ALL ABOUT CHATTEM
- The Company was founded as the Chattanooga Medicine Company on February 21, 1879. It began operations in a small unpretentious 2-story brick building located on a muddy, unpaved road called Market Street in the heart of downtown Chattanooga. At the time, the city of Chattanooga consisted of fewer than 10,000 people whose occupations often centered around the railroad and thriving river port.
- The principal founder of the Chattanooga Medicine Company was Zeboim Cartter Patten who originally came from Illinois to Chattanooga by way of the Union Army. He was joined by four other charter members including Fred F. Wiehl, H. Clay Evans, Lew Owen and Theodore G. Montague, all well known Chattanooga businessmen during the period. Partnerships were very common in a variety of business ventures during the period as this made it easier to amass working capital. H. Clay Evans, also a Union soldier, and Zeboim Cartter Patten had previously formed a partnership with Thomas H. Payne in the stationary business. Fred F. Wiehl began a partnership with Harry Probasco to form American National Bank & Trust while Theodore G. Montague had helped to establish the First National Bank just a decade earlier. Even today, these same names remain prominent in Chattanooga business and social circles. The Chattanooga Medicine Company began with $25,000 in capital which was divided into 25 shares of $1,000 each.
- A visionary, John A. Patten also saw the vast and unexplored opportunities for product sales in foreign countries as early as 1911 when he established a flourishing business in Central and South America. He was a man of unlimited energy and broad interests, he was responsible for the Company becoming a charter member of the United States Chamber of Commerce. He also served in many positions outside the Company such as president of The Tennessee River Navigation Company. Despite all that he did for the Company, his obituary noted that perhaps his greatest achievement in his short 48 years was his passionate interest in the improvement of navigation along the Tennessee River long before the creation of Tennessee Valley Authority, which began in 1931.
- Perhaps one of the greatest contributions made by Lupton Patten was the modernization and expansion of the Company’s research facilities. In addition, consultants from 24 universities, hospitals and private laboratories engaged in research projects for the Company. Soon Dr. John C. Krantz discovered one of the first new antacid compounds commonly known as Dihydroxy Aluminum Aminoacetate while conducting research for the Company. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Irvine W. Grote, a Company advisor, discovered a second new antacid, Dihydroxy Aluminum Sodium. These two compounds were manufactured by the fine chemicals division until recently for use in "Bufferin" and "Rolaids", respectively.
- The 1996 acquisition of Gold Bond® from Martin Himmel, Inc., the leading brand of medicated cream and powder in America, really began to establish Chattem as an industry force. This acquisition was soon followed by another, Herpecin-L®, a unique cold sore treatment, from Campbell Laboratories, Inc.
- In 1997 Sunsource International, a company which produces herbal supplements and homeopathic treatments, was acquired from a holistic-based company founded by Dr. Robert Sohn. However, 1998 proved to be a monumental year with the largest acquisition in Chattem’s long & rich history, the purchase of Ban® Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant from Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. As a result, annual sales were pushed well past the $200 million mark for the first time. The Company also successfully divested CornSilk® during 1998 to focus on other key areas of the business.
- In 1998, Chattem purchased Dexatrim®, Sportscreme®, Aspercreme®, Capzasin® and Arthritis Hot® from Thompson Medical Company which made Chattem the largest manufacturer of topical analgesics in the U.S. In 2000, Chattem divested two brands; Norwich® which was sold to The Monticello Companies, Inc. and Ban® which was sold to The Andrew Jergens Company. The newest addition to the Chattem brand portfolio is Selsun Blue® which was purchased in 2002 from Abbott Laboratories.
- Celebrity endorsements for specific brands have over the years also proven relevant and meaningful to consumers. In addition to sponsorship of the Porter Waggoner Show, endorsements were also secured from Priscilla Presley who was featured in television and print advertisements for Quencher®. Susan Anton was once the face behind early Mudd® Mask television and print advertisements. Olympic gold medalist swimmer Janet Evans endorsed UltraSwim® in television and print advertising as she extended her record breaking swimming career. One of the most well known and beloved consumer endorsement came from Joe Namath who’s famed "bad knees" helped launch Flexall® into the national spotlight. Talkshow host Larry King has lent his support to a number of Sunsource® brands including Garlique®, Echinex® and Harmonex®. The newest celebrity member of the Chattem team was Joe Montana, who served as quarterback for Flexall® in television advertisements.