COMPANYHISTORIES
SIC 5122

Razors & Blades

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

18companies1835–1993founding years14still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedGEHE AG
1835
FoundedThe Boots Company PLC
1883
FoundedBulgari S.p.A.
1884
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedBaxter International Inc.
1931
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedBozzuto's, Inc.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedNorelco Consumer Products Co.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedRoussel Uclaf
1961
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedBeverly Enterprises, Inc.
1964
FoundedBindley Western Industries, Inc.
1968
FoundedBergen Brunswig CorporationFoundedDiscount Drug Mart, Inc.FoundedMoore Medical Corp.
1969
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedFoxMeyer Health Corporation
1977
FoundedJones Medical Industries, Inc.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedMedco Containment Services Inc.
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedD&K Wholesale Drug, Inc.
1987
FoundedSun Healthcare Group Inc.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedNutrition for Life International Inc.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

GEHE AG →
Active · founded 1835 · Germany
GEHE AG is the largest drug wholesaler in Europe.
The Boots Company PLC →
Renamed · founded 1883 · United Kingdom
The Boots Company PLC is one of the leading retailers in the United Kingdom, in addition to being a major manufacturer…
Bulgari S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1884 · Italy
Bulgari S.p.A.
Baxter International Inc. →
Active · founded 1931
Baxter International Inc.
Bozzuto's, Inc. →
Active · founded 1945
Bozzuto's, Inc.
Norelco Consumer Products Co. →
Active · founded 1947
Norelco Consumer Products Co.
Roussel Uclaf →
Active · founded 1961 · France
Roussel Uclaf is one of France's most important pharmaceutical companies and among the world's leading diversified…
Beverly Enterprises, Inc. →
Active · founded 1964
Beverly Enterprises is the largest nursing home chain in the United States.
Bindley Western Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Twenty-five years after starting his operation in borrowed basement space, Bill Bindley has built Bindley Western…
Bergen Brunswig Corporation →
Active · founded 1969
Bergen Brunswig Corporation is the nation's largest supplier of pharmaceuticals to the managed care market and the…
Discount Drug Mart, Inc. →
Active · founded 1969
Discount Drug Mart, Inc.
Moore Medical Corp. →
Defunct · founded 1969
A leading distributor of health-care products, Moore Medical Corp.
FoxMeyer Health Corporation →
Renamed · founded 1977
The second-largest wholesale drug distributor in the United States, FoxMeyer Health Corporation functions through two…
Jones Medical Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1981
Founded in 1981, Jones Medical Industries, Inc.
Medco Containment Services Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
Medco Containment Services Inc.
D&K Wholesale Drug, Inc. →
Active · founded 1987
D&K Wholesale Drug, Inc.
Sun Healthcare Group Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1989
Headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sun Healthcare Group Inc.
Nutrition for Life International Inc. →
Active · founded 1993
Based in Houston, Texas, Nutrition for Life International Inc.
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