Rohto

Rohto Pharmaceutical

Rohto Pharmaceutical

Japanese consumer goods company

Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (ロート製薬株式会社, Rōto Seiyaku Kabushiki-gaisha) is a multinational corporation in fast-moving consumer goods and pharmaceutical corporation headquartered in Ikuno-ku, Osaka, Japan. with revenues steadily increasing from ¥95,619 million in 2006 to ¥120,292 million in 2011. Skin care contributes to 61.3% of the revenues, while Eye Care contributes to 21% of their sales.

Quick Facts Native name, Romanized name ...

Market Segments

Rohto is active in the three consumer segments of:

  • Beauty (through cosmetics)
  • Health (through food supplements)
  • Healing (through over-the-counter drugs)

International presence

In 1975, Rohto gained trademark rights to Mentholatum from The Mentholatum Company Inc., leading to the manufacture and successful sales of Mentholatum Ointment and Mentholatum Medicated Lip Stick.[1] Rohto acquired The Mentholatum Company Inc. in June 1988.[1]

Rohto operates in 15 major markets and has marketing/distribution agreements in over 150 countries globally. It has two production plants in Japan and six across the US, UK, China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. Rohto entered the Vietnam market in 1997 and established manufacturing bases to serve the Asia Pacific region. In mid-2010, Rohto entered the Indian and Bangladeshi markets. The company has close to 5,000 employees.

History

Yasutami Yamada (山田 安民) founded "Japanese: 信天堂山田安民薬房, lit. 'Shintendo Yamada Yasutami Pharmacy'" in Osaka, on February 22, 1899.[1] They introduced "Rohto Eyedrops" in 1909.[1] The name "Rohto" was inspired by August von Rothmund,[note 1] a German ophthalmologist who was a professor for Toyotaro Inoue (井上 豊太郎, Inoue Toyotarō), a Japanese ophthalmologist.

Brands

  • LipIce: Lip Care line
  • Oxy B: Anti-acne products(acquired the OXY Skin Care branding from GlaxoSmithKline in December 2005)
  • Rohto Eyedrops: including Rohto Z!
  • Sunplay: Sunscreen daily sun care and after sun products
  • BodyIce: Deodorant roll-on and mists
  • Mentholatum: Skin care for face and body
  • Selsun: Anti-dandruff shampoo
  • Acnelogy: pimples treatment (Acne + Dermatology. It includes 3 skincare steps (Conditioning Foam, Acne Care Lotion, Concentrate Essence)

Head Office and Subsidiaries

  • Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Japan - Parent Company)
  • Mentholatum Australasia Pty. Ltd.(Australia)
  • The Mentholatum Company Ltd. (UK)
  • The Mentholatum Company of (Canada), Limited
  • The Mentholatum (China) Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
  • Mentholatum Asia Pacific Ltd. (Hong Kong)
  • Rohto Pharma (India) Private Limited
  • Mentholatum de (Mexico), S.A. de C.V.
  • Mentholatum (South Africa) Pty. Ltd.
  • Mentholatum Taiwan Ltd. (Taiwan)
  • PT Rohto Laboratories (Indonesia)
  • Rohto-Mentholatum (Vietnam) Co., Ltd.
  • Rohto-Mentholatum (Malaysia) SDN BHD.
  • Rohto-Mentholatum (Thailand) Ltd.
  • Rohto-Mentholatum (Bangladesh) Limited
  • Dax Cosmetics Sp. z o.o. (Poland) Limited

Footnotes

Notes

  1. [N 1]
    In Japanese, August von Rothmund was known as アウグスト・フォン・ロートムント (Augusuto-fon-Rōtomunto).

References

  1. [1]
    Mallett, Daryl F. (2000). "The Mentholatum Company, Inc.". International directory of company histories. Vol. 32. Detroit, Michigan: St. James Press. p. 332. ISBN 9781558623910 – via Internet Archive.
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