Who Owns Rubbermaid?

Rubbermaid was founded in 1933 by James R. Caldwell in Wooster, Ohio. Caldwell had purchased the Wooster Rubber Company, which had been producing rubber balloons and toy balls, and pivoted the business toward household rubber products. The company's first product was a rubber dustpan, introduced in 1934, which sold for 39 cents and was an immediate commercial success.

The name "Rubbermaid" was chosen to reflect the company's focus on rubber household products, combining "rubber" with "maid" to suggest a helpful household companion. The brand's early product line expanded to include rubber dishpans, drain boards, sink mats, and other household items that leveraged the durability and flexibility of rubber.

Through the 1940s and 1950s, Rubbermaid became one of the most recognized household brands in the United States. The company's products were sold through hardware stores, variety stores, and department stores, and the brand developed a reputation for quality and durability that distinguished it from cheaper alternatives. Rubbermaid's growth during this period was driven by post-war consumer spending on household goods and the expansion of American suburban homeownership.

In the late 1950s and 1960s, Rubbermaid began transitioning from rubber to plastic as the primary material for its products. Advances in plastic manufacturing technology made plastic more cost-effective and versatile than rubber for many household applications, and Rubbermaid invested in plastic injection molding capabilities. The transition to plastic allowed Rubbermaid to expand its product range significantly, introducing storage containers, trash cans, laundry baskets, and other products that became household staples.

Rubbermaid went public in 1955, listing on the New York Stock Exchange. The company grew rapidly through the 1960s and 1970s, expanding its product line and distribution. By the 1980s, Rubbermaid had become one of the most admired companies in the United States, appearing on Fortune magazine's list of America's Most Admired Companies for multiple consecutive years.

The company expanded into commercial and institutional markets through the 1980s and 1990s, developing the Rubbermaid Commercial Products line for businesses, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions. This expansion diversified Rubbermaid's revenue base beyond the consumer household market.

In 1994, Rubbermaid faced a significant operational challenge when a sharp increase in resin prices, driven by a shortage of polypropylene, compressed the company's margins. The company's response, which included price increases that some retailers resisted, damaged relationships with key retail partners including Walmart. The episode highlighted the risks of dependence on a single raw material and the challenges of maintaining retailer relationships in the consumer goods industry.

Newell Company acquired Rubbermaid in a $5.8 billion merger in 1999, creating one of the largest consumer goods companies in the United States. The combined company was named Newell Rubbermaid. The merger gave Newell access to Rubbermaid's strong consumer brand and commercial products business, while Rubbermaid gained access to Newell's manufacturing efficiency and retail relationships.

Following the 2016 acquisition of Jarden Corporation, Newell Rubbermaid was rebranded as Newell Brands, reflecting the expanded portfolio that now included brands such as Coleman, Calphalon, Graco, and Yankee Candle alongside Rubbermaid and Sharpie.

By 2025, Rubbermaid had maintained its position as one of the most recognized brands in household storage and organization, competing with Tupperware (Regent LP), Ziploc containers (SC Johnson), and store-brand alternatives in the food storage segment, and with Sterilite and other brands in the general storage and organization segment.