Procter & Gamble
http://www.pg.com

The Procter & Gamble Company markets approximately 250 brands to nearly 5 billion consumers in more than 130 countries around the globe. These brands include ones that are likely on your shelf at home: Crest®, Puffs®, Herbal Essences®, and Pringles®, just to name a few.

Procter and Gamble was founded in 1837 and grew to a multi-million dollar corporation before the turn of the century. One of the products that helped insure the success of the company was Ivory® soap. And with that product, P&G made its mark for innovative and effective advertising and marketing campaigns. After all, who will ever forget "99 and 44/100 percent pure" and "the soap that floats."

P&G credits its success not only to marketing expertise but to other business factors as well. Through extensive research, the company understands what consumers want and need, and then invests a substantial amount in scientific and technological research to bring new products to market. In 2000 alone, the company invested more than $1.7 billion in research and development at 19 technical centers and nearly 100 universities around the world.

Today Procter and Gamble has operations in more than 70 countries and employs more than 106,000 people worldwide. It is among the top ten patent-producing companies in the world - well ahead of any other consumer products company.