Our History
Our Jatra (Journey) towards Sustainability and Innovation
At Unilever, we take great pride in our longstanding presence in Bangladesh and our commitment to sustainable growth. In this section, we will take you through our journey in Bangladesh, highlighting our achievements and the positive impact we have had on the country and its people.
1962
Construction of a soap manufacturing plant started in Kalurghat, Chattogram, for Lever Brothers in 1962.
1964
Operations began with two production lines, with the honour of the trial production in September 1964 going to Lux, Umbrella, and Sunlight.
1965
The inauguration ceremony of the Kalurghat Factory was held on 25 February, 1965, by the then Chairman, G. M. Brock.
1970
The first chairman and CEO, J.P. Newling was appointed.
1972
The brand Wheel was launched, marking a significant milestone in the company's commitment to providing affordable and high-quality laundry solutions to consumers.
1973
The company was incorporated as Lever Brothers Bangladesh Ltd. on July 5, 1973.
1979
Management Trainee programme launched.
1980
The company began Personal Product (PP) production in Bangladesh.
1982
Hair Care category introduction with Sunsilk.
1985
Home-care category launch with VIM.
1992
Acquisition of Faisons, a pharmaceutical company and inclusion of Peps Gel toothpaste in the product portfolio, which later became Pepsodent.
1996
Commencement of the collaborative manufacturing for Wheel detergent.
1997
Unilever introduced Wheel washing powder and Surf Excel for a premium wash, easing the burden of washing for busy homemakers.
2001
2 decades after the launch of PP, the company constructed a new PP Factory. Production started on 7th September 2001.
2002
Lifebuoy Floating Hospital launched in partnership with NGO Friendship which later became an iconic community support initiative.
2003
Retailer loyalty programme ‘Dosti’ launch.
2004
Lever Brothers Bangladesh Ltd. changed its name to Unilever Bangladesh Limited.
2005
UBL's digitalisation of distribution channels, revolutionised by introducing Digital Ordering system.
2010
UBL receives The Global Unilever Compass Award Action Award.
2011
Integration of global Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) in Bangladesh business.
2012
Kamran Bakr assumed the role of Chairman and Managing Director of UBL as the first Bangladeshi manager.
2013
UBL won the ‘No.1 Employer of Choice’ award for the first time.
2017
Launch of Diversity Council ‘Stride’ to spearhead diversity within the organisation.
2020
Acquisition of consumer healthcare portfolio of Glaxosmithkline Bangladesh including flagship brands like Horlicks, Boost, and GlucoMax D.
2021
UBL partnered with Narayanganj City Corporation and UNDP to initiate the first municipality-backed plastic waste collection project in Bangladesh.
2022
UBL received the ‘Asia's Best Employer Brands 2022’ award from the World HRD Congress, one of the largest gatherings for HR professionals globally.