Kao Brands Company, a subsidiary of Japan's Kao Corporation, was established in 1882 as a maker of coconut oil soap. The company, pronounced "cow," now formulates and manufactures a wide range of personal care products for men and women. Its brand names include Jergens, Cur�l, Bior�, John Frieda, Guhl, and Ban. Kao Brands' Jergens body wash became popular when liquid soap hit the market. Kao Brands, which sells its products in more than 50 countries, was bought by the American Brands Company in 1970 and the Kao Corporation in 1988.

Under the adidas umbrella since 2006, Reebok International Limited (UK) has been running with a new pack but is headed toward some of the same hurdles. It's the British subsidiary of Reebok International that faces some of the stiffest European competition. The company manufactures athletic footwear and activewear for men, women, and teens and serves as the center of European operations for its parent company. Its products include limited edition athletic shoes, men's and women's shirts and shorts, gloves, and sports-related items. It makes a G-Unit and (Allen) Iverson branded products. Reebok brand veteran Paul Harrington succeeded Paul Fireman as head of the company when adidas acquired Reebok.

Gerry Weber's prominence grew along with Steffi Graf's winnings. In 1986 the fashion retailer signed a sponsorship contract with the budding 17-year-old tennis star. It now operates about 500 shop-in-shops and some 25 House of Gerry Weber stores throughout Europe and the Middle East. The company sells three brands of women's clothing: Gerry Weber (mid-to-upper range), Taifun (junior), and Samoon (large sizes). Gerry Weber plans to open another 80-100 stores. The Gerry Weber brand was created in 1986, and the company changed its name to its popular label in 1989.

RTC Industries provides products and services to help retailers maximize sales. RTC Industries offers a range of business services, including market research, retail concept and design, manufacturing and quality assurance processes, program management and global logistics processes, signage, and theft-deterrent systems. RTC Industries designs merchandising systems to meet the needs of individual companies. Customers have included Coca Cola, Columbia Sportswear, FedEx, Hasbro, Nike, Procter & Gamble, and Wal-Mart. RTC Industries' offices are located in Europe, Hong Kong, Latin America, and the US.

Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd. (CCE) makes sure you can buy "The Real Thing" in the UK, as well as Belgium, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. The company is the UK subsidiary of the world's #1 bottler of Coke products, Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. CCE manufactures and distributes more than 650,000 cases of Coca-Cola products -- including Coke, Capri-Sun, Fanta, Sprite, Lilt, and Powerade -- every day, which equals about 200 million cases of soda, juice, water, and sports drinks annually. CCE buys ingredients from local suppliers whenever possible and distributes beverages from 15 sites located throughout England, Wales, and Scotland.

Eight in One was founded in 1888. Consumer products company Spectrum Brands owns Eight in One. Eight in One Pet Products researches, develops, and manufactures pet products domestically and internationally. Products include dog, cat, and bird foods, vitamins and supplements, beds, toys, and shampoos, as well as food and products for more unusual pets such as hedgehogs, chinchillas, and other small animals. The company markets its 1,200 pet products under brand names such as 8-1, Dingo, Nature's Miracle, One Earth, and Kookamunga Catnip.

Anvil Holdings, which operates primarily through its Anvil Knitwear subsidiary, makes and markets activewear for men, women, and children that it sells to screen printers, private-label brand owners, and distributors in the US. In addition to its apparel offerings (primarily short- and long-sleeve T-shirts), Anvil also makes bags, caps, robes, and towels. Before they're purchased, Anvil's products are typically embellished with characters, designs, or logos. The firm's brands include Anvil Logo, Anvil, chromaZONE by Anvil, and Cotton Deluxe Towels Plus by Anvil, as well as private labels manufactured for other companies.

April Cornell Holdings is working to make an impression on the online retail scene. The company markets trendy mid-range apparel, handbags, jewelry, and other accessories for women and girls through its e-commerce site. It also designs tabletop and kitchen textiles, quilts, duvets, throws, and pillowcases. The company is led by its namesake founder, April Cornell, who started the business when her previous enterprise, Cornell Trading, was pushed into bankruptcy.

Del Laboratories company makes a variety of personal care products, including cosmetics (lipsticks, powders), nail colors, hair removers, beauty implements (tweezers, eyelash curlers), and skin care products (creams, scrubs). Del Labs' beauty supplies are marketed under the Sally Hansen, LaCross, and N.Y.C. New York Color brand names. Its products are available at mass merchandisers (Wal-Mart, Target) and major drugstore chains (CVS, Walgreen) throughout North America, as well as online. Del Laboratories company also distributes its goods to more than 40 other countries. Del Labs is owned by fragrance-and-beauty giant Coty.

Founded and run by brothers Steve and Rick Billig, Billig Jewelers is a high-end jewelry manufacturer and retailer that sells bracelets, earrings, engagement rings, and more. The Billigs opened a tiny retail store specializing in silver cable bracelets in the 1980s. Today, the company's handcrafted pieces of jewelry are sold in their own stores, as well as through the Billig Jewelers' Web site. S&R Designs, the jewelry designing arm of the company, targets customers who frequently purchase new jewelry and are interested in keeping up with the latest trends.

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