Fritz Henkel founds the company.

Its first product is Universal-Waschmittel, a heavy-duty detergent.

The first brand-name detergent takes the German market by storm: Henkel’s Bleich-Soda (bleaching soda) is a powder made from soda and water glass.

Posters advertise the benefits of Henkel’s Bleich-Soda.

Launch of Persil, the world’s first self-acting detergent, named after its ingredients perborate and silicate.

The advertising slogan “Persil bleibt Persil” (Persil remains Persil) appeared for the first time as a banner in daily newspapers.

Sil is marketed as a laundry rinsing agent.

Henkel’s first household cleaner is launched: Ata scouring powder.

Henkel’s Bleichsoda is renamed Henko, an auxiliary agent: Soak with Henko, wash with Persil and rinse with Sil.

Birth of the "Weiße Dame" (white lady) - a milestone in Persil’s history.

Skywriting is used for advertising for the first time in Germany, in the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and in Switzerland.
Henkel’s first radio spot reaches a wide audience.

Launch of Imi dishwashing detergent and household cleaner.
December 1: Takeover of the Thompson-Werke.

First advertising film: ”Drei Minuten für die Hausfrau“ (Three minutes for the housewife).

Premiere of the Henkel film "Wäsche - Waschen - Wohlergehen" (Laundry - Washing - Well-being) at the Berliner Ufa-Palast (by 1938 it had been viewed by around 30 million people).

Launch of the world’s first synthetic detergent: Fewa

September 5: Production of Persil and Fewa was stopped.

Start of production of standard washing powder, as decreed by the government.

Launch of Perwoll light duty detergent.

September 1: Persil is back - very similar to pre-war Persil but also containing optical brighteners, which enhance the white appearance of the laundry.

Launch of Pril powder, a dishwashing detergent.

November 3: The first advertising spot ever aired on German television promoted Persil.

Launch of Dixan, Henkel's first specialty detergent for washing machines.

Launch of Pril liquid dishwashing detergent.
Launch of Persil 59.

Launch of the first products for automatic household dishwashers: Somat-Reiniger (detergent) and Somat-Klarspüler (rinse aid).

Launch of Weißer Riese (White Giant) heavy-duty laundry detergent.

Launch of Der General liquid household cleaner.

"No more drying up": With improved Pril.

Henkel celebrates its centenary.

The first phosphate-free laundry detergent in Germany is Dixan. 

Persil Liquid is launched.

Addition of a new product to the Somat range: Somat-Tabs, the automatic dishwashing tablets with the delayed release effect.

New laundry detergent generation in Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland: Persil Megaperls®.

Persil liquid detergents were switched to gel formulations: Persil Kraft-Gel (Power Gel) and Persil Color Gel.

Appearance of Persil TABS - the laundry detergent for the next millennium.

Somat 3in1 - a new milestone in dishwashing results and convenience.

Henkel markets a new type of liquid detergent: With Persil LIQUITS, the procedure for adding the liquid detergent is reduced to just one step.

Somat 3in1 Perfect®:
The automatic dishwashing detergent with the new, lasting protection system against glass corrosion.