SABA (hygiene products)

A/S SABA, later SABA Mölnlycke A/S (1986–1996), was a Norwegian company that produced hygiene products such as menstrual pads, tampons, diapers, incontinence products and wet wipes. The company later became part of Sca Mölnlycke, Sca Hygiene Products, and Essity in turn; the name Saba is currently owned by Essity and used for a brand of feminine care products. The company was established in 1945 at Råel in the present-day municipality of Tønsberg, Vestfold. For a time, Saba had several hundred employees and was considered a cornerstone company in the district.

In 1968, Saba was acquired by the Swedish industrial company Mölnlycke AB.[1] In 1996, SCA (Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget) acquired Mölnlycke, and with it Saba. SCA later spun off its hygiene products into the Essity brand in 2017.[2] Production in Tønsberg ceased in 2002,[3] and in 2007 the last employees moved from Tønsberg to the head office in Oslo.[4]

Products

In 1954, the Tønsberg factory developed the Saba de-Luxe – "the menstrual pad with cotton". It was a menstrual pad with defibrated cellulose and cotton and was significantly better than competitors' products.[4][17] The innovations led to increased sales, from 400,000 10-packs in 1954 to about 4.5 million 10-packs in 1960, and the business grew with new products and larger facilities.[1] Early disposable pads were used with a discreet belt or fastened with pins. Later came the Saba Self-Sit, pads that did not need to be fastened in place but which instead had a layer of foam rubber to stay in place in tight-fitting underwear.[18] Other types of menstrual pads included thin pantyliners and thicker types for nighttime use.

Until the 1960s, menstruation was regarded as a highly private matter that was inappropriate to talk about in public. In the 1950s, feminine hygiene products were not usually displayed in shops, but instead sold discreetly under the counter. Some even tore off the labels and wrapped the products in grey paper.[8] Saba's active marketing therefore attracted attention in many places, particularly through the traveling Saba bus, which made regular visits to paper, perfume and knitwear wholesalers in Eastern Norway.[19][20] Originally the sale of tampons in Norway was forbidden for fear of health risks, but the law was repealed in the late 1950s. Until then, pads had mostly been sold in pharmacies and women's clothing stores, but they were becoming more familiar and commonly sold in Norwegian grocery stores.[8]

The company's largest product in the early 1990s was children's diapers. Adult diapers and menstrual pads were also important, along with the construction of industrial machinery to make diapers, pads and other items.[6]

Employees and revenue

In 1954 Saba employed 30 people at Råel, mostly women; in 1959, 60; and in 1961, 90.[11] In 1970, it employed around 375 people and had a revenue of NOK 70 million.[21] In 1979 the annual revenue was NOK 370 million, a threefold increase in six years.[13] The company had 400 employees and its own wellness building with a sports center.[13] In 1988, the company had 800 employees and a revenue of NOK 1.1 billion.[12] In the early 1990s, 620 people worked in the Norwegian division of Saba Mølnlycke, of whom around 80 worked in sales and other areas at the Oslo office.[6] The total revenue was NOK 1.3 billion a year.[6]

type	Aksjeselskap
industry	Consumer goods
founded	1945 in Tønsberg, Norway
successor	SABA Mölnlycke A/S SCA Mölnlycke SCA Hygiene Products Essity
products	Feminine hygiene products, Diapers

SABA (hygiene products)

History

Products

Employees and revenue

Essity

Factory site

Sponsorship

References