
PZ Cussons plc →
Active · founded 1879 · United Kingdom
PZ Cussons plc is a leading manufacturer and distributor of a variety of products, especially soaps and other personal…
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. →
Active · founded 1909 · Japan
Ajinomoto Co., Inc., the world's first and still-largest producer of monosodium glutamate (MSG), is one of Japan's…
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. →
Active · founded 1909 · Japan
Ajinomoto Co., Inc., the world's first and still-largest producer of monosodium glutamate (MSG), is one of Japan's…
San Miguel Corporation →
Active · founded 1913 · Philippines
Best known for its internationally distributed beer, San Miguel Corporation can only be described in superlatives.
San Miguel Corporation →
Active · founded 1913 · Philippines
Best known for its internationally distributed beer, San Miguel Corporation can only be described in superlatives.
Asahi Denka Kogyo KK →
Active · founded 1917 · Japan
Asahi Denka Kogyo KK (the company uses Asahi Denka Co.
Asahi Denka Kogyo KK →
Active · founded 1917 · Japan
Asahi Denka Kogyo KK (the company uses Asahi Denka Co.
Unilever →
Active · founded 1929 · The Netherlands
If the adage 'two heads are better than one' applies to business, then certainly Unilever is a prime example.
Unilever →
Active · founded 1929 · The Netherlands
If the adage 'two heads are better than one' applies to business, then certainly Unilever is a prime example.
NOF Corporation →
Active · founded 1937 · Japan
NOF Corporation is Japan's leading oleochemicals group, producing a highly diversified range of products derived from…
NOF Corporation →
Active · founded 1937 · Japan
NOF Corporation is Japan's leading oleochemicals group, producing a highly diversified range of products derived from…
PPB Group Berhad →
Active · founded 1948 · Malaysia
One of Malaysia's largest companies, and one of the largest conglomerates in the ASEAN market region, PPB Group Berhad…
PPB Group Berhad →
Active · founded 1948 · Malaysia
One of Malaysia's largest companies, and one of the largest conglomerates in the ASEAN market region, PPB Group Berhad…
CJ Corporation →
Active · founded 1953 · South Korea
South Korea's largest food manufacturer, CJ Corporation, is also one of the world's leading producers of such food…
CJ Corporation →
Active · founded 1953 · South Korea
South Korea's largest food manufacturer, CJ Corporation, is also one of the world's leading producers of such food…
Litehouse Inc. →
Active · founded 1963
Litehouse Inc.
Litehouse Inc. →
Active · founded 1963
Litehouse Inc.
Genting Bhd. →
Active · founded 1965 · Malaysia
Genting Bhd.
Genting Bhd. →
Active · founded 1965 · Malaysia
Genting Bhd.
Goodman Fielder Ltd. →
Active · founded 1986 · Australia
Goodman Fielder Ltd.
Goodman Fielder Ltd. →
Active · founded 1986 · Australia
Goodman Fielder Ltd.
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