Companies that Hatched Surprisingly

Raytheon

All we know about Raytheon is that it is a defense giant. But anybody did know that it was founded as a less aggressive, refrigerator maker? The company was started in 1922 by two former Tufts engineering college roommates, Laurence K Marshall and Vannevar Bush, along with a young scientist, Charles G Smith. This happened in the post World War I period, as there was a boom of electricity, telecommunications and so on. Though they couldn’t make their refrigerator, they came up with plug-in radio (till then Americans could see only battery-operated ones), hearing aids, the first commercial microwave oven and the ever first successful missile-guidance system. Started up in 1922 as the American Appliance Company, eventually became Raytheon in 1925.

Colgate

Colgate, one among the top-selling toothpaste brand in the world, was founded in 1806 by William Colgate. But this hygienic products company did not make one single toothpaste until 1873. The company was originally started as one that manufactured and sold soaps, candles and starch. Much later they introduced their toothpaste, which hit the market heavily and the company is now known for the same.