Borden Company (Pte) Ltd, a Singapore grown pharmaceutical manufacturing company since 1960, produces the well-known Eagle Brand Medicated Oil, which has become synonymously known as the “green oil”. Eagle Brand medicated oil was formulated in 1935 by a German chemist, Wilhelm Hauffmann, for J Lea & Co, a trading house owned by the late Tan Jim Lay, a direct descendant of the patriarch Tan Quee Lan. He was a well-known Chinese merchant and philanthropist in Singapore during the early 1900's.
The Eagle Brand medicated oil under J Lea Co flourished and grew very significantly and dominated the local market for medicated oil in the post war period. In 1960s, the late Tan Jim Lay got together a few of his business associates to join his company as shareholders in order to strengthen the capital base and fortify the management of the business. Borden Co., Pte Ltd was officially incorporated on the 26th of March 1960 to take over the business of J Lea & Co including the Eagle Brand trade mark and the proprietary rights acquired from Wilhelm Hauffmann & Company.
In 1963, Borden Co., Pte Ltd formally registered Wilhelm Hauffmann & Company as a business name under its sole ownership. Borden Company began manufacturing and packaging its products at its first facilities located at River Valley in Singapore. Subsequently, the factory was relocated to its present premises at Jalan Kilang in the early 1970s.
Currently, the single-storey detached factory is being redeveloped (completion by November 2006) to accommodate a new 7-storey light industrial building, comprising of GMP certified facility, and equipped with the latest machineries and technology as well as space for warehousing.
Annually, the factory produces as many as 5.2 million bottles of Eagle Brand Medicated Oil. Although the medicated oil remains as the core product, dedicated research and development have created an extended range of pharmaceutical products, such as, medicated balms, eucalyptus oils, muscle rubs, plasters, disinfectant sprays and swipes, amongst others.
