Alfred Woelbing, like many people, suffered from cold sores. Unlike many people, he had an entrepreneurial spirit and a knack for kitchen chemistry.Alfred decided to solve his painful condition for himself, and concocted a remedy for his cold sores. In 1937, he began making Carmex® by hand, pouring the medicated lip balm into the familiar yellow-capped jars in his kitchen.His sales method: visiting pharmacies one by one. If they weren’t interested, he gave them a dozen jars for free—along with a postcard to reorder. In no time, the pharmacies sold the free samples and the reorder forms started coming in.Alfred produced Carmex® from home for many years, moving into a full production facility in the 1950s, and then to their current manufacturing site in 1975. About 100 people (including Alfred’s grandsons, Eric and Paul Woelbing) continue to produce our original formula in its trademark little jars, and have expanded the line to include unbelievably moist Carmex Moisture Plus®, as well as soothing skin care products.1930sAlfred Woelbing lost his job as a buyer for a Milwaukee department store and began producing Lyptone, a lip protection product that he eventually sold the rights to for $2,500—a lot of money in those days. Next, he created a silver polish, Shynebright, which he sold to stores in Milwaukee and Chicago. In 1937, Alfred Woelbing invented Carmex® and incorporated Carma Laboratories, Inc. Since then, lip care has never been the same.
1940s
Alfred sold Carmex® Lip Balm from the trunk of his car, with popularity growing through word of mouth.
During WWII, Uncle Sam needed all the lanolin for the Army to grease equipment and prevent rust. This limited production possibilities for Carmex® Lip Balm, since lanolin is a key ingredient.
After the war, Alfred continued to produce Carmex® Lip Balm from his home, using only a kettle and a hot plate, pouring the mixture by hand into glass jars.
1950s
Positive word of mouth helped Carmex® Lip Balm grow in popularity, and production demands quickly became too much for the Woelbing home. In 1957, Carmex® moved from the Woelbing home to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, a suburb west of Milwaukee.
1960s
Carmex® continued to grow and added a budget for advertising: $10 a year for the “CARMEX” vanity plate on the family car.
1970s
Alfred, now in his 70s, retired from making sales calls, but continued to play an important role at Carma Laboratories, Inc.
In 1973, his son Don joined the business and established assembly-line production. Three years later, Carma Laboratories, Inc. outgrew the Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, facility and relocated to Franklin, another Milwaukee suburb. The factory is still located there today.
1980s
In 1988, Carmex® Lip Balm became available in squeezable tubes, marking the company’s first significant packaging change.
1990s
Since 1999, pharmacists have ranked Carmex® the #1 recommended over-the-counter lip balm year after year, according to a survey done by Pharmacy Times magazine.
Our Click Stick applicator with SPF 15 was introduced to the public in 1999.
2000s
In 2001, an era ended when Alfred passed away. He worked 8-hour days well into his 90s, driving over 40 miles to get to the factory.
A year later, our products became available in all 50 states, as well as throughout North America, Australia, Europe, and Asia.
New products this decade included Carmex Moisture Plus® lip balm, as well as new Cherry and Strawberry lip balm flavors (selected via Internet voting).
A new distribution center opened in 2004, ensuring that our lines of lip-saving balms were always arriving in the right place at the right time.
In 2006, Carma Laboratories, Inc. hired its first executive team, bringing new life to a 70-year-old company and ushering in an era of increased distribution and expanded product offerings.
A 2008 appearance on Oprah put the Woelbings and the whole Carmex® family in the spotlight, proudly spreading the news that Carmex® had sold more than a billion jars.
In 2009, company chairman Don Woelbing passed away. Carma Laboratories, Inc. continued its family-owned and -operated legacy, led by Alfred’s grandsons, Paul and Eric Woelbing.
2010s
Carma Laboratories, Inc. kicked off the decade by expanding its line outside of lip balm for the first time, creating Carmex® Replenishing Cream and Carmex® Hydrating Lotion.
A year later, Carmex® Concentrated Ointment was released to the relief of folks who suffer from chronically dry and chapped skin.
In 2012, the governor of Wisconsin marked our milestone year by declaring a 75th Anniversary Day across our home state. We also celebrated the occasion by adding a Pomegranate flavor to the hydrating lip balm line, perfectly complementing our Vanilla and Lime Twist flavors.
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