Church & Dwight vs Kimberly-Clark: Founders, CEOs and History
Church & Dwight was founded in 1846 by Dr. Austin Church, John Dwight and is led by Rick Dierker. Kimberly-Clark was founded in 1872 by John A. Kimberly, Frank C. Shattuck, Havilah Babcock and is led by Mike Hsu.
Company facts
Church & Dwight
- Founded
- 1846
- Headquarters
- Ewing, New Jersey
- Current CEO
- Rick Dierker
- Employees
- 5,400
Kimberly-Clark
- Founded
- 1872
- Headquarters
- Dallas, Texas
- Current CEO
- Mike Hsu
- Employees
- 36,000
Founders
Church & Dwight
Dr. Austin Church
The founding of Church & Dwight is a historic story of an effective, simple chemical innovation that altered the American household. The company was founded in 1846 by two brothers-in-law from Massachusetts: Dr. Austin Church and John Dwight. Dr.
John Dwight
John Dwight (1814-1903) was an American businessman who co-founded Church & Dwight Co., Inc. in 1846 with his brother-in-law Dr. Austin Church.
Kimberly-Clark
John A. Kimberly
John A. Kimberly was a highly astute American industrialist, brilliant manufacturing executive, and the profoundly influential founding patriarch fundamentally responsible for architecting the massive Kimberly-Clark paper empire.
Frank C. Shattuck
Frank A. Shattuck was a fiercely brilliant American commercial strategist, highly powerful corporate executive, and the profoundly influential co-founder fundamentally responsible for driving the aggressive early sales dominance of the massive Kimberly-Clark e…
Havilah Babcock
Havilah Babcock was a highly skilled American industrial pioneer, fiercely astute corporate investor, and the profoundly influential co-founder fundamentally responsible for providing the massive structural and financial backing for the Kimberly-Clark corporat…
Charles B. Clark
Charles B. Clark was a fiercely dynamic American entrepreneur, incredibly brilliant political leader, and the profoundly influential co-founder fundamentally responsible for the incredible operational drive behind the early Kimberly-Clark empire.
CEOs and their tenures
Church & Dwight
- Dwight C. Minton1969–1995
Chief Executive Officer
Dwight Minton, a descendant of co-founder John Dwight, led the company as CEO from 1969 to 1995. He pushed ARM & HAMMER beyond baking soda into laundry detergent, deodorizers and toothpaste, laying the groundwork for the multi-category brand.
Source - James R. Craigie2004–2016
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
James Craigie served as CEO from 2004 until Matthew Farrell succeeded him in January 2016.
Source - Matthew Farrell2016–2025
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
Matthew Farrell joined Church & Dwight as CFO in 2006, became CEO in January 2016 and Chairman in 2019.
Source - Rick Dierker2025–present
Chief Executive Officer
Rick Dierker became President and CEO on March 31, 2025, succeeding Matthew Farrell. He previously served as CFO and head of operations.
Source
Kimberly-Clark
- Darwin Smith1971–1991
Former Chief Executive Officer
His move from commodity paper to consumer products is widely cited, including in Jim Collins's Good to Great, as the turning point in the company's history.
Source - Mike Hsu2019–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Shifted Kimberly-Clark toward premium innovation and productivity savings and is repositioning it as a broader health and wellness company.
Source
Timeline: Church & Dwight and Kimberly-Clark side by side
1846Church & Dwight
Founding of the Baking Soda Business
Dr. Austin Church and John Dwight begin preparing bicarbonate of soda for commercial distribution, packaging it by hand into paper bags in Dwight's kitchen in New York City.
1847Church & Dwight
John Dwight and Company Established
John Dwight formally establishes John Dwight and Company, adopting the Cow Brand trademark with Lady Maud, a prize-winning Jersey cow, as the brand icon. The company becomes the dominant baking soda producer in the United States.
1867Church & Dwight
ARM & HAMMER Trademark Introduced
Dr. Church's sons form Church & Company to compete with John Dwight, introducing the ARM & HAMMER trademark derived from James Church's Vulcan Spice Mills.
1872Kimberly-Clark
Founding of Kimberly-Clark
John A. Kimberly, Havilah Babcock, Charles B. Clark, and Frank A. Shattuck found the company in Neenah, Wisconsin, establishing the foundation for the paper manufacturing operation that would eventually become a global leader in disposable hygiene products.
1896Church & Dwight
Merger Creates Church & Dwight Co., Inc.
John Dwight & Company and Church & Company merge to form Church & Dwight Co., Inc., with John Dwight serving as the first president. The merged company continues to market both Cow Brand and ARM & HAMMER baking soda.
1914Kimberly-Clark
Invention of Cellucotton
A team of company researchers, including Frank A. Shattuck, invents Cellucotton, an absorbent wood pulp fiber that was five times more absorbent than traditional surgical cotton, transforming the hygiene industry.
1920Kimberly-Clark
Launch of Kotex Sanitary Napkins
Kimberly-Clark adapts Cellucotton to create Kotex sanitary napkins, creating an entirely new product category that generated billions in lifetime revenue and established the company as a pioneer in disposable feminine care.
1924Kimberly-Clark
Launch of Kleenex Facial Tissues
Kimberly-Clark introduces Kleenex facial tissues, initially marketed as a cold cream remover, which subsequently evolved into the dominant facial tissue brand globally, achieving genericized trademark status in many regions.
1925Church & Dwight
Corporate Incorporation
The firm is formally incorporated as Church & Dwight Co., marking the transition from a family partnership to a structured corporation with modern governance.
1968Church & Dwight
Green River Facility Completed
Church & Dwight completes construction of the world's largest sodium bicarbonate production facility in Green River, Wyoming, after outside suppliers proved insufficient. This facility becomes the cornerstone of the Specialty Products Division.
1970Church & Dwight
First Phosphate-Free Laundry Detergent
The company launches the first nationally distributed, phosphate-free laundry detergent under the ARM & HAMMER brand, capitalizing on emerging environmental consciousness and expanding the brand beyond baking soda.
1972Church & Dwight
Refrigerator Deodorizer Campaign
Church & Dwight launches its well-known campaign promoting ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda as a refrigerator deodorizer, creating a recurring consumption pattern that expands household penetration and establishes a new use case for the 126-year-old product.
1985Kimberly-Clark
Relocation of Headquarters to Irving, Texas
Kimberly-Clark moves its global headquarters from Neenah, Wisconsin, to Irving, Texas, a strategic move designed to optimize its global supply chain, access a broader talent pool, and reduce operational costs.
1995Kimberly-Clark
Acquisition of Scott Paper
Under the leadership of then-CEO Darwin Smith, Kimberly-Clark acquires the Scott Paper company in a $9.4 billion transaction, instantly doubling its tissue capacity and adding well-known brands like Scott and Cottonelle to its portfolio.
2001Church & Dwight
Carter-Wallace Acquisition
Church & Dwight acquires Carter-Wallace's consumer products business, bringing the Trojan condom brand and Nair depilatory brand into the portfolio for approximately $739 million.
2003Church & Dwight
Unilever Oral Care Acquisition
The company acquires the U.S. and Canadian rights to Unilever's oral care business, including Pepsodent and Mentadent brands, for approximately $100 million, establishing a foothold in the oral care category.
2006Church & Dwight
OxiClean Acquisition
Church & Dwight acquires Orange Glo International, maker of OxiClean stain fighters, for approximately $325 million. The brand, popularized by infomercials, becomes a core component of the household products portfolio.
2008Church & Dwight
Orajel Acquisition
The company acquires the Orajel oral analgesics business from Del Pharmaceuticals (a Coty subsidiary) for $383.4 million in cash, strengthening the oral care portfolio with the #1 oral pain relief brand.
2017Church & Dwight
Waterpik Acquisition
Church & Dwight acquires Water Pik, Inc., maker of Waterpik water flossers and showerheads, for about $1 billion in cash, its largest deal at the time. The deal added about $265 million in trailing sales.
2019Church & Dwight
Flawless Acquisition
The company acquires the Flawless and Finishing Touch hair removal brands from Ideavillage Products Corporation for $475 million in cash plus an earn-out of up to $425 million.
2021Church & Dwight
TheraBreath Acquisition
Church & Dwight acquires TheraBreath, the #2 alcohol-free mouthwash brand in the U.S., for $580 million in cash.
2022Church & Dwight
Hero Cosmetics Acquisition
The company acquires Hero Cosmetics, maker of Mighty Patch acne patches, for $630 million in cash plus a potential earn-out. The brand had about $115 million in trailing sales and became the #1 U.S. pimple patch brand in the portfolio.
2024Church & Dwight
VMS Impairment and CEO Transition
The company records a $357.1 million non-cash impairment on its VITAFUSION and L'IL CRITTERS vitamin brands due to private-label competition. In 2024 the board also named CFO Rick Dierker to succeed Matthew Farrell as CEO effective March 31, 2025.
2024Kimberly-Clark
FY2024 Net Sales Reach $19.5 Billion
Kimberly-Clark generates $19.5 billion in net sales for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, reflecting a strong stabilization of revenue following the post-pandemic normalization of consumer purchasing patterns and the successful implementation of aggress…
2025Church & Dwight
Touchland Acquisition and Portfolio Reset
Church & Dwight agreed in May 2025 to buy Touchland, the #2 U.S. hand sanitizer brand, for $700 million plus an earn-out of up to $180 million, and closed the deal in 2025.
2025Kimberly-Clark
FY2025 Net Sales Reach $16.447 Billion
Kimberly-Clark reported $16.447 billion in FY2025 net sales from continuing operations, $2.351 billion in operating profit, $2.021 billion in net income attributable to the company, and about 36,000 employees while reshaping the portfolio through the IFP trans…
2026Church & Dwight
MISS MOUTH'S MESSY EATER Acquisition and Raised Outlook
In June 2026 Church & Dwight acquired MISS MOUTH'S MESSY EATER, which it describes as the #1 stain remover brand on Amazon. Q2 2026 net sales rose 1.6% to $1,530.0 million with 5.8% organic growth, and the company raised its 2026 outlook.
Acquisitions
Church & Dwight
- Touchland2025$870M
- Hero Cosmetics2022$630M
- TheraBreath2021$580M
- Flawless (from Ideavillage Products)2019$475M
- Waterpik2017$1B
- Orajel (from Del Pharmaceuticals)2008$383.4M
Kimberly-Clark
- Kenvue (pending)2026$48.7B
- Softex Indonesia2020Undisclosed
- Ballard Medical Products1999Undisclosed
- Scott Paper Company1995$9.4B
Questions about Church & Dwight vs Kimberly-Clark
Who is the CEO of Church & Dwight Co., Inc. and Kimberly-Clark Corporation?
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. is led by Rick Dierker and Kimberly-Clark Corporation is led by Mike Hsu. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Church & Dwight Co., Inc. founded vs Kimberly-Clark Corporation?
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. was founded in 1846 — 26 years before Kimberly-Clark Corporation, which was founded in 1872. Church & Dwight Co., Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Kimberly-Clark Corporation.
How many employees does Church & Dwight Co., Inc. have compared to Kimberly-Clark Corporation?
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. employs approximately 5,400 people, while Kimberly-Clark Corporation employs approximately 36,000. Kimberly-Clark Corporation has the larger workforce at 36,000 employees, compared to Church & Dwight Co., Inc.'s 5,400. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Church & Dwight Co., Inc. and Kimberly-Clark Corporation headquartered?
Both Church & Dwight Co., Inc. and Kimberly-Clark Corporation are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Church & Dwight Co., Inc. and Kimberly-Clark Corporation?
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. was founded by Dr. Austin Church, John Dwight. Kimberly-Clark Corporation was founded by John A. Kimberly, Frank C. Shattuck, Havilah Babcock, Charles B. Clark.
Which company has a longer operating history — Church & Dwight Co., Inc. or Kimberly-Clark Corporation?
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. has been operating for approximately 180 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Kimberly-Clark Corporation has been in operation for around 154 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Church & Dwight vs Kimberly-Clark overview