History

A black and white picture with a frame on which long buildings and a large chimney can be seen

1947

Founding the company

MAPA can trace its origins back to Hanseatische Gummiwerke Bachmann & Co. KG, which had its headquarters in Bremen and a production site in Zeven. The company was later renamed Hanseatische Gummiwarenfabrik GmbH Bremen. In 1949, the company concluded a licensing agreement with the Fromm family, who introduced the first brand-name condom on the market in 1919.

1956

A new and orthodontic bottle nipple appears

In 1956, Hanseatische Gummiwarenfabrik GmbH launched a new and orthodontic bottle nipple designed by dentist Dr. med. dent. Müller and orthodontist Prof. Dr. Dr. Balters on the market. The NUK brand was born.

A black and white photograph from the air showing an industrial plant

1967

Takeover by MAPA

Hanseatische Gummiwarenfabrik GmbH was taken over by the French company MAPA SA in 1967. At the same time, a merger occurred with Blausiegel, Richter und Käufer Co. GmbH Hannover, and it operated thereafter as Fromms-Blausiegel Gummiwarenfabrik. The company name was then changed to MAPA GmbH, Gummi- und Plastikwerke in 1969. In 1973, MAPA-FIT merged with the Hutchinson Group, which then inherited MAPA GmbH’s capital in full. Just one year later, TOTAL procured a majority share in the Hutchinson Group, and MAPA GmbH became a part of TOTAL.

1969

The first screw-topped bottles

NUK launched the first screw-topped bottles on the market and enabled families to leave their homes for longer times with their babies, as the ready-to-drink baby food could no longer leak out.

1977

NUK clinic service introduced

MAPA launched its own clinic service, which supplied clinics with disposable NUK bottle nipples and was available to the staff for support and advice.

1980

NUK available in supermarkets

Expansion of the sales and distribution channels resulted in NUK products also being available on supermarket shelves.

Various NUK teats in cardboard boxes in different designs and colors

1988

Introduction of a size concept

New findings revealed that not only an orthodontic design but also the optimal size was important for bottle nipples. NUK reacted and introduced its “grow with your child” size concept for bottle nipples and pacifiers for the age groups of 0–6 months, 6–18 months, and children over 18 months onto the market.

Three NUK soothers in different colors and orange packaging

1989

NUK produces the first pacifiers in different colors

NUK expanded its range with colorful pacifiers, thereby creating a larger and brighter selection of products.

Design of the BILLY BOY condom packaging with headline: Das aufregend andere Condom

1990

Foundation stone for a new and cheeky condom brand

A cheeky name and a provocative marketing strategy laid the foundation stone for a new condom brand in 1990. BILLY BOY – The excitingly different condom was launched on the market and aimed especially at teenagers and young adults. The brand quickly became a market leader and BILLY BOY a true cult condom.

Various NUK products with tiger duck print and imprint

1994

Licensed product lines expand the range

NUK concluded agreements for licensed products for the first time in 1994 and began decorating our popular NUK products with characters such as Peanuts, Mickey Mouse, and the Tigerente (tiger duck).

1996

MAPA GmbH and Spontex Deutschland GmbH join forces

As a result of the purchase of Allégre S.A with its baby brand TIGEX in 1996, MAPA GmbH merged with Spontex Deutschland GmbH and took charge of the activities of the homecare brand Spontex.

2003

Condoms at the church assembly

In 2003, BILLY BOY made an appearance at the German Evangelical Church Assembly. With the title “glaub’ dran” (Believe in it), 20,000 Church Assembly condoms were distributed to visitors at the first ecumenical Church Assembly in Berlin. The unusual prevention campaign was run in cooperation with Jugendpresse Deutschland e. V. (JPD – German Youth Press) and, in addition to awareness, was primarily intended to boost belief in condoms among the visitors.

Black packaging of BILLY BOY lubricant and black dildo with white packaging

2007

Range expansion

Following the introduction of lubricants (2003), BILLY BOY expanded its range yet again: vibrators became available in drugstores and supermarkets! In doing so, BILLY BOY brought the topic out from behind closed doors.

2010 / 2016

Takeover by Jarden / Merger with Newell Brands

The MAPA Spontex Group, of which MAPA GmbH was also a member, was taken over in 2010 by the U.S. Jarder Corporation, which, in turn, merged with Newell Rubbermaid Inc. to form Newell Brands in 2016.

TV Total Wok World Championship team in front of BILLY BOY sponsor wall

2012

BILLY BOY at the TV total Wok Racing World Championship

BILLY BOY appeared on German TV for the first time and participated in the TV total Wok Racing World Championship with the slogan “Liebt euch BILLY BOY” (Love yourselves – BILLY BOY). The team managed to win a bronze medal in the four-person wok racing category.

2018

A new pacifier with higher air permeability

2018 saw the launch of the NUK Space Pacifier, which has extra-large ventilation holes to allow maximum air circulation and is thus particularly skin-friendly.

2019

Spontex now on TV too

With the slogan “Daran bleiben nur die Blicke haften” (The only thing that gets caught is your eye), the Mosaik products launched a cross-media performance offensive. The campaign focused on TV sponsorships on the German channels Kabel 1 and VOX.

2020

Bottles with temperature control system / a world record for Billy Boy

Wouldn’t it be great to recognize the right drinking temperature at a glance? NUK made it possible and launched the First Choice with Temperature Control on the market in February 2020. The bottles feature an integrated thermometer, which changes color to indicate the right drinking temperature.

BILLY BOY managed to set a world record for putting on condoms as part of its festival tour. The aim of the challenge was to put condoms on five different types of vegetables as quickly as possible. The feat was achieved in 27 seconds – that’s 5.4 seconds per condom – and landed BILLY BOY the world record.

Blue background and a white 75 and the lettering MAPA

2022

MAPA turns 75

MAPA has been thrilling its customers with a wide variety of different products for 75 years now.

Gender neutrality notice

Equality is a matter very close to our hearts, and we always aim to use gender-neutral terms on this website and on other digital communication channels (Facebook, newsletter, etc.). Where this is not possible without compromising the readability of our texts and we are forced to use a gender-specific term, said term is understood to refer to all genders equally and without prejudice.