Friday, August 25, 2000

Jergens buys Ban deodorant

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Production won't be moved here

By Randy Tucker
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        The maker of Ban deodorant has sold the brand to Cincinnati-based Andrew Jergens Co. for an undisclosed sum, both companies said Thursday.

        Chattem Inc. of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Jergens — owned by Kao Corp. of Japan — are expected to close the deal in mid-September.

        Jergens spokesman Tom Boehm said the Ban acquisition will add 14 to 20 jobs in Cincinnati, primarily marketing and research and development positions.

        Chattem contracted with an outside company to manufacture Ban, and Jergens will continue to honor that contract, eliminating any impact on Jergens' production workers in Cincinnati, Mr. Boehm said.

        The Ban purchase fills a hole in Jergens' personal care portfolio.

        “The Ban acquisition allows us to get into one additional category that we are presently not in that increases our breadth of products,” Mr. Boehm said.

        Chattem recently rolled out a herbal version of the Ban deodorant line, called Ban Naturals.

        But the company said it experienced strong competition during the first half of the year from rival Dove antiperspirant.

       

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