Remember Lifebuoy, Sunlight, Dove and Lux soaps? Vim? Magnum Ice Creams? Knorr Soups?
These were made by Lever Brothers in Champ Fleurs, and from whom we also got margarine, oils etc. Well, Unilever - the parent company of Lever Brothers - is restructuring.
According to the BBC, Unilever is planning to close or streamline about 50 of its 300 factories and to reduce its regional centres from about 100 to 25, as part of a bid to save 1.5bn euros a year by 2010.
As a bit of interest, Lever Brother was already in existence in 1887 when they decided to moved to larger premises. By 1887 they were producing over 60,000 tonnes of soap and many of out familiar brands including Lifebuoy was already in existence. Lever Brothers merged with the Margarine Union, a Dutch company, in 1929 to form Unilever.
William Lever wanted his workers to be in decent housing and to have plenty of room. He wanted each house to have a garden or allotment and he also wanted to look after their welfare, so medical facilities, insurance, social clubs, churches and other facilities were built. He wanted what was called a ‘garden suburb’ that also had other buildings such as a post office, a bank and a village hall.
A far-sighted man in 1887, not so?
Anyway, what impact will the Unilever restructuring have in the Trinidad branch remains to be seen. Lets hope for the best... life would not be the same without Lifebuoy and Magnum.
These were made by Lever Brothers in Champ Fleurs, and from whom we also got margarine, oils etc. Well, Unilever - the parent company of Lever Brothers - is restructuring.
According to the BBC, Unilever is planning to close or streamline about 50 of its 300 factories and to reduce its regional centres from about 100 to 25, as part of a bid to save 1.5bn euros a year by 2010.
As a bit of interest, Lever Brother was already in existence in 1887 when they decided to moved to larger premises. By 1887 they were producing over 60,000 tonnes of soap and many of out familiar brands including Lifebuoy was already in existence. Lever Brothers merged with the Margarine Union, a Dutch company, in 1929 to form Unilever.
William Lever wanted his workers to be in decent housing and to have plenty of room. He wanted each house to have a garden or allotment and he also wanted to look after their welfare, so medical facilities, insurance, social clubs, churches and other facilities were built. He wanted what was called a ‘garden suburb’ that also had other buildings such as a post office, a bank and a village hall.
A far-sighted man in 1887, not so?
Anyway, what impact will the Unilever restructuring have in the Trinidad branch remains to be seen. Lets hope for the best... life would not be the same without Lifebuoy and Magnum.
