Established in Bristol in 1923 and Ireland April 1995

Harry Crook was born in Bristol on 10th January 1889. The city later became the home of his great business enterprise.

Once Harry Crook had decided to set up his business, he wasted no time in finding a site from which to operate. In 1923 the company was established at Chalks Road in Whitehall, Bristol.

To say that Kleeneze's beginnings were modest would be an understatement. Harry Crook's stake in the premises, which belonged to his father-in-law, extended to just a few square yards under the staircase. In this confined space, he manufactured his first twisted-in wire brushes by hand.

By 1928, just five years after its inception Kleeneze boasted 200 branches throughout the British Isles and across Europe. Head Office operations were transferred to a new custom built site in Hanham, Bristol (above), where they remain to this day.

The first few years of Kleeneze's history saw it develop from a three-man concern to a thriving enterprise. By 1927 the Company was selling over £5,000 of mops and brushes each week. The strength of the Kleeneze' 'culture' contributed much to this success.

Kleeneze achieved its first ever million pound turnover in 1930. The Company prospered and was rapidly making its mark as one of the nation's most successful concerns.

"We are passing through a period of intense enthusiasm, devotion, loyalty and patriotism. It is such qualities as enthusiasm, devotion to duty and loyalty that have built this wonder business."

For a company that prided itself on its patriotism, the outbreak of war in 1939 was a time to concentrate its efforts working for King and Country. Production was channeled into the war effort and substantial government contacts were secured on the strength of the Company's thriving Industrial Division.

Post-War Kleeneze was a very different business to that which conscripts had left behind. Rationing was still in force and a number of practical difficulties faced the Company. To keep the Kleeneze family's spirits up, the Harry Crook Trust was introduced, whereby employees of a certain duration of service would be entitled to shares in the Company.

The 1950s represented a transitional period for Kleeneze. The death of George VI and the ascendance of Elizabeth II to the throne in 1953, coupled with the country's economic recovery, seemed to herald a new dawn following the dismal war years and the many difficulties experienced in the aftermath. Kleeneze built a new factory in order to meet growing domestic demand.

The 1960s were a time of worldwide innovation and Kleeneze blazed its own trail. Sales had reached new highs for both the Domestic and Industrial Divisions and Kleeneze claimed a number of record sales years throughout the 1960s. It enjoyed substantial growth through the acquisition of a number of complementary businesses - growth financed entirely out of profit.

On May 20th 1970, Kleeneze introduced an initiative, which was to shape the progress of the Domestic Sales organization throughout the entire decade and beyond. The popularity of Kleeneze's Network Marketing program was a significant factor in the rise of a number of similar businesses. The DSSA - Direct Sales and Service Association (later to become the DSA) - was established to govern the industry and Kleeneze was one of the founding members.

It is easy to forget that the decade, which produced the mobile phone, the executive toy and the yuppie actually began in a time of recession, with a total of 3 million unemployed in 1980.

The spirit of enterprise stirred the nation however and nowhere more so than amongst the ranks of Kleeneze agents.

Kleeneze entered the 1990s greatly changed from the Company, which Harry Crook had started in the 'cupboard under the stairs'. A growing program of incentives - trophies, foreign conferences and a reward scheme, which paid huge dividends - saw agents flock to the business and a revised Sales Plan was introduced in 1991, designed to advance the Company far beyond its competitors.

The development for the new millennium has already began with the implementation of a custom built training centre with its exciting initiative in personal development for all members of the Kleeneze Network.

Kleeneze plans to enter the year 2001 with a team of dedicated agents who will be the driving force behind the Companies success in years to come.

Ongoing expansion and an ever-increasing agent and customer base, mean that Kleeneze's future is looking brighter than ever!