The beginnings of S.C. Johnson & Son Limited, familiarly known as Johnson’s Wax, were modest. In 1882, when Sam Johnson came to Racine, Wisconsin, to accept a position as a salesman for the Racine Hardware Company, his job was to sell parquet flooring manufactured by his firm. Four years later, Sam Johnson, at the age of 53, bought the flooring business from the hardware firm and with a workforce of two men and two boys he founded the company that bears his name today. Five days a week, Sam Johnson toured the countryside in his buggy selling flooring to contractors for fine homes, churches, hotels and public buildings. After the first year’s operation, his ledger showed gross earnings of $3,148.27 and a net profit of $268.27. Under an account headed “Tithes” were his gifts to religious organizations that equalled a tenth of his income, a practice he followed throughout his life.

In the ensuing years, the entries in the ledger became larger and sales to customers as far west as Colorado, east to New England and south as far as Mississippi were recorded. In 1888 a new name appeared on the payroll account, that of Herbert F. Johnson who joined the company at the age of 20 at a salary of $40.00 per month.
 

1. Original can of Johnson's Paste Wax 2. People have trusted the Pledge line of wood care products since 1959.

Customers who had purchased Johnson flooring began to write asking for the best way to take care of their new floors. Sensing an opportunity to provide an additional service to his customers and to diversify his business, Mr. Johnson experimented with preparations of paste wax and soon cans of Johnson’s Prepared Paste Wax were being sent along with each new floor he sold and were being advertised in the national periodicals of the day. A new industry had been launched.

By 1898, the income from the sale of wax, wood fillers and finishes exceeded that from flooring. The words “Johnson’s Wax” were already becoming established as household words.

During the early 1900s the company flourished, new buildings were added to the facility in Racine and by 1910 the payroll grew to 92 people. In 1914, the first subsidiary was established in England followed by the establishment of an Australian subsidiary. In 1920, S.C. Johnson and Son, Limited was established in Canada.
 

1. Samuel Curtis Johnson;  2. Herbert F. Johnson Sr.;  3. Herbert F. Johnson;  4. Samuel C. Johnson.

This occurred when Herbert F. Johnson, then president of the company, set out by train to Toronto from Chicago to scout a location for the Canadian manufacturing facility. Coincidentally the Mayor of Brantford was also travelling on the same train. The two gentlemen met in the bar car and the Mayor convinced Mr. Johnson that the ideal location for his new factory was Brantford. Mr. Johnson never reached Toronto.

The Canadian operation started with 12 employees and manufactured four floor care products. Through aggressive research and product development, a firm understanding of consumer needs, a commitment to marketing investment and a close partnership with their customers, S.C. Johnson’s product base has grown to include some 400 products for both consumer and industrial markets. Today, the company manufactures and markets some of Canada’s best known household products such as PLEDGE, SHOUT, EDGE, RAID, OFF!, WINDEX and GLADE.

Throughout its 74-year history in Canada, the company has sought opportunities and innovations that have helped keep its products in the forefront of the marketplace. One such initiative was announced in December of 1992 when the Brantford headquarters assumed manufacturing responsibilities for a number of large volume specialty products including SHOUT Stick, GLADE Carpet and Room Deodorizer and SKINTASTIC Lotion tubes for the entire North American marketplace. This single move is expected to triple the company’s forecasted factory volume.
 

GLADE continues as Canada's favourite household air freshener brand.

S.C. Johnson is still a family-owned and family-run company. Mr. Samuel Johnson, the company’s chairman, is the fourth generation of the Johnson family to run the company and his four children are all active in the business. This long history of family ownership has created a strong continuity of business philosophy within the corporation. The company has long been committed to helping protect the environment while successfully manufacturing and marketing its products. S.C. Johnson’s contributions to the global environment demonstrates that their commitment goes beyond rhetoric to action and results.

In 1935, the then president, H.F. Johnson Jr., flew to the Brazilian rain forest with a team of scientists to determine the ecological impact of harvesting Carnuba palm leaves for use in their wax products. To his relief, he discovered that the harvesting had a harmless effect on the rain forest. This expedition set the example that S.C. Johnson employees have followed ever since. Perhaps most notably, that tradition was demonstrated in 1975 when S.C. Johnson independently and voluntarily removed chloroflurocarbons (CFC’s) from all of their aerosol products, a full 12 years before legislation.

S.C. Johnson has an exemplary reputation for being committed to the environment both locally and globally. In August 1991, the company was presented with the Ontario Lieutenant Governor’s Conservation Award and in May of 1992 was the recipient of Environment Canada’s Corporate Environmental Achievement Award.

The company and its employees, not content to rest on their laurels, have established specific and aggressive goals for further reducing their impact on the environment and will continue to play an important part in the growth of Brantford as well as the Canadian community at large.