Henkel marks the 50th anniversary of its Pritt glue stick.
Henkel recently announced it will mark the 50th anniversary of its Pritt glue stick this year. In 1969, the company reportedly revolutionized the market for consumer adhesives with a new category: the first-ever glue stick. The company has reportedly sold billions of glue sticks and has continuously expanded its product range under the brand.
In 1967, former Henkel engineer Wolfgang Dietrichs, Ph.D., saw a woman applying lipstick while traveling. The simple twist-up mechanism gave him a revolutionary idea: “Why not make an adhesive in the shape of a lipstick, that’s quick, clean and accurate?” After two years of development and testing, the company launched the first Pritt glue stick in 1969. According to Henkel, the product became a success worldwide, as well as a synonym for the glue stick category in many countries.