HG describes itself as a 100% Dutch company, with its headquarters and production facility in Almere and its own operations in several countries.

Origins in Sweden

The story of HG begins in the 1960s with Swedish businessman Håkan Gip. The initials H.G. come from his name.

Gip commissioned the development of high-quality cleaning products at the University of Stockholm, initially for use in swimming pools. These products were designed around particular cleaning problems rather than as generic household detergents.

1969 — Arrival in the Netherlands

In 1969, the Dutch company Van Altena B.V., based in Heemstede, began importing HG products from Sweden.

The products initially found customers in the swimming-pool sector but also became popular among building-material retailers, particularly businesses selling ceramic tiles.

1970s — Dutch production

During the 1970s, the Swedish company behind HG changed ownership and planned to move its production to northwestern Finland. Because transporting the products to the Netherlands would have become impractical, Van Altena decided to manufacture HG products itself in the Netherlands.

The company acquired the relevant formulas and brand rights and established a production facility in Oldenzaal.

1980s — Shift toward consumers

The early 1980s were difficult for Van Altena because of an economic recession in the Netherlands. In 1982, the company reassessed its strategy.

One of its major decisions was to move away from its original focus on swimming pools and building-material retailers and concentrate on the consumer market.

This was an important turning point for HG. The company positioned the brand around a simple idea: HG should be the brand consumers turn to for cleaning and maintenance problems around the house. Innovation became an important part of the strategy alongside product quality.

International expansion

HG subsequently expanded outside the Netherlands through importers.

Belgium, the United Kingdom and Germany became some of its early export markets, followed by markets elsewhere in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Canada and the United States.

1997 — Move to Almere

By the early 1990s, both the Oldenzaal factory and the company’s head office had become too small.

HG therefore consolidated its operations in a new facility in Almere, and the move was completed on 1 January 1997. Almere remains the location of HG’s headquarters and production facility. 2

2000–2011 — European subsidiaries

HG continued building its own European network:

• 2000: the UK importer was acquired and renamed HG Hagesan UK Ltd.
• 2001: the Belgian importer was acquired.
• 2009: HG Spain S.L. began operations.
• 2011: HG Italia S.r.l. was established.

In other markets, HG continued to work with local importers and distributors. 3

HG is not positioned as a conventional all-purpose detergent brand. Its range is built around specific cleaning and maintenance problems.

Its product portfolio covers areas such as:

Bathroom & toilet

Products designed to tackle:

• limescale
• soap residue
• skin grease
• mould
• toilet deposits
• blocked drains
• sanitary surfaces

Kitchen

Products for:

• grease
• cooking oils
• ovens
• hobs
• coffee machines
• kitchen surfaces
• appliances
• drains

Living room

Products for:

• furniture
• glass
• upholstery
• carpets
• stains
• odours
• specialist surfaces

Floors

A particularly important part of HG’s range, including products for:

• tile
• stone
• laminate
• wood
• parquet
• vinyl and other floor surfaces

Laundry & textiles

Products addressing:

• stains
• odours
• laundry problems
• textile care

Garage & workshop

Specialist cleaning and maintenance products for areas such as:

• cars
• tools
• garages
• mechanical/technical surfaces

Garden & outdoors

Products for cleaning and maintaining exterior surfaces and outdoor areas.

HG currently organizes its range into seven major household areas: Bathroom & Toilet, Kitchen, Living Room, Floors, Washroom & Textiles, Shed & Garage, and Garden & Outdoors. 4

The defining characteristic of HG is its problem-solution positioning.

Instead of saying:

“Here is one cleaner that can do everything,”

HG essentially says:

“Tell us what the problem is, and we have a product specifically designed for it.”

That philosophy goes back to the company’s origins and remains central to its positioning today. HG says its products are developed on the belief that specialized products designed for specific issues provide better results.

This creates a distinctive position between:

• ordinary supermarket cleaning products, and
• professional/industrial cleaning chemicals.

HG aims to make professional-style specialist solutions available to ordinary households.

HG maintains an internal Technology & Research department, which the company refers to as its laboratory.

Products are developed and tested internally, while raw materials and semi-finished products are also continuously tested against the company’s quality requirements. The research department additionally monitors regulatory developments in the countries where HG products are sold.

This research-driven approach is important to HG’s identity because the brand competes primarily on effectiveness and specialization, rather than simply on low price.

HG is increasingly part of a broader household-cleaning portfolio.

One notable development was its acquisition of Blue Wonder, a traditional Dutch cleaning brand, in 2021.

In January 2022, HG announced the acquisition of Ecozone, a UK-based ecological household-cleaning company. HG said the acquisition supported its ambition to strengthen its position in specialist household cleaning while expanding its sustainability credentials.

This gives the wider HG group exposure to both:

• conventional specialist cleaning, and
• environmentally oriented household cleaning.

HG ECO is the brand’s sustainability-oriented product line.

HG developed ECO products to provide a more environmentally conscious alternative while retaining the effectiveness associated with the regular HG range.

HG’s ECO philosophy focuses on reducing environmental impact across the product lifecycle rather than considering only the chemical formula. The company specifically discusses factors such as:

• raw materials
• packaging
• manufacturing
• logistics
• consumer usage
• product effectiveness

The underlying argument is that an ineffective cleaning product can itself be wasteful because consumers may need to use more of it.

HG’s ECO range includes products for areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, toilets and laundry. 5

HG has historically used a highly recognizable packaging system designed to make specialist products easy to identify on the shelf.

The company has more recently updated its labels while retaining the recognizable HG identity. Its current system uses different colors for different areas of the home, allowing consumers to identify categories quickly. 6

The brand therefore combines two ideas:
Problem → Product → Category

For example, rather than simply seeing a generic “cleaner,” a shopper can identify a product according to the room or surface for which it was designed.

HG has grown considerably beyond its Dutch origins.

The company states that more than 300 HG products reach millions of consumers in 45+ countries. It operates its own companies in a number of European markets while using local importers in other countries. 7

HG products can be found through multiple retail channels, including:

• supermarkets
• drugstores/pharmacies
• DIY and home-improvement stores
• specialist tile retailers
• online retailers

This distribution model reflects HG’s unusual position: its products can be marketed both as consumer household goods and as specialist maintenance solutions.

HG primarily targets consumers who have a specific cleaning or maintenance problem.

Its typical customer is therefore not necessarily looking for the cheapest cleaner. Instead, the customer may be looking for a product capable of solving a difficult problem such as:

• removing stubborn limescale
• eliminating mould
• restoring a particular floor
• removing a difficult stain
• cleaning a blocked drain
• removing heavy grease
• maintaining a particular material

This makes HG particularly relevant to consumers who value effectiveness, specialization and convenience.

HG’s competitive advantage can be summarized as:
Specialization + effectiveness + breadth of solutions.

Rather than competing primarily through a single hero product, HG has built a large portfolio around hundreds of individual household problems.

Its positioning sits broadly between three markets:

This gives HG a relatively distinctive identity in household care.

Sustainability has become increasingly important to HG.

The company says sustainability is a long-term strategic priority and has attempted to address environmental impact across the entire chain, from product development through production and logistics to consumer use.

Its initiatives include:

• the HG ECO range
• recyclable packaging
• consideration of lower-impact raw materials
• reducing unnecessary transport and water consumption in packaging production
• consumer education around appropriate product use

The ECO range is particularly important because it allows HG to enter the growing market for environmentally conscious household products without abandoning its traditional positioning around cleaning effectiveness.

According to HG’s own current corporate information, HG International B.V. employs more than 200 people and operates from its headquarters and production facility in Almere. The company produces more than 300 different HG products, which are distributed to millions of consumers in more than 45 countries.

That makes HG considerably more than a small niche cleaning label: it is an established international specialist household-care company.

If HG were summarized in a few brand attributes, they would be:

Specialist — products are developed for specific problems.

Effective — performance is central to the brand promise.

Practical — products are designed around everyday household problems.

Innovative — research and product development are important parts of the company’s history.

Broad — the company covers hundreds of individual cleaning and maintenance needs.

International — Dutch in origin but sold across numerous international markets.

Increasingly sustainable — particularly through HG ECO and the acquisition of environmentally positioned brands.

HG itself uses the positioning “Does what it promises”, emphasizing reliability and product performance.

The most interesting thing about HG as a brand is that it has built its identity around the problem rather than the product.

Many cleaning brands organize their marketing around product types:

detergent → spray → bleach → multipurpose cleaner

HG instead organizes much of its proposition around questions such as:

How do I remove this stain?
How do I get rid of this limescale?
How do I clean this particular floor?
How do I remove mould?
How do I restore this surface?

That distinction has allowed HG to create a very large portfolio without losing a clear overall identity.

1960s — Swedish entrepreneur Håkan Gip develops specialist cleaning products with the University of Stockholm.

1969 — Dutch company Van Altena begins importing HG products into the Netherlands.

1970s — HG production begins in the Netherlands.

1982 — Van Altena shifts its strategy toward the consumer market and develops HG as a household specialist-cleaning brand.

1997 — Headquarters and production move to Almere.

2000 — UK importer acquired.

2001 — Belgian importer acquired.

2009 — HG Spain established.

2011 — HG Italy established.

2021 — HG acquires Dutch cleaning brand Blue Wonder.

2022 — HG acquires UK ecological cleaning brand Ecozone.

Today — HG International operates as a Dutch specialist household-cleaning company with 200+ employees, 300+ products and distribution in 45+ countries.

1. HG Does what it promises: Cleaning, protecting & restoring
2. Our history: the first 25 years of Hg | Hg
3. 0111130607 – CÔNG TY TNHH THƯƠNG MẠI HG VIỆT NAM – Mã số thuế 0111130607
4. 0110906478 – CÔNG TY TNHH THƯƠNG MẠI VÀ KỸ THUẬT HG – Mã số thuế 0110906478
5. Trang chủ – Máy Tạo Nước Siêu Sạch Từ Không Khí
6. Brand- HG Industry Group
7. History- HG Industry Group