Societe Chimique des Usines Rhone founded in 1895 in Lyon, originated with production of synthetic dyes and fragrances. By 1905 it had abandoned its dye production but sustained its perfume lines and entered photographic acetate and film businesses.
Etablissements Poulenc Freres began as a pharmaceutical company. It was formed in 1900 by three Poulenc brothers, one of whom had operated a Parisian pharmacy since 1858 that had expanded to sell photographic supplies as well as drugs.
The merger made one of the largest companies in France. During the 2nd World War, Rhone Poulenc became a leader in nylon and penicillin. Rapid post-war growth made the company France’s largest industrial enterprise by the late 1960s.
In 1998, Rhone-Poulenc and Hoechst announced plans to merge into a new entity called Aventis. It became reality in December 1999. In 2004, Sanofi, made a hostile bid for Aventis and succeeded in creating Sanofi-Aventis.
Rhone-Poulenc company
