A History of Innovation

1923 M.J. Osborn founds Economics Laboratory, Inc. in St. Paul, Minnesota, with one employee, Ida Koran, hired to manage the office. He has one product, a carpet cleaner called Absorbit™. Absorbit’s limited market potential becomes quickly apparent, sending M.J. looking for alternatives. Ida Koran stays with the company for more than 40 years.

1924 M.J. Osborn incorporates the company and acquires a non-sudsing cleaning compound from a University of Minnesota chemistry student, Leonard H. Englund. He discovers it works better than ordinary soap in the mechanical dishwashers restaurants are beginning to use. He calls the product Soilax™ (soil + lax = soil loosen), and with its launch, sets the company on course to become a leader in warewashing. Soilax is one of the first colored detergents ever developed. In dry form, it is pink. When mixed with water in the proper proportion, the solution turns green. If too much Soilax is added, it turns yellow, a warning the solution is too strong.

1980 Economics Laboratory acquires Apollo Technologies for $71.3 million and forms the Industrial group. The purchase of Apollo, which manufactures chemicals and pollution-control equipment, aims to increase industrial market share and supplement the company’s Magnus industrial offerings.

1980 The Economics Laboratory Foundation is formed. After many years of informal philanthropy reflecting the interests of the founding Osborn family, a more formal philanthropy program is established with an initial budget of $180,000. Grants primarily support education, youth development, civic and community causes, and arts and culture and environmental organizations, with awards made primarily in the company’s headquarters community of St. Paul and neighboring Minneapolis.