Our History First Generation: 1943–1972 Charles Breazeale earned his chemistry degree at age 19 during the Great Depression, and after years of odd jobs, he began his soap career in 1938 as the chemist at Tennessee Soap Company. In 1943, he developed a new line of washing powders. The company’s owner allowed Charlie and his wife Evelyn to form Valley Products Company to produce their powders at night after he finished his work day. In 1945, Charlie and Evelyn bought our current plant site and expanded into bar soap, liquid soap, sanitary/janitorial products, and car washing products. In 1951, they bought the Tennessee Soap Company. The Korean War brought large contracts to make GI bar soap, and by 1960, 75% of Valley Products Co’s business was making US Government bar soap, laundry soap, pumice soap, and aircraft engine cleaner. Second Generation: 1966–2005 Jim Breazeale joined the business in 1966, at a time when the business had overextended into too many products and become dependent on declining government work. He downsized the operation to its most profitable core, and began to seek ways to diversify the business. In 1967, he bought a New York soap company to further expand soap base production. In 1969, he started a new division processing vegetable oils into fatty acids, and over the years he continued to expand that business unit. In the 1970s and 1980s, Valley re-entered the bar soap market with significant acquisitions. Jim bought the assets of bar soap makers in Virginia in 1979, and California in 1987. In 1997, he acquired assets of a New Jersey soap company in order to expand Valley’s industrial soap and soap base business. At the end of that decade, Valley Products had three thriving divisions: consumer bar soap, industrial soap, and fatty acids. Third Generation: 1998–Today Jeff Breazeale joined Valley Products in 1998, starting his journey in the consumer bar soap division. He became president in 1999. In 2009, Jeff and his management team formed Vanguard Soap to buy the assets of the original family bar soap business. Vanguard began producing liquid soaps and body washes in 2010. The team focused exclusively on organic growth, and were able to more than double the business. In 2013, Vanguard vertically integrated into soap base making by buying the assets of Valley’s base and industrial soap divisions. In 2014, the shareholder groups of Vanguard Soap and Valley Products merged into one holding company. Let’s make soap together. GET STARTED HOMEABOUT VANGUARDOUR PRODUCTSCAREERSCONTACTFOR SUPPLIERSEMPLOYMENT IN MEMPHIS, TN Copyright 2019 Vanguard Soap. Website by Good & Gold.