Croda International

In 1925, an entrepreneur named George William Crowe and a chemist, Philip Wood, came together with a simple but powerful idea. Crowe, who had been working for a Belgian company that used a by-product of the wool industry, saw an opportunity. He acquired the UK rights to a process for extracting lanolin, a waxy substance from raw wool grease. With Wood’s chemical expertise, they founded Croda in Rawcliffe Bridge, East Yorkshire, to turn this often-discarded material into a valuable rust preventative. The company’s initial focus was industrial, supplying its anti-rust compound to engineering works and foundries across the region. However, a pivotal moment arrived when they realized that the properties of lanolin also made it an exceptional base for cosmetics. This insight marked a strategic shift from industrial applications to the personal care market, laying the groundwork for the company's future. A significant milestone in Croda's journey occurred in 1964 when the company went public on the London Stock Exchange. This event provided the capital needed for expansion, allowing Croda to grow beyond its UK origins and establish a global footprint. The IPO transformed the family-run business into a public entity, setting the stage for decades of growth and acquisitions. Today, Croda International is a global leader in specialty chemicals, a testament to the vision of its founders who saw potential in a humble by-product of the wool trade.