WD-40 Company
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Founders
Norman B. Larsen, Gordon Dawson, John B. Gregory · Founded 1953 · San Diego, California, United States
Quick Answer
WD-40 was founded by Norman B. Larsen, Gordon Dawson, John B. Gregory in 1953 in San Diego, California, United States. The company is currently led by Steve Brass.
WD-40 Company began as Rocket Chemical Company in San Diego in 1953, when a small team developed the water-displacement formula that became WD-40 Multi-Use Product.
Norman B. Larsen was one of the founders of Rocket Chemical Company, the predecessor to WD-40 Company.
Larsen is closely associated with the early WD-40 formula story and the company initial consumer commercialization.
Gordon Dawson was part of the founding group behind Rocket Chemical Company in San Diego.
Dawson was part of the small founding team that launched the company behind WD-40 Multi-Use Product.
John B. Gregory was part of the founding group behind Rocket Chemical Company in 1953.
Gregory was part of the early team that built the company now known as WD-40 Company.
Steve Brass
President and Chief Executive Officer
Leads WD-40 Company global maintenance-product and portfolio-focus strategy.
WD-40 Company history credits Norman B. Larsen, Gordon Dawson, and John B. Gregory with the founding of Rocket Chemical Company.
The origin story is the creation of a water-displacement formula for aerospace use that became WD-40 Multi-Use Product.
The founding matters because the company built durable brand trust from a single high-utility product and then extended that trust globally.
WD-40 Company expanded from the original product into international distribution, WD-40 Specialist, 3-IN-ONE, and other maintenance brands.