1758
Johann Rudolf Geigy-Gemuseus (1733-1793) begins trading in "Materials, Chemicals, Dyes and Drugs of all Kinds" in Basel.
 

1857
Johann Rudolf Geigy Merian (1830-1917), together with Johann Müller-Pack acquires a site in Basel, where they build a dyewood mill and a dye extraction plant. Only two years later, they begin the production of synthetic Fuchsine.
 

1898
Foundation of production site in Grenzach, Germany.
 

1901
Transformation into a public limited company, and in 1914 the name of the company is changed to J.R. Geigy Ltd.
 

1920
Foundation of the "Geigy Colour Company Ltd." In Manchester, and three years later a plant in Huningue, France.
 

1925
Production of textile auxiliaries, which is taken up in 1928 by Ciba.
 

1935
Production of insecticides. Ciba takes up its activities in this field in 1954.
 

1938
Creation of a pharmaceutical department.
 

1939
Production in the new plant of Schweizerhalle. Paul Müller, a Geigy researcher, discovers the insecticidal efficacy of DDT; for this work he receives the Nobel prize in 1948.
 

1949
The anti-rheumatic drug Butazolidin is the first major drug.
 

1956
Introduction of the first triazine-based herbicides (Simazine, Atrazine).
 

1958
Introduction of Tofranil and its first successes in the area of psychotropic drugs.
 

1959
Introduction of the first long-lasting diuretic Hygrotone for the treatment of high bloodpressure.
 

1963
Introduction of anti-epileptic Tegretol.
 

1859
Alexander Clavel (1805-1873) takes up the production of Fuchsine in his factory for silk dyeing works in Basel. In 1864, a new site for the production of synthetic dyes is constructed, and in 1873 Clavel sells his dye factory to the new company Bindschedler & Busch.
 

1876
Commercial representations of Bindschedler & Busch exist in Germany, France, England, Italy, Russia, and the US.
 

1884
Transformation of Bindschedler & Busch into a joint-stock company with the name "Gesellschaft für Chemische Industrie Basel" (Company for Chemical Industry Basel). The abbreviation "Ciba" becomes so widespread that it is adopted as the company's name in 1945.
 

1900
Production of first pharmaceutical substances, Vioform, an antiseptic drug, and Salen, an anti-rheumatic agent.
 

1908
Acquisition of a production site in Monthey, Switzerland. In 1911 first factories are founded in England (Clayton), Italy (Milan) and in 1915, in Russia (Moscow) and Germany (Berlin).

 

1918
Creation of the "Interessen-gemeinschaft Basel" (Basler IG), a pooling agreement between Sandoz, Ciba and Geigy. In 1950 the Basler IG is disbanded.
 

1924
Coramine, a circulatory drug, is synthesized in Ciba laboratories.
 

1928
Take over of Geigy's production of textile auxiliaries.
 

1946
The epoxy resin Araldite is introduced into the adhesive market.
 

1954
Production of insecticides.
 

1963
Desferal, a breakthrough product for the treatment of iron and aluminium overload in connection with the blood disease thalassaemia, is introduced.
 

1886
The Chemical Company Kern & Sandoz is set up in Basel by Dr. Alfred Kern (1850-1893) and Edouard Sandoz (1853-1928). The first dyes produced are alizarin blue and auramine.
 

1895
Production of the first pharmaceutical substance, antipyrine, a fever-controlling-agent. The partnership is transformed into a joint-stock company "Chemische Fabrik vormals Sandoz".
 

1899
First diversification into sweetening agents; start of saccharin-production.
 

1917
Creation of the Pharmaceutical Department by Prof. Arthur Stoll (1887-1971) and start of pharmaceutical research.
 

1918
Arthur Stoll isolates Ergotamin from the corn-fungus ergot. It is introduced under the trade-name Gynergen in 1921.
 

1929
Introduction of Calcium Sandoz, a breakthrough-product that lays the foundation for modern calcium therapy. The Chemicals Department (chemicals for textiles, leather and paper) is set up.
 

1939
First steps into Agribusiness; the first product developed is the pesticide Copper Sandoz, introduced in 1943.
 

1958
Introduction of the neuroleptic drug Melleril, a milestone in the history of psychotropic pharmaceuticals.
 

1963
Acquisition of Biochemie GmbH in Kundl/Austria; large scale production of antibiotics and substances developed on the basis of biotechnology.
 

1964
First research center outside Switzerland in East Hanover (NJ, USA), followed by the Sandoz Research Institute in Vienna, Austria, in 1970 and the Sandoz Institute for Medical Research in London in 1985.
 

1967
Merger with Wander Ltd. and diversification into the dietetics business (Ovaltine, Isostar), followed by the acquisition of Delmark in 1972, Wasa, the Swedish crisp bread producer, in 1982 and Gerber Babyfood in 1994.