Wilton, CT
203.254.6700
www.sunproductscorp.com

Sales: $1.6 billion.

Sales were flat, which isn’t bad news considering the highly competitive laundry detergent category in which Sun competes. To keep up with some competitors and move ahead of others in April, Sun rolled out All Powercore Pacs and All Fresh Clean Essentials Sulfate-Free detergent.

According to Sun, while consumers love the convenience of single dose laundry pacs, the fastest growing segment in the category, they are not always confident that one little pac can handle their toughest loads. Just last month, P&G advised consumers that if they want to get their clothes really clean, they should toss in an extra Tide Pod or two for really big loads.

Sun’s Powercore Pacs combine liquid and powder in one patented multi-chamber design. The formula is said to deliver All’s stain removal power plus an “astonishing” clean for every load. Powercore Pacs are available in three variants: Oxi, Plus Removes Tough Odors and Plus Restores Whites and Protects Color.

Sulfate-free shampoos created a niche for themselves with hair color users and Sun is counting on finding a similar niche with its All Essentials. The formula is said to be “carefully formulated with proven and effective ingredients to get a powerful clean without the harshness.” It contains sulfate-free surfactants and natural enzymes.

Wilton, CT
203.254.6700
www.sunproductscorp.com

Sales: $1.6 billion.

Sales have stalled, but new products continue to roll out of Sun Products. The newest, All Radiant liquid detergent, is designed to restore whites and protect colors over time for 30% less cost than the leading brand, according to Sun. The formula contains Sun’s patented Fiber Shield Technology.

“All Radiant was developed through a deep understanding of the needs of busy families,” said Lora Van Velsor, VP-marketing for All. “We use a national 365-day consumer survey to uncover needs and desires not currently being met by  detergents in the category. One of the universal challenges we uncovered was extending the life of clothes, especially for moms with multiple kids in the household. All Radiant is a perfect solution, it not only helps clothes look newer longer but at a great value vs. those more expensive detergents.”

Also new under the All banner are All Free Clear Oxi Mighty Pacs, which is billed as a convenient, hypoallergenic, advanced cleaning solution for those with sensitive skin, as well as All Oxi laundry booster for sensitive skin, which provides an easy stain-fighting boost in the laundry without irritating skin because it is 100% free of dyes, perfumes and chlorine.

In marketing news, Sun Products’ All laundry detergent is teaming up with the Peanuts gang on a multi-year, integrated campaign that kicks into high gear in September with the release of a new Peanuts movie.

Why Snoopy and the rest of the crew? The Peanuts crew has 96% brand awareness with moms, according to Sun Products.
“All skews more towards households with kids than any other laundry brand, so our connection with Peanuts is a natural fit,” said Lora Van Velsor, vice president marketing for all.

Wilton, CT
203.254.6700
www.sunproductscorp.com

Sales: $2 billion.

The race for the No. 2 spot in the multibillion dollar US laundry care category continues to tighten. According to IRI, Sun was No. 3 in the liquid laundry segment last year, with a 14.1% dollar share, compared to 16.0% for Church & Dwight. But in the fast-growing packet segment, Sun’s share was 11.7%, compared to 5.8% for C&D. In the declining powder segment, where sales fell more than 12% last year, C&D’s share was 8.1%, compared to Sun’s 7.9%. But 2014 has brought a host of new product launches from Sun that could tip market share in its favor. For those with sensitive skin, in March, the company rolled out All Free Clear fabric softener and dryer sheets to complement the existing All Free Clear franchise. Also in March, Sun introduced All Mighty Pacs Oxi, which promise to remove stains, and whiten and brighten clothes.

Last month, Sun Products closed its Baltimore manufacturing plant, moving production of liquid detergents and fabric softeners to its Bowling Green, KY facility. Sun maintains that Kentucky is closer to its customers and cites the age of the Baltimore site, 90, as reasons for the move.

Wilton, CT
203.254.6700
www.sunproductscorp.com

Sales: $2 billion.

Sun Products is the No. 2 player in the US laundry detergent category. The company expects to stay there thanks to several introductions such as All Mighty Pacs and Wisk Deep Clean PowerBlasts. Both products make it easier than ever to get cloths clean. In fact, in an interview with Happi earlier this year, Ed Vlacich, Sun’s EVP-national brands, noted that convenience is the No. 1 benefit consumers cite these days, with value coming in at No. 2.

But whether its value or convenience, consumers are showing a preference for Sun Products’ detergent brands. All and Surf have earned top spots in the TNS Product of the Year award contest.

Earlier this year, Carlos Linares joined the company as chief technology officer.

Wilton, CT
203.254.6700
www.sunproductscorp.com
Sales: $2 billion.

Nearly every player in the household product category has felt the effects of the price wars that erupted in the category, but few companies have been hurt as much as Sun Products, which derives a large portion of its sales from the detergent category. Last month Standard & Poor’s cut Sun Products rating to “B,” stating that the company will maintain a “vulnerable” business risk profile and a “highly leveraged” financial risk profile. Sun Products also generated negative cash flow in 2011, which Standard & Poor’s attributed to a deterioration of the company’s operating performance (mainly from a more competitive environment in the detergent and household cleaning products segment) and the higher inventory levels that resulted, as well as to IT system conversion issues.

Still, Sun remains the No. 2 player in the US laundry category behind P&G. Sun entered the single dose laundry category in March with the introduction of All Mighty pacs, which are available in two variants, original and free clear. The pacs are available in sizes ranging from 10-count trial size to a 72-count package.

In January, Sun Products named Jeffrey Ansell, currently president and CEO, chairman of the board, succeeding Neil P. DeFeo who stepped down as chairman but remains on the board as a non-executive director. And in April, Sun hired Ed Vlacich as executive vice president, National Brands. Prior to joining the company, Vlacich was with Novartis where he spent more than seven years in senior leadership roles, most recently serving as global chief marketing officer for Ciba Vision.

Wilton, CT

203.254.6700

www.sunproductscorp.com

Sales: $2.0 billion

Sales:

$2.0 billion (estimated)

Sun remains the No. 2 player in the U.S. laundry care market, but sales have slipped as the category suffers through intense competition, according to sources. Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services recently downgraded Sun, noting that the company’s performance has declined “due to softness in the US laundry detergent category and increasingly competitive operating conditions.”

Meanwhile, Moody’s Investors Service lowered Sun’s corporate family rating to B2 from B1. According to Moody’s, Sun faces tough competition from “better capitalized operators,” primarily Procter & Gamble and Church & Dwight, Moody’s said. In the company’s favor, Sun has a “good liquidity profile” and no major near-term debt maturities, according to Moody’s.

Earlier this year, Sun CEO Neil DeFeo retired but remains chairman. His replacement is Jeffrey Ansell, who most recently was chief executive officer and a board member of Pinnacle Foods Group, a $2 billion packaged foods company. Prior to that, Ansell was a corporate officer at Procter & Gamble, where he worked for 25 years, with the last seven years as president of the Iams pet care subsidiary. Under his leadership, P&G pet care sales increased nearly $1.0 billion and the Iams brand in North America grew from the No. 5 pet food brand to No. 1.

During the year, Sun relaunched Wisk featuring an improved formula with Stain Spectrum technology. In other moves, the company acquired the US and Canadian Sunlight branded hand and dish care business. The company maintains that its technology center in Trumbull, CT expands its ability to deliver new innovative products, while also demonstrating Sun’s commitment to the community through the creations of jobs and economic growth.

Late last year, Sun settled a lawsuit filed against U.S. Nonwovens, Brentwood, NY, for making and selling products that infringed certain patents, trademarks and trade dress related to its Snuggle, Sunlight and Sun brands. Shortly after Sun Products commenced this lawsuit, U.S. Nonwovens agreed to stop manufacturing and selling products that infringed Sun Products’ intellectual property. The companies entered into discussions and ultimately finalized a settlement agreement, for which financial terms were not disclosed.

Wilton, CT
203.254.6700
www.sunproductscorp.com
Sales: $2.0 billion

Sales:
$2.0 billion (estimated)

Sun Products is the No. 2 player in the U.S. laundry category (behind P&G) and is owned by Vestar Capital Partners, a private equity group. Moreover, Sun is the largest private label laundry detergent manufacturer in the world.

During the recession, many consumers traded down to private label to save some money, but that doesn’t mean shoppers are willing to skimp on innovation. That’s why Sun opened a new North American Technology Center in Trumbull, CT in November. The center features laboratories, packaging design facilities, a laundry center and ideation rooms that enable Sun employees to interact with consumers and suppliers.

Now, Sun is investing nearly $11 million to build a 1.4 million-square-foot distribution center in Bowling Green, KY.

Wilton, CT
203.254.6700
www.sunproductscorp.com
Sales: $2.1 billion

The $1.45 billion acquisition of Unilever’s U.S. laundry business, completed a year ago, made Sun a $2 billion business and the No. 2 player in the U.S. laundry category behind Procter & Gamble.

Since the acquisition, the Sun team has been busy putting its house in order. In March, the company opened a new corporate headquarters in Wilton, CT that is U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified.

It followed up that green move up with the opening of a new environmentally-friendly office in Bentonville Plaza in Bentonville, AK, which is directly across from the headquarters of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Sun is owned by Vestar Capital Partners, a private equity group.