From Bathtub to Turtle Wax

Benjamin Hirsch, the founder of Turtle Wax, wanted to be a chemist, but had to drop out of college during the Great Depression. Instead, he became a magician, supporting his family with his silks and wand. He never lost his interest in chemistry, however, nor his fascination with cars. In the late 1930s he developed a car wax and mixed up batches at night in the bathtub. His wife, Marie, filled the bottles by hand. During the day, Hirsch traveled by streetcar to gas stations around Chicago, selling the wax he named Plastone. In 1944 he invested $500 and opened the Plastone Co., which operated out of a series of storefronts. 

Turtle Wax, Inc., now is one of the world's largest manufacturer of car-care products. A dominant force in exterior car-care products in the United States, family-owned Turtle Wax sells its products in 90 countries around the world. 

Company Perspectives

Our Mission is to innovate and market products and services that exceed consumer expectations and grow the Turtle Wax brand.

Turtle Wax will be the global leader in car care by: focusing on and thoroughly understanding our consumers; developing innovative products and services that delight consumers; recognizing that profitability is critical to our continued success.