Fresh is an innovative odor control and air freshening manufacturer based in Toledo, Ohio, USA. Over 95% of our products are manufactured in Toledo, and have been since the company was founded in 1971. Singularly focused, we love what we do. We want the world to know, any space can smell great. We create fresher spaces for happier, more productive people.
A Fresh History
At Fresh, we have always wanted to make your world smell better and this has led to almost 5 decades of innovative solutions…
Started in Toledo Ohio USA in 1971, Fresh began as a partnership of three successful businessmen, Don Anderson, Jim Findlay (founder of Impact Products, manufacturers of plastic items) and Jim Lower (founder of Canberra, manufacturers of cleaning chemicals). After a short time, Fresh had become known as the odor control manufacturer of choice throughout the Midwest. Throughout the 1970’s, all three companies prospered, and Don Anderson pushed Fresh to new heights by bringing out several important new products.
In the early 1980’s, Fresh continued to grow and needed more time than the partners could provide as Canberra and Impact were also growing. The partners recruited Bob Brown, already a successful entrepreneur, to join the team. Bob bought out Jim Lower and Jim Findlay and became a partner with Don Anderson. Using Bob’s manufacturing experience, Fresh was able to reduce lead-times dramatically while doubling the number of products manufactured. Undertaking 3 expansions that increased the size of the plant more than 400%, Fresh broadened its product line and offered a full line of air fresheners including solids, liquids, gels and powders.
During the 1990’s, Fresh undertook two more significant production expansions and became even more vertically integrated. To better service the demands of increased deodorant block sales, Fresh invented and built the most efficient para refining manufacturing process in North America, and also undertook the manufacturing of some of our more popular fragrances. The 1990’s ended with Fresh being recognized by the Culinary Association of America for new technology that helped solve odor issues in commercial kitchens around the world.
Since 2000, Fresh has continued to lead the odor control industry thru innovative technology that has resulted in numerous US Patents, and technological licensing agreements. For example, one of these patents highlights our unique fragrance and polymer technology that allows Fresh to offer air fresheners with double and triple the air freshener than competing products. Other areas of technological leadership are fragrance and matrix matching, enzyme tech, low resource use manufacturing, and dispensers. Fresh invented the first ever, dual soap and air freshener dispenser and began offering air freshening blocks using bio-engineered enzymes and spores to attack odors at their source for best results.
With the advent of the Internet, more manufacturers and users consult with Fresh since we are one of a select few air freshener manufacturers in N. America. We continue to solve customers’ odor control issues thru the application of old fashioned manufacturing expertise combined with technological innovation, and now those customers are in most countries around the world. While Fresh still manufactures in Toledo we now ship containers to distributors around the world. Our business has doubled over the past 3-4 years, and our staff, and physical plant has as well. We look forward to continuing to innovate and educate so that we can keep your world smelling Fresh. We love this stuff!!
