Innovators in nutrition, health and beauty. Read more about our new company at dsm-firmenich.com or continue here to read more on the incredible solutions and services that we offer.
Firmenich is not just the name of a fragrance and taste company. It is also the name of a Family that has been personally committed to its colleagues, customers, communities and creativity for 125 years.
Firmenich was founded in 1895 in Geneva, Switzerland, by Philippe Chuit, a talented Swiss chemist, in association with Martin Naef, a shrewd businessman.
They rented premises from a certain Charles Firmenich and it was there that they started creating groundbreaking molecules such as Dianthine® and Iralia® (still present on the market today) and attracted their first customer, François Coty.
The daughter of Charles Firmenich, Thérèse, later married Philippe Chuit. Her older brother, Frédéric, soon joined the company as the salesman of Chuit, Naef & Co. After Chuit, and later Naef, retired, the Firmenich family became the majority partner and in 1934 the company changed its name to Firmenich & Co.
Since then, Firmenich has remained independent, building on that original entrepreneurial vigor and pioneering spirit.
Today we are the world’s largest private company in the fragrance and flavor industry.
Our heritage
1895 - 1935
CHUIT & NAEF
Founded by Philippe Chuit & Martin Naef on November 1, 1895
The company’s first premises were in a shed at the back of the garden belonging to Charles Firmenich. The eldest daughter, Thérèse, noticed Phillipe Chuit and started chatting to him over the fence. Five years later they married.
1896 - 1902
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1898
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Opening of La Jonction Site, 20 employees and 30 agents
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1900
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Fred Firmenich joins the Group
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1902
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Launch of Violettone and Dianthine®
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1903 - 1921
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1903
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Launch of Iralia®
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1907
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Launch of Cyclosia® Bas
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1910
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Philippe Chuit sells his shares to Fred Firmenich
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1922 - 1930
- 1922
- First syntheses of Nerol and Nerolidol
- First ‘Haute Couture’ creations
- 1925
- Production of Exaltone®
- Number of employees: 50
1931 - 1935
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1931
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Philippe Chuit retires
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1933
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Martin Naef retires
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1934
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The Company becomes Firmenich & Cie.
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Our heritage
1936 – 1969
1936 - 1944
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1936
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Opening of affiliate in New York City, U.S.
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1937
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Opening of Firmenich France in Paris
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1939
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Nobel Prize in chemistry is awarded to Leopold Ruzicka
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1945 - 1948
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1945
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Creation of a Flavor division
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First pension fund for employees
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1946
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Tetraromes and the first strawberry flavor
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1948
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Opening of affiliate in Mexico City, Mexico
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Opening of affiliate in London, United Kingdom
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1949 - 1954
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1949
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Discovery of Ambrox®
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1951
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Acquisition of La Plaine chemical production factory
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Opening of affiliate in Toronto, Canada
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1952
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Opening of affiliate in Sao Paolo, Brazil
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1955 - 1961
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1955
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Opening of affiliate in Bogota, Colombia
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1956
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Introduction of a bonus plan for all employees
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1959
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Discovery of Hedione®
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1962 - 1969
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1962
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Introduction of Ambrox®
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Opening of affiliate in Quito, Ecuador
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1964
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Introduction of Furaneol®
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Opening of 15 storey building at La Jonction
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Opening of Firmenich GmbH in Cologne, Germany
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1968
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Opening of Nihon Firmenich K.K. in Japan
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Our heritage
1970 – 1989
1970 - 1972
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1970
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Creation of a grouped industrial Social Service in Geneva
1971
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Introduction of flexible working hours for all employees
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Launch of Muscone
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1972
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The company becomes Firmenich SA
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1973 - 1975
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1973
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Fred-Henri Firmenich becomes CEO (3rd generation)
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Opening of affiliate in Buenos Aires, Argentina
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1974
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Opening of Firmenich Italy
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1975
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Launch of Rose Ketone bases Dorinia, Damascenia 185 and Cetylia®
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Opening of Firmenich, Vienna
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1976 -1979
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1976
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Inauguration of a new compounding factory in Meyrin-Satigny, Geneva
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Introduction of retirement preparation seminars
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1977
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Introduction of progressive retirement system
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Launch of Mayol®
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1979
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Launch of Damascone Alpha and Damascone Beta
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1980 - 1985
- 1980
- Creation of work units for the mentally or physically disabled
- 1982
- Introduction of Citronova®
- Launch of Damascenone
- 1985
- Introduction of Polysantol®
- Opening of Firmenich Limited in Australia, Firmenich Singapore and Firmenich Spain
- Launch of Exaltolide®
1986 - 1989
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1986
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Acquisition of Chem-Fleur, Port Newark, U.S.
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1988
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Introduction of Firanova®
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Launch of Ambrox® DL, the first totally synthetic amber material
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Opening of new corporate headquarters in Meyrin-Satigny, Geneva
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Opening of new affiliate in South Africa
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1989
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Pierre-Yves Firmenich becomes CEO (3rd generation)
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Opening of new affiliate in Turkey
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Our heritage
1990 – 2001
1990 - 1992
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1990
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Creation of a holding company, Firmenich (International) SA
1991
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Discovery of Helvetolide®
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Firmenich signs the Business Charter for Sustainable Development
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Launch of Dynascone®
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1992
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ISO 9001 certification in Geneva
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Firmenich signs the Responsible Care Programme
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Launch of Galbanolene Super
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1993 - 1995
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1993
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Expansion of our R&D Facilities - Geneva, Switzerland
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Launch of Cetalox®
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1994
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Sites openings: Shanghai, China - Bombay, India - Selangor, Malaysia
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Manufacturing joint ventures in Indonesia and China
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1995
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Firmenich celebrates its 100th Anniversary
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Rose-ketone plant in La Plaine - Geneva, Switzerland
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Manufacturing Joint-venture in China
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Site opening - Bangkok, Thailand
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Manufacturing plant - Landes, France
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Expansion of our Savory Portfolio: acquisition of Darryl Gunther, Johannesburg, South Africa
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1996 - 1997
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1996
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New sites openings - Beijing, China - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Philippines
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1997
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Joint venture Firmenich Aromatics (India) Private Ltd, Mumbai, India
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New automated flavor plant - Geneva, Switzerland
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Opening of Georges Firmenich Flavor Technical Center - Princeton, U.S.
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New sites openings - Sri Lanka - Warsaw, Poland - Ibaraki, Japan
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Launch of Polysantol®
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1998 - 1999
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1998
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Expansion of Perfumery laboratories - Geneva, Switzerland
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Plant openings - Thirsk, United Kingdom -Toluca, Mexico - Kunming, China
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Automated Perfumery compounding plant - Geneva, Switzerland
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1999
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Expansion of the R&D laboratories - Geneva, Switzerland
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Body Care research facilities - Cologne, Germany
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Perfumery Development Center for Latin America - Brazil
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Plant opening - Daman, India
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Launch of Muscenone®
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2000 - 2001
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2000
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Plant opening - Port Newark, U.S.
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Site expansion - Tokyo
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Launch of Exaltenone
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2001
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Inauguration of the Food & Flavor Expertise Center - Geneva, Switzerland
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Plant expansion - Port Newark, U.S.
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New premises - Mexico
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Our heritage
2002 – 2014
2002 - 2004
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2002
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Patrick Firmenich appointed CEO
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Acquisition of Bjorge Biomarin AS, Norway
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Launch of Damascone Gamma and Romascone®
2003
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Site expansion - Geneva, Switzerland, and Singapore
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Joint venture - InnovAroma SA, Geneva, Switzerland
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2004
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Launch of Flexarome®
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New manufacturing and development center - Shanghai, China
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New premises - Mumbai, India
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New perfumery facility - Princeton, U.S.
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Introduction global HS&E Charter
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Launch of Cetalox® Laevo
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First Firmenich Community Day
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2005 - 2007
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2005
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Acquisition of Noville Inc.
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New perfumery sampling center - Indonesia
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Launch of Thermarome®
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Launch of Popscent®
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Annual turnover reaches CHF 2 billion
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2006
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Launch of Duralife® Omega3
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Launch of Dynarome®
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Introduction of Freshone®
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Opening of company crèche - Geneva, Switzerland
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Opening of new R&D center - Shanghai, China
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2007
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Firmenich signs World Safety Declaration
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Acquisition of Danisco's Flavor Division
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Launch of Neobutenone® Alpha and Coranol
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First public Sustainability Report
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Number of employees worldwide: 5,000
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2008 - 2011
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2008
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Partnership with Senomy
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Opening of new Fragrance Development Center - Paris, France
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Uganda sustainable vanilla program launched
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2009
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Creation of Jean-Marc Bruel Award for HSE
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Creation of Naturals Business Unit
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New Site opening - Dubai, U.A.E.
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2010
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Firmenich enters partnership with Amyris
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Plant opening - Gujarat, India
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2011
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New offices - Jakarta, Indonesia
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2012
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New R&D Center - China
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Swiss Government partners with Firmenich for sustainable sourcing of vetiver in Haiti
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New premises - Jakarta, Indonesia
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Firmenich wins Campbell Award for Health and Safety
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2013
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Operation expansion - Dubai, U.A.E.
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Firmenich vanilla from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms
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Plant opening - Indonesia
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New offices and laboratories facilities - Mumbai, India
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Firmenich awarded Research Grant for Malodor by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
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2014
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MSC certification for seafood flavors
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Joint venture with Jasmine Concrete Exports PT Ltd., Chennai, India
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Members of The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)Launch of ClearwoodTM
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Our heritage
2015 – 2017
2015
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120 years Anniversary
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At COP21 (Paris) launch of 2020 environmental goals to become carbon neutral
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Co-Chair Sustainable Lifestyles Board, WBCSD
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Dupont Operational Excellence Award
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CLEARWOOD® wins first prize for innovation in Europe
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Livelihoods Fund for family farming investors
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#Naturals Together™ launch
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Patrick Firmenich Joins Fragrance Foundation Circle of Champion
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2016
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Joint venture with Essex Laboratories, leading in natural mint solutions
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Inauguration of Léman, state-of-the art Perfumery Plant, Geneva
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Launch of AMBROX®Super, second bio-based ingredient
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UN Biodiversity pledge signatory
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Presidential Award in Indonesia
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Inauguration of New Facilities in Lagos, Nigeria and San Francisco, California
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2017
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Acquisition of Agilex Fragrances
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Launch of breakthrough malodor control technologies with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
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Dupont Sustainability Award
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“Ethical Business” Award, Better Society Network
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Inauguration of New Facilities in Singapore; Mexico; Vienna, Austria; Barcelona, Spain and Seoul, Korea
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Our heritage
2018 – 2020
2018
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Launch of EcoScent Compass™
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EDGE Certification: Workplace Gender Equality
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Launch of D-Lab at the EPFL
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Launch of “For Good, Naturally”
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3rd White Biotech Ingredient - Z11
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Acquisition of Campus
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2019
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Firmenich joins RE100 & reaches 100% renewable power across its European & US manufacturing sites
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Firmenich Extends Global Family-Friendly Parental Leave for Men & Women
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Diversity & Inclusion Leader with Ethical Corporation Responsible Business Award 2019
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Launch of “One Planet Business for Biodiversity” (OP2B) at the UN Climate Action Summit
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Firmenich recognized as UN Global Compact LEAD company & SDG champion
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R&D Facility in Dubai Science Park
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2020
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Inaugural Bond
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4th White Biotech Ingredient – DreamWood
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Biotech And Naturals Pilot Plant
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DRT Acquisition
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World’s 1st AI-Created Flavor
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125th Anniversary Celebration
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