Alcon was founded in 1945 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. The company started as a small pharmacy in Fort Worth and was named for its founders, pharmacists Robert Alexander and William Conner. Conner and Alexander focused on sterileophthalmic products, which no other company specialized in at the time, and built their business by researching eyecare products that would reduce contamination and increase safety. Following incorporation in 1947, Alcon grew steadily to become a leader in their field.
Nestlé of Switzerland purchased Alcon in 1977. This was during a time of rapid growth for Nestlé and was their first venture into the pharmaceutical industry. Alcon expanded its manufacturing capability with new plants in South America and Europe and drastically increased its investment in research. In the 80s and 90s, Alcon continued to grow and became the largest and most profitable ophthalmic company in the world. The Alcon product line has expanded from pharmaceuticals to the surgical arena. The Acrysofintraocular lens implant is the most commonly used implant in cataract surgery worldwide. Today, Alcon has operations in 75 countries and their products are sold in over 180 countries. Alcon employs over 12,000 employees worldwide.
Alcon was spun off from Nestlé in 2002 and re-entered the NYSE with an IPO on March 21. Nestlé retains 75% of the stock.
From Wikidoc - Reading time: 2 min
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