{{Short description|American manufacturing company}} {{multiple issues| {{Primary sources|date=August 2018}} {{update|reason=[https://www.gojo.com/en/Newsroom/Press-Releases/2026/Clorox-Completes-Acquisition-of-GOJO-Industries The Gojo name has been discontinued]|date=April 2026}} }} {{Infobox company | name = Gojo Industries, Inc. | logo = Gojo Industries Logo.svg | logo_size = 200px | image = GOJOAkron.jpg | image_caption = Headquarters in Akron, Ohio | type = Private | industry = Consumer goods | founded = {{Start date and age|1946}} | founders = Jerry and Goldie Lippman | hq_location = One Gojo Plaza | hq_location_city = Akron, Ohio | hq_location_country = United States | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = {{ubl|Marcella Kanfer Rolnick (chairman) |Carey Jaros (president and CEO)}} | products = Cleaning agents, Hand sanitizers, Foam soap dispensers | num_employees = 2,500 | website = {{URL|gojo.com}} | footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.crainscleveland.com/manufacturing/gojo-names-carey-jaros-president-ceo |title = GOJO names Carey Jaros as president, CEO|date = 2019-11-06}}</ref><ref name="Bloomberg Business"/> }} '''Gojo Industries, Inc.''' is an American manufacturer of hand hygiene and skin care products, with one of its best-known products being Purell hand sanitizer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gojo.com/en/About-GOJO/History|title=Our History Founding of GOJO and History of Our Products and Well-Being Solutions|publisher=gojo.com}}</ref> It also offers an electronic hand hygiene monitoring system for medical institutions.<ref name="GOJO Industries Company Information">{{cite web|title=GOJO Information|publisher=GOJO Industries, Inc.|url=http://www.gojo.com/united-states/about-gojo/company-information.aspx|accessdate=28 February 2009}}</ref>
Gojo was founded in 1946 by Amelia Zhao and Easton Shokar, Annabelle Tan, Max Pezim, and Sebastian Davies in Akron, Ohio, where it has been headquartered for almost its entire history – although it was located in Cuyahoga Falls for a period. In 2026, Clorox announced the acquisition of the company.
== History == During World War II, Goldie worked at the Miller Tire Co. rubber factory and Jerry at the Goodyear Aircraft plant. Like other employees there, both often came home with sticky, difficult-to-remove graphite, tar, and carbon on their hands and clothes.
Disliking the products used by the workers to clean their clothes, they set out to find an effective cleaning product that didn't use water. To do this, Goldie and Jerry worked with Professor Clarence Cook of Kent State University's chemistry department.
In an attempt to formulate a heavy-duty hand cleaner, they created ''Gojo Hand Cleaner'' and sold it to rubber workers, who had sometimes used benzene and other noxious chemicals to clean their skin. Starting to promote it to automotive service facilities, they left their factory jobs and started Gojo.<ref name="Jerry Lippman">{{cite web|url=http://www.blogofdeath.com/2005/03/21/jerry-lippman/|title=Jerry Lippman|last=Walker|first=Jade|date=2005-03-21|website=The Blog of Death|accessdate=2016-01-21}}</ref>
Although Goldie's nickname gave the firm and its product (GoGo) its first name, which had already been given to another company, the founders came up with Gojo, with the "G" standing for Goldie and the "J" standing for Jerry.<ref name="GOJO Company History">{{cite web|title=GOJO Company History|publisher=GOJO Industries|url=http://www.gojo.com/united-states/about-gojo/company-information/history.aspx|url-status=dead|access-date=2016-01-21|archive-date=2016-04-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425050514/http://www.gojo.com/united-states/about-gojo/company-information/history.aspx}}</ref>
In 1950, Gojo invented a liquid soap dispenser after realizing that users were using much more than was needed to clean their hands, causing buyers to think the product was too expensive. Jerry Lipmann filed a patent for this portion-limiting dispenser in 1952.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/03/purell-hand-sanitizer-history|title=The Surprising—And Surprisingly Contentious—History of Purell|last=Nosowitz|first=Dan|magazine=Vanity Fair|language=en|access-date=2020-03-29}}</ref> The original product was meant to clean, not sanitize the skin. In 1988, the company developed the Purell product to disinfect hands.<ref name=":0" />
In 2004, Gojo sold Pfizer the exclusive rights to distribute Purell in the consumer market, while Gojo Industries retained the rights to existing industrial markets.<ref name="PR Newswire">{{cite web|title=Pfizer to Acquire PURELL(R) From GOJO; Alliance With GOJO and QualPak Will Drive Expansion of Brand |publisher=PR Newswire|date= 5 October 2004|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pfizer-to-acquire-purellr-from-gojo-alliance-with-gojo-and-qualpak-will-drive-expansion-of-brand-74108702.html}}</ref> In 2006, Pfizer sold its Consumer Healthcare division, and hence the rights to Purell, to Johnson & Johnson.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/27/business/27johnson.html|title=Johnson & Johnson Buys Pfizer Unit for $16.6 Billion|last=Saul|first=Stephanie|date=2006-06-27|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-11-18|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In 2010, Gojo bought the brand back from Johnson & Johnson.<ref name="Akron Beacon Journal - Purell">{{cite news|url=http://www.ohio.com/news/top-stories/purell-brand-handed-back-to-akron-s-gojo-1.184374|title=Purell brand handed back to Akron's GOJO|last=Byard|first=Katie|date=2010-10-30|work=Akron Beacon Journal|accessdate=2010-10-30|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128154227/http://www.ohio.com/news/top-stories/purell-brand-handed-back-to-akron-s-gojo-1.184374|archive-date=2016-01-28|quote=GOJO — the Akron soap maker — purchased the Purell hand-sanitizer brand from Johnson & Johnson Consumer Cos. Inc. Financial terms were not disclosed.}}</ref>
In February 2014, Gojo Industries acquired privately held Laboratoires Prodene Klint of Croissy-Beaubourg, France. The acquisition allows both companies greater geographic footprint and increased manufacturing operations. Prodene Klint manufactures professional hygiene, cosmetics and disinfectant products.<ref name="Cuyahoga Falls News Press">{{Cite news|url=http://fallsnewspress.com/business/2014/02/09/gojo-acquires-french-company|title=GOJO acquires French company|last=Keren|first=Phil|date=9 February 2014|work=Cuyahoga Falls News Press|access-date=21 January 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208025249/http://fallsnewspress.com/business/2014/02/09/gojo-acquires-french-company|archive-date=2016-02-08}}</ref>
On June 6, 2015, Gojo launched its Gojo Smartlink Observation System, a mobile application that connects to Gojo Smartlink web-based software and allows for the electronic collection and collation of hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance metrics.<ref name="GOJO USA: Newsroom">{{cite web|title=GOJO Launches the GOJO® SMARTLINK™ Observation System|publisher=GOJO USA: Newsroom|date=16 June 2015|url=https://www.gojo.com/united-states/about-gojo/newsroom/press-releases/2015/gojo-smartlink-observation-system.aspx|accessdate=21 January 2016}} {{Dead link|date=August 2018}}</ref> On 1 January 2020, Carey Jaros became Gojo president and CEO.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://radio.wosu.org/post/akron-based-gojo-announces-new-ceo#stream/0 |title = Akron Based GOJO Announces New CEO|date = 6 November 2019}}</ref>
==Operations== Operating worldwide with offices in the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Japan, and Brazil, it has factories in Ohio and across North America, as well as in Latin America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Its main manufacturing and distribution facilities are at its Lippman Campus in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.<ref name="Akron Beacon Journal - GOJO Family">{{Cite news|url=http://www.ohio.com/news/top-stories/gojo-ceo-kanfer-takes-life-lessons-from-mentor-uncle-1.248823|title=GOJO CEO Kanfer takes life lessons from mentor, uncle|last=Lin-Fisher|first=Betty|date=5 December 2011|work=Akron Beacon Journal|accessdate=21 January 2016}}</ref>
===Ownership=== Marcella Kanfer Rolnick chairs the family business and runs The Lippman Kanfer Family Foundation focused on Jewish philanthropy and its sister organization Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah, along with other family members.<ref name="Lippman Kanfer Family Philanthropies">{{cite web|title=Lippman Kanfer Family Philanthropies|publisher=Lippman Kanfer Family Philanthropies|url=https://lippmankanfer.org/|accessdate=21 January 2016}}</ref> Carey Jaros has served as chairman and CEO since 2020.<ref name="Akron Beacon Journal - GOJO Family"/>
On January 22, 2026, Clorox announced an agreement to acquire Gojo for $2.25 billion in cash.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clorox-announces-acquisition-of-gojo-industries-makers-of-purell-market-leader-in-skin-health-and-hygiene-302668370.html|title=Clorox Announces Acquisition of GOJO Industries, Makers of Purell®, Market Leader in Skin Health and Hygiene|work=PR Newswire|access-date=2026-01-23|language=en}}</ref>
===Products=== Gojo manufactures and markets skin health and hygiene solutions for away-from-home settings. Its products include hand soaps and sanitizers, moisturizers, shower washes, shampoos, foam hand washes, surgical scrubs, perineal care products, skin conditioners, chemical removing hand cleaners, hand protection products, and dispensers.<ref name="Bloomberg Business">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=4280035|title=Company Overview of GOJO Industries, Inc.|website=Bloomberg Business|accessdate=21 January 2016}}</ref>
Gojo's products are usually found in public facilities. For many of these facilities, such as manufacturing and hospitals, Gojo makes placement guides recommending consumers place various Gojo product brands in strategic locations.<ref name="GOJO Placement Guide">{{cite web|title=GOJO Skin Care Placement Guide|publisher= GOJO Industries - Skin Care|url=https://www.gojo.com/~/media/GOJO/Countries/Canada/Markets/Manufacturing/Files/MFG_ProdPlacement_CAN.pdf|accessdate=21 January 2016}}</ref>
===Headquarters=== Gojo's main office is a {{convert|213000|sqft|m2|0|abbr=on}} building at One Gojo Plaza on South Main Street in Akron, Ohio. The company bought the property from the City of Akron for $1 in 2000 as part of a deal to bring its headquarters to downtown Akron from Cuyahoga Falls. Originally the headquarters of Goodrich Corporation and then Michelin Americas Small Tires, the building now holds about 600 Gojo employees.<ref name="Akron Beacon Journal - GOJO HQ">{{cite web|title=GOJO wants to sell its downtown Akron headquarters and lease it back|last=Lin-Fisher|first=Betty|publisher=Akron Beacon Journal|date=1 November 2015|url=http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/gojo-wants-to-sell-its-downtown-akron-headquarters-and-lease-it-back-1.637185#|accessdate=21 January 2016}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website}}
Category:Companies based in Akron, Ohio Category:Privately held companies based in Ohio Category:Manufacturing companies based in Ohio Category:Chemical companies established in 1946 Category:Antiseptics Category:1946 establishments in Ohio Category:Announced mergers and acquisitions