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History of Gillette India Ltd.

1984

- The Comp. was Incorporated on 9th February, at Rajasthan. The Company was jointly promoted by House of Poddar Enterprises [HOPEs] and Gillette Company, U.S.A. [Gillettes]. The Comp. Manufacture stainless steel razor blades.

- Gillette entered into a foreign collaboration agreement with HOPE for setting up of Comp. for manufacture of stainless steel razor blades in which Gillette agreed to subscribe 24% of equity capital. The agreement also provided for technical collaboration by Gillette over the full range of technical know-how & technical assistance for the manufacture of razor blades, razors & shaving systems.

1985

- 70 Shares subscribed for by signatories to the Memorandum of Association. 49,99,930 shares then issued at par of which 12,24,930 share to HOPE & 12,00,000 shares to Gillette Company, U.S.A., were reserved & allotted. Out of remaining 25,75,000 share, 1,75,000 share to Indian working directors employees & business associates of the Comp. [only 1,25,400 shares taken ups] & 5,00,000 shares to NRIs on reptriation basis [all were taken ups] were reserved for preferential allotment. The balance 19,00,000 shares, along with the 49,600 shares not taken by employees were offered for public subscription in October.

1986

- The Comp. undertook to set up a plant for manufacture in the first phase, 200 million stainless steel razor blades per annum.

- The blades manufactured by Comp. were of two types, the premium 7 O'Clock Ejtek Super Platium & the stainless brand 7 O'Clock Ejtek Super Stainless.

- The Comp. took over Sharpedge Ltd., by acquiring the entire share capital of that company. Effective 1st April, 1991, Sharpedge Ltd, was amalgamated with the Comp. as per approval of BIFR.

1987

- The Comp. proposed to launch a new razor blade. The Company introduced new twin blade shaving system called 7 O'Clock Ejtek P II with platinum enriched edges.

- The Comp. offered 18,28,476 No. of Equity shares of Rs 10 each for cash at par in the following manner:

- [is] 16,66,666 No. of Equity shares at par as rights to the shareholders in the proportion 1:3,

- [iis] 83,333 No. of equity shares to employees of Company including Indian working directors and

- [iiis] 78,477 No. of equity shares to the promoters, i.e., 38,834 shares to Gillette Co., U.S.A., & 39,643 shares to the House of Poddar Enterprises, subject to a proportionate reduction in the event of undersubscription by employees.

1989

- The Comp. diversified into shaving preparations & launched the premium quality 7 O'Clock Ejtek shaving brush.

- 12,02,685 shares were taken up by shareholders. Out of the unsubscribed portion of 4,63,981 shares, 4,57,730 shares were allotted to promoters [26,730 shares to House of Poddar & 4,31,000 shares to Gillette Co., of U.S.A.s] in February.

- Employees had taken up only 2,300 shares & the remaining 81,033 shares were allowed to lapse. As a result, the promoters quota was also proportionately reduced. The 78,477 shares reserved for promoters were not required to be allotted as the issue was undersubscribed.

- The Controller of Capital gave permission to allot 12,41,800 No. of Equity shares of Rs 10 each for cash at par to Gillette Co., U.S.A. It was issued in February.

1990

- The Comp. undertook to expand substantially its production capacity of 7 O'Clock Ejtek P II, the twin blade shaving system.

- The Comp. launched two new products namely 7 O'Clock Ejtek P II shaving system with a metal spine & a shave cream in three variants.

1991

- The improved performance was attributed to the rehabilitation-cum-amalgamation Scheme approved by BIFR for amalgamation of Sharpedge Ltd., with the Company.

- 19,31,800 No. of equity shares of Rs 10 each at a premium of Rs 110 per shares were allotted on 18-06-1992. With this, the Comp. would be given the permission to use the brand name 'Gillette' which would enable higher sales & profit growth.

- Sabre Pens Ltd., Sheen Dental Products Ltd., Klosershav Products Ltd., & Vanity Cosmetic Ltd., are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company.

- 7,00,000 No. of Equity shares allotted at par to foreign promoters on 17th December, 1991.

1992

- During December 1992-January 1993, the Comp. offered 10,55,600 secured zero interest fully convertible debentures of Rs 120 each for cash at par on rights basis in the proportion 5 debs.: 50 equity shares held [all were taken ups]. Another 52,780 zero interest debentures were also offered to employees' on an equitable basis [all were taken ups]. Another 56,805 zero interest debentures were allotted to Gillette Co., U.S.A.

- Rs 50 of face value of each debenture was to be converted into one equity share of Rs 10 each at a premium of Rs 40 per share on expiry of 6 months for date of allotment of debentures. Accordingly 11,65,185 share were allotted. Remaining Rs 70 of face value of each debenture was to be converted into 1 equity share of Rs 10 each at a premium of Rs 60 per share on expiry of 18 months from the date of allotment of debentures.

1993

- The Comp. commenced the launch of Gillette Shaving products in India with the launch of Gillette Presto Readyshaver.

1995

- The Comp. launched another Readyshaver under the Brand name of 7 O'Clock Ready II. The Comp. also launched under a distribution arrangement tooth brushes under the well known international brand name Oral-B.

1996

- The Comp. successfully launched 'Gillette Sensor and Sensor Excell' shaving systems which met with an excellent consumer & trade response, 'Gillette Shave Foam' was also launched.

- The Comp. introduced ' Gillette Aerosol' shaving cream. This market is dominated by Colgate-palmolive, Godrej & Old Spice.

1997

- Indian Shaving Products Ltd [ISPLs] & Duracell India Pvt Ltd are merging their respective Ltd & marketing networks in the country with effective from April 1st.

- Indian Shaving Products Ltd will be distributing the Duracell range of batteries through its own sales & distribution network.

- Indian Shaving Products, a subsidiary of Gillette Comp. of the US, recently acquired Duracell, worldwide. In India, Duracell is represented through its own subsidiary, Duracell India Pvt Ltd - a separate legal entity.

- Gillette is working on a strategy to hike its equity stake in Indian Shaving Products Limited [ISPLs] from 51 per cent to 74 per cent.

1998

- The Comp. for first time entered the ladies personal care segment with the launch of Gillette Sensor Excel for women in January.

1999

- The Comp. has diversified its portfolio to increase its male personal products coverage while it has also introduced the Sensor Excel for women in 1997-98.

- Now for first time in India, shaving products have gone on the Net. Indian Shaving Products Ltd [ISPLs] has tied up with Rediff-on-the-Net e-commerce to market its product & increase its customer base.

- Indian Shaving Products [ISPLs] is undertaking a major capacity expansion plan buoyed by strong volume growth & high capacity utilisation.

- The Comp. is launching the Gillette 'Mach-III', the three-blade razor, as part of its growth plans in the country. The latest razor in the Gillette portfolio, Mach-III has been developed with an R&D investment of $750m.

2000

- The Comp. has approved the amalgamation of Duracell [Indias] Pvt. limited & Wilkinson Sword India limited with the company.

2001

- The Comp. has launched the Arctic Ince collection in India.

2002

-Gillette India Ltd has informed that the resolution regarding sale of Duracell Manesar Plant have been passed through postal ballot by a total of 2,84,33,494 votes [99.985%s] in favour of resolution out of 2,84,37,854 votes polled.

-Gillette India has shut down its alkaline battery manufacturing plant Duracell India, at Manesar in Gurgaon,which costs around Rs.27.76cr.

-Gillette USA has made an application to the secretriat for Industrial Assistance/Foreign Investment Promotion Board seeking their approval to infuse capital grant.

-Gillette Comp. is investing $20 million in its Indian subsidiary, Gillette India.

-Gillette India has declared two mega promotions aimed at Indian Foodball fans and consumers-Duracell cup of Joy & win Rs.5 cr.

-Gillette India has conducted raid at two premises in the city & identified fake toiletries worth Rs.3 lakh.

-Gillette India enters into agreement with Thanawala Group for sale of its Geep battery business comprising Brand names & sales & distribution network.

2003

-Gillette India has rearranged its complete range of shaving products.

-Gillette India has awarded its creative Acc. to Ogilvy & Mather following a global re-alignment of ad agencies.

-Gillette has identified the double edged blade segment as its growth market driver.

-Gillette India is in the process of repositioning its flagship blade brand for which the Comp. has devised a new communication strategy that aims to address blades as branded products.

-Delisting of equity shares of Comp. from Delhi, Jaipur & Kolkata Stock Exchanges.

2004

-Gillette India Limited has informed that they have received a letter issued by Delhi Stock Exchange conveying delisting of shares of Comp. from the said Exchange.

- Gillette India Ltd launches battery-powered toothbrush, 'Cross Action Power', on May 25, 2004

-Gillette ropes in Beckham to promote its products

-Gillette India announced the launch of new generation triple blade shaving system Mach3Turbo

- Delists equity shares of Comp. from the Calcutta Stock Exchange [CSEs] with effect from August 18, 2004

2009

- Gillette India Ltd has appointed Mr. Anil Kumar Gupta as an Additional Director of Comp. pursuant to Section 260 of Companies Act 1956, with effect from March 28, 2009 until the date of next Annual General Meeting.

Mr. Gupta will be an Independent Director on the Board of Company.