The Soap Factory as it is named today was born out of McLeod Bros, established in 1869 some 150 years ago.
They were for 100 years, one of the leading soap and candle manufacturers in the country, Laundrine soap being its major brand. Looking back, the company probably took its status too much for granted, and the progressive company of Sharland & Co carried out a successful take-over in 1969, before becoming in turn a subsidiary of Carter Holt Harvey in 1973.
The soap making plant was sold to the Auckland based company Stevens KMS Corporation in April 1988, being then on-sold to Colgate Palmolive Ltd in April 1989. Colgate closed down the business taking some assets offshore and it was at this time the current owner purchased the business. He was at that time a customer thus keeping what was left of the manufacturing in New Zealand and helping himself and other customers who had been left behind, plus keeping the staff employed, some of whom are still with The Soap Factory today.
In 2008 The Soap Factory took over another struggling business called Soap Manufacturing in Otahuhu and integrated its staff and assets into the current premises in Ben Lomond Crescent.
