The award recognizes the most innovative company in the consumer goods industry in 2008/2009. Award results are determined by members of peer companies like Heinz, Energizer, Sara Lee and Johnson & Johnson. Past winners of this award include Kraft Foods (2008) and Crayola (2007).

The award was presented to Mike Wong, Henkel’s Director of Technology, at an awards ceremony on September 25 at the annual Consumer Goods Growth & Innovation Forum in Miami, Fla., which took place from September 23-25, 2009.

“Henkel is truly considered an innovation thought leader in the consumer goods industry,” says Alliston Ackerman, Editor, CGT. “CGT is proud to recognize the company with the Most Innovative Company award for 2009 not only for its continuous success in delivering new and exciting products to the consumer market, but for incorporating sustainability into its innovation efforts every step of the way.”

“We are thrilled to have received the CGT Most Innovative Company award for 2009. Innovation is the most important success factor for winning in the marketplace, and our success can be attributed to our employees’ creative and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Rick Theiler, Senior Vice President -Technology, at Henkel Consumer Goods Inc.

About the Consumer Goods Innovation Awards and the awards process:
In the highly-competitive consumer goods market, the success of a new product is the hard-earned result of streamlining innovation processes and supporting them with experienced, dedicated people and enabling technologies. About 75 percent of new products fail and that number may be even higher in a recessionary environment. Needless to say, succeeding in innovation is a rare feat and that is why CGT is once again recognizing deserving consumer goods companies for excellence in innovation.

The awards process started in July, when nominations in two award categories - Most Innovative Product and Most Innovative Company -- were collected from consumer goods executives, industry analysts and consultants, and technology providers. These nominations were then narrowed down by CGT's editorial staff based on multiple award criteria, including the successes realized since product launch to process/technology implementation. A slimmer nomination list was then sent to CGT's Editorial and Research Advisory Boards, which elected one “Winner” and two “Outstanding Achievement” recipients in each category.

For more information about the award, visit: http://consumergoods.com/ME2/Sites/Default.asp?SiteID=7B99FCBFEF7E4D309B2406537CA51197

About Consumer Goods Technology
CGT (Consumer Goods Technology) magazine is the leading resource for consumer goods executives looking to improve business performance. Delivering content in print, online, and face-to-face, CGT reaches an audience of more than 54,000 consumer goods executives ranging from managers and directors to the VPs and CIOs. CGT also covers all major segments of the consumer goods sector, including Food, Beverage, Packaged Goods, Consumer Electronics and Footwear. For more information on CGT, visit http://www.consumergoods.com.

Henkel in North America
Henkel markets a wide range of well-known consumer and industrial brands in North America, including Dial® soaps, Purex® laundry detergents, Right Guard® antiperspirants, got2b® hair gels, and Loctite® adhesives. 
 
Henkel has been committed to making people's lives easier, better and more beautiful for more than 130 years. A Fortune Global 500 and Germany's most admired company according to a recent Fortune survey, Henkel offers strong brands and technologies in three areas of competence: Home Care, Personal Care and Adhesive Technologies. Each day, more than 52,000 employees in 125 countries are dedicated to fulfilling Henkel's claim "A Brand like a Friend.” In fiscal 2008, Henkel generated sales of $20.8 billion and adjusted operating profit of $2.1 billion.