100 years of smart science: Celebrating Croda's centenary across the globe
2025 marks a remarkable milestone in Croda’s history as we celebrate 100 years since Mr Crowe and Mr Dawe founded the company at a disused waterworks in Rawcliffe Bridge, UK. What began as a small enterprise has grown into a truly global business, powered by the passion, innovation, and dedication of our people.
After China launched our centenary celebrations at the start of the year, we have been delighted to see the spirit of Croda come alive across the world. Teams have hosted events in their own unique ways to reflect our shared values.
Honouring our legacy
Our centenary has been a time not only to celebrate but also to reflect. At our headquarters in Cowick Hall, we created a special exhibition to showcase 100 years of innovation and the people who made it possible. The exhibition features snippets from ‘Milestones and Memories’, a book written by Alan Knights, former editor of our internal magazine, Croda Way. Alan’s work brings together decades of stories and reflections, reminding us that it is our people who continue to shape Croda’s journey.
Celebrations at Rawcliffe Bridge, where it all began
It was particularly special to mark our centenary at Rawcliffe Bridge, the place where our story first began in 1925.
On 24 June, colleagues gathered for an afternoon of mocktails, lawn games, afternoon tea, and live music from a 1920s-style band on the bowling green. Throughout the day, photos of staff and celebrations from years gone by were shared, sparking memories and conversation.
The celebrations didn’t stop there. To commemorate 100 years, the team has been busy creating lasting legacies:
- A time capsule, filled with contributions from children at Rawcliffe and Rawcliffe Bridge primary schools, was buried on site on 4 July with the help of two colleagues’ children who attend the schools.
- Ten trees, one for each decade of Croda’s history, were planted at Sugar Mill Ponds in Rawcliffe Bridge on 16 July by staff volunteers.
- A centenary formation photo and video, involving 108 members of staff, captured the moment from above thanks to drone footage taken by one of our site operators
- Future-focused STEM activities are also being planned with local schools to continue inspiring the next generation.
These activities show how our centenary is not only about looking back, but also about creating roots for the future.
Sandro Cavaleri, Site Director, Rawcliffe Bridge tells us: "Celebrating 100 years at Rawcliffe Bridge is a tribute to the innovation, resilience, and dedication of generations of colleagues who helped shape our company into the outstanding global group it is today. From humble beginnings -converting a disused waterworks into a manufacture site for Lanolin- to becoming a global centre of excellence for manufacturing and analytics, our site has consistently delivered value, supported growth for our business, and fostered a strong community spirit. As we honour our legacy, we also look forward to the future, continuing to evolve, innovate, and make a positive impact for our colleagues, our customers and our community."
Our centenary
Navigating the future of innovative ingredients
Celebrations across the globe
From tulips in the Netherlands to team meals in Mexico, our centenary has been marked in ways that reflect the character and creativity of each team. Here are just a few highlights:
- Incotec Netherlands brought colour to their site with a tulip display, later refreshed with begonias.
- Incotec Brazil (Holambra) celebrated not only Croda’s 100 years but also their own 25th anniversary.
- Iberchem Spain joined the celebrations with a special lunch marking two important milestones at its Murcia headquarters, 40 years of Iberchem and Croda’s centenary.
- Croda Korea hosted activities focused on hope and success for the future.
- Croda Goole, UK celebrated with a ‘Fleece to Grease’ science demonstration, to learn more about our lanolin heritage, alongside an afternoon tea buffet, garden games, and ice cream served from an ice cream van.
- Croda Denmark celebrated with Danish flags, layer cake, and a song – plus a thoughtful session on our Purpose, culture, and living our Values.
- Croda México enjoyed a mixology class, team meal, and cake.
- Croda Brazil came together for a celebratory lunch.
- Croda Leek, UK marked the occasion with food and games.
- Croda Ditton, UK welcomed colleagues from Daresbury and the Materials Innovation Factory, for a day filled with laughter and activities.
- Croda France celebrated with a gourmet buffet that reflected the creativity of the whole team.
Ghislaine Tizniti, QSHE Manager, Croda France tells us: “This event embodied the value of Together, which is important to the group, as everyone was able to put their culinary talents to work to create a beautiful gourmet buffet concocted with passion by each and every one. On this occasion, it was a great opportunity to collectively thank the teams for their commitment and valuable contribution to this wonderful collective adventure.
Each celebration has been a testament to the sense of community and connection that defines life at Croda.
A snippet of our celebrations
