A brief throwback at the milestones in the history of the product that no home can do without.
1953: The fledgling Rocket Chemical Company, in San Diego California, with a team of just three, creates a moisture displacement formula for use in the aerospace industry. After 40 attempts, the formula of the now famous WD-40® was perfected and it is still in use to this day!
1958: The product was first used to protect the Atlas missile from rust and corrosion, and a few years later WD-40® after its practical spray-can packaging, it makes its first appearance on store shelves in the San Diego market.
1969: The company is renamed after its only product: WD-40 Company, Inc.
1973: The WD-40 Company, Inc. goes public and the stock price on the first day increases by 61%.
1985: WD-40® enters the Cypriot market with Leo Patriotis Ltd as the exclusive distributor.
1993: Sales exceed 1 million containers per week and WD-40® is used in 4 out of 5 American households.
2005: The WD-40 Smart Straw®, featuring a permanently attached straw, is added to the product range, solving the frequent 'complaint' of consumers: losing the little red straw.
2011: WD-40 Specialist®, a new range of specialist products geared toward professionals, is added to the company's range.
2022: The WD-40 Company reaches $518.8 million net sales with its products available in over 176 countries around the globe.
Did you know that...?
WD-40 first launched in the Cypriot market 40 years ago?
WD-40 products are sold in over 176 countries?
the secret formula of WD-40 is locked away in a vault in San Diego, California?
So why was it named WD-40?
The initials WD stand for Water Displacement and the 40 corresponds to the number of tests carried out to perfect its formula.